Catholic Hermit's Birthday Novena Idea

I realized yesterday that I have not written much of any good on my blog for quite awhile.  My daily life has been more chronicled with the little dabblings of manual labor, of physical pain trials, of observations of this or that in the temporal, and in general of my dragging through a lot of temporal hassles and not so much with the best of spiritual, inspiring attitude!  And then toss in laziness and lack of focus and discipline to make what I've shared perhaps not helpful other than readers can say with certainty:  "There but for the grace of God, go I."

This weak and fumbling consecrated Catholic hermit can be an example to others by inspiring a desire to do far better than this nothing is doing and being to Jesus' All!

So I decided today to try to at least offer an idea, with an example, of a birthday novena I'm praying to write and offer for a dear friend and mentor who turned 90 a couple days ago.  She has no temporal needs that some money or a tangible gift would fulfill, although last year I decided to participate in her prayers and mentoring of her granddaughter by sending donations from my roadside produce table as a contribution to a lunch out with her granddaughter upon her first visit back home from freshman year in college.  The spiritual link came through monetarily sponsoring their lunch.

But this year it seemed that reaching 90 years of age should have something richer than money.  It took a few weeks of mulling to receive the idea from the Holy Spirit.  Take a 9th chapter a day of books and letters of the New Testament, read it, pray about it, ask for inspiration, and then write how my friend's life is reflected in and relates to what the Living Word states.

I had intended to begin with Romans and go through 9 of St. Paul's epistles, in order.  But the very first day of the novena, the Gospel of John popped up when I looked at Scripture online.  (My living circumstances are rough enough still that having my study Bible out and around is not prudent due to sawdust and drywall mud and whatever other construction crud.)  Well, the 9th chapter of John happened to be just right for the first day, given what my friend was doing on that day, requiring her eyesight....

Regardless, yesterday I returned to the plan of Romans 9, and that worked out well; and today it is 1 Corinthians 9.  Selfishly, what I am finding is that reading and writing and relating to my friend's life has set an improved tone for my own morning and day, with much to ponder.  And I realize that much of my writing time is spent more in emails to individuals than in writing much of any good on my blog.

So today I am sharing what was emailed to my friend, although I am sure many if not all of you have birthday novena ideas for your friends that are a far sight better, and I'd love to hear about them from you, if you wish to share.  At least this one is something from me to share with you that is not just of my own trials and whatever observations in my obscure life.  Maybe some of the thoughts on 1 Corinthian 9 apply to your lives, also, as we are each and all called by Christ in one way or another, as apostles of Christ.

["Dear K.,]

Well, this one is interesting!  I'm finding the spontaneity of relating to the 9's of progressive Letters and Books of New Testament, these written by St. Paul, to be fascinating.

So today I am praying and pondering how your life is reflected in these thoughts from a major apostle, even if he was a Paul-come-lately to the faith after persecuting Christians with the force of his previous convictions and adherence to the laws of men and the laws of righteousness rather than the law of God, the law of Love.

What a conversion experience he had!  I figure you had one, too, at some point in your life, be it all at once or over time in awakenings along the way.

It is something to consider being called just as Paul was called, to be an apostle for Jesus.  You are; we all are.  We are called to be apostles and to preach the Gospel.  It may be more in action and thought than in our actual words to a listening audience or to travel about preaching Christ and His Good News.

You were and are called as an apostle.  You live it out and have, for you have been given a mission in life as an apostle of Christ, and it has evolved in each phase as they come and pass in the temporal and spiritual aspects of life lived.

You planted spiritual seeds in each of your children, perhaps especially in the spiritual bond with Laurie amidst her and your suffering together in her brief life on earth and in the years since of physical separation.  The spiritual bond has grown all the more firm.  You continue to sow spiritual seeds by your spiritual reading of Scripture and of the spiritual masters who left their writings of insights and wise counsel, as well as in the Living Word which guides your thoughts and works and heart and soul: the Gospel.  

You planted spiritual seeds in the students you taught, whether or not they ever realized the seeds spiritual; they were and are, for spiritual seeds never stop growing or at least never lose the potential to grow within souls.  Even right now, today, there may be some spiritual seed you planted in some child or adult along the path of life, who you touched with a word or prayer or smile or comforting look, and that seed may be growing in a spurt in this present moment.

This is a marvelous reality, and to think that today you will be planting more spiritual seeds, and tomorrow, and on and on throughout eternity.

And then there is the point of living and enduring all things so as to not place an obstacle to the Gospel of Christ.  As St. Paul writes that those who preach the Gospel of Christ ought live the Gospel of Christ, it is also true that those of us who hear or read the Gospel of Christ ought live it, as well.  And it is also true that preaching the Gospel of Christ extends beyond the notion of preaching as words spoken to others in a formal or even informal setting.  

Preaching the Gospel is accomplished in thoughts, prayers, non-verbal actions, and even in attitude and demonstration of enduring all with patience and love and in retaining faith and hope no matter what obstacles are placed in our human lives.  So that makes it all the more real that we should endure all so as to not place an obstacle in front of the Gospel, the good news, of Christ's life and reality as savior of all our souls and savior of the entire world.

You place no hindrance in front of Christ; this is obvious.  Even when you may shake your head and think of any flaws that you may consider for yourself, the truth is that you have and do and will endure in the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love, and that you will never obstruct Christ's love and mercy for you or any other person in your life's encounters--be they yet on this earth or no longer here.  

Enduring any suffering removes the chance of creating obstacles, and I guess that is the good work and effect of sufferings and enduring them.  It is the living out of Christ's ultimate mission--is suffering and enduring suffering.  That removes the obstacles to salvation for it binds us to Christ in ways that nothing much else can, for enduring is a type of proof of love and of accepting Christ's mercy and love.

Then as you share His mercy and love and shower it upon others, that is all the more preaching the Gospel of Christ.

You endure and share and "preach" willingly, as in the wisdom given you, you see there is no point in resisting.  (Some, such as me, continue to tendency to resist and to thus create obstacles to Christ's gospel and hinder the example of love and mercy.)  You have and are and will continue to fulfill your mission as an apostle of Christ, and you do so without expecting any return. (Paul uses the word recompense which is far more nuanced than return.)  

Regardless the trials or the patience involved, you live willingly and love Christ and others willingly, tolerating the idiosyncrasies and even the flaws, with love as well as merciful humor as well as humility, for humor is a gift that helps oppose pride and humility seals the soul against pride.

As far as being all things to all, even St. Paul was not pleasing to some, nor was he appreciated nor heeded by all; but even he says if he can help just a few, that is good.  Yet in your life, as far as I have observed, there is no one you have turned aside or caused to not appreciate.  

You exude a peace and tranquility even if there may be some actions or persons whose ways run afoul of what is good, best, reasonable, or holy.  With these, you endure and bear with them, for you so live out that sentiment you read of Thomas a Kempis to bear with others who have borne with you.

Anyway, dear K., while your humility is probably causing you to cringe with what I am writing which compares you with St. Paul as an apostle of Christ--you are an apostle of Christ, and your calling must not be negated even if you may think you are not.  You are, and that is that.  And the reality of it all will spur you on today and tomorrow and all the tomorrows throughout eternity, to continue the good work that Christ has begun in you and to which you have not refused Him.

And that is what I love so much about you, and why the Lord has attached me to you like a barnacle to a lovely and strong flagship as you.  I can see and hear and read and observe the Gospel being "preached" by your life, and it incites a greater desire and encouragement that I ought to improve and to learn and strive to do better.

Thanks!  God bless His Real Presence in you!  Keep up the excellent preaching, Apostle K.!

(And I am sure everyone in your life is benefitting in similar ways as I am, and the humor of your 90th birthday driver's license photo is proof of the hardships you yet endure for the sake of the Gospel--maybe not quite the same as Paul being shipwrecked, but certainly could pass as perhaps looking like you were stoned with the stones hitting you in the face!  Humor and humility tackle and take down pride!)

The Let-Go Novena and Two Other Prayer Intentions

I enjoyed a phone conversation last evening with a young woman who is also wife, mother, daugh- ter and sister.  When she married over five years ago, her hus- band had a job about four or more hours' drive from her par- ents and siblings.  Now with two child- ren of her own, her parents continue to apply pressure that she should live close to them.  They persist that she is unhappy where she is and in her marriage.  They resent she does not visit them often nor move back.

Her parents do not visit her.  Perhaps this is due to their having several younger children.  But it is their mindset that all their children should remain in their area, and the young woman is the eldest.  The parents simply cannot let go and have enlisted others with hopes to influence her.  The stress is horrible upon a young woman who has struggled with the transition, as it is, with marriage, living in a more remote area, giving birth to two babies, and now burdened with what has become unhealthy and sometimes nasty, parental pressure.

I had told her about the Furniture Novena and its marvelous success...and being so simple and meaningful a prayer.  We decided to pray together for the intention that her parents learn to let go:  let her be the adult, married woman and mother that she is.  So we devised the Let-Go Novena. 

Since her life is burdensome and serious from facets of her parents' subterfuge (although she has compassion for their sense of loss of control), we felt she needed some kind of letting go in a fun way.  She bakes prize-winning cookies, so she suggested she bake cookies once a week for nine weeks, and she will let them go to whoever God brings to her mind to gift them.

What flashed in my mind as to my part, came after marvelous lessons in a car service center and in a Lowe's (home project store).  I was reminded that I have not "let go" of the many workers who have cheated me and taken advantage financially, in the past year in particular.  While it is good to be prudent, I had developed an attitude of mistrust and assumption in situations, but also I kept regurgitating the memories of the many who had "ripped me off."  So I said I will practice letting go of these past situations for nine weeks--that it would probably take me awhile to let go of what had become an assumed attitude. 

Then she thought of two other intentions.  One is for a man she knows who is worn out with working long hours and who snapped at a customer and is on probation with his job.  He is a lovely, Christian man and not typical of him to lose his temper.  So we thought something very positive as a prayer effort would be good.

 

She knits baby hats, so she is going to knit some "fun" ones, and think of him as she does so.  I said I will plant the 19 lovely, purple verbena plants I got on clearance, as my prayer of uplift for him.

The other is for a woman who wants to marry and have children but feels she is unattractive due to being overweight.   My young friend knows this woman from college days; she knows the woman is also depressed due childhood memories of her father not being faithful to her mother.  So the idea popped into our thoughts to simply light a candle daily and pray for the friend's spirit to be uplifted and for His Real Presence to lighten the loneliness and light up her life.  Who knows?  May God's be done regarding an earthly husband in her life!

We have great anticipation and joy in beginning these prayers today.  What fun!  His Real Presence and us together--praising and praying!

A long-time friend emailed last night that what I'd written to her of my letting go lessons--particularly the Lowe's incident--reminded her of the hymn "I Surrender All."  I looked it up, as I had forgotten this classic, written by a humble, Midwest art teacher-turned-evangelist in the early 1900's.  

The lyrics are lovely.  I even listened to it on YouTube and watched the video of Oprah Winfrey's love of this hymn (and why her connection with it).  I've decided for my part of the Let-Go Novena, that I will listen to this hymn each day for nine weeks as a beautiful prayer for myself and others to let go of what hinders us from full surrender to His Real Presence in all aspects of our bodies, minds, hearts and souls.

I Surrender All 
by Judson W. Van DeVenter 

1. All to Jesus I surrender;
   All to Him I freely give;
   I will ever love and trust Him,
   In His presence daily live.
   • Refrain:
     I surrender all,
     I surrender all;
     All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
     I surrender all.
2. All to Jesus I surrender;
   Humbly at His feet I bow,
   Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
   Take me, Jesus, take me now.
3. All to Jesus I surrender;
   Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
   Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
   Truly know that Thou art mine.
4. All to Jesus I surrender;
   Lord, I give myself to Thee;
   Fill me with Thy love and power;
   Let Thy blessing fall on me.
5. All to Jesus I surrender;
   Now I feel the sacred flame.
   Oh, the joy of full salvation!
   Glory, glory, to His Name!

The Furniture Novena

A few days ago, a woman called.  She started the conversation with, "I know what you will probably say, but I want to ask you, anyway."

A few short months ago her mother-in-law had passed from this earthly life.  After the funeral, she and her husband met with his siblings to express which pieces of mostly humble, earthly possessions of their mother, they would like.  The siblings wrote down their desires, and there was agreement at the time...or so it seemed. 

The woman and her husband were to have a hutch, a bedroom set, and a desk.  Others had chosen other pieces of furniture and various items, mostly all of but sentimental value.

At this point, I knew the outcome.  We all can, based upon so many stories like this involving possessions of a deceased family member.  Greed and covetousness rear ugly heads.  Of the siblings, a daughter who lived near her mother and had access to the items, decided she and her two adult children should have what her brother and his wife were to have.

The woman (who called me) and her husband, had planned a vacation of which part would be to buy a trailer on Craigslist in order to pick up and bring back the stuff, a few hours' distance from the deceased mother's home.  But the ugliness of the possessions caper had turned the situation into upset and confusion.

At the time of her call, she felt bad that she had agreed with her husband to stick up for their rights and insist on what had been agreed would be their furniture bequest.  The woman did have good memories of her mother-in-law and her hutch, and her husband wanted his mother's bed set and desk.  And there is really no reason (other than sin) that his sister decided to take what was not agreed upon.

What to do?  Well, I pointed out that this is looking grim for the sister's soul.  We discussed how it is just furniture, just stuff, and any of it could be easily purchased elsewhere and for not a huge sum of money.  And this type of uproar is typical after the deceased is buried and the grief that can unite survivors has mellowed, and divisiveness over possessions begins to sprout.

It is a no-win situation on the temporal playing field.  If this couple gives in to the essential "theft" of what they were to have, they will have negative feelings and see the reality of the sister's greed and deceit.  If they show up and fight for what is rightfully theirs, by previous agreement, there will be ugliness in the confrontation, words exchanged, and perhaps even some force required.  Either way, relationships will be damaged.

 

We discussed the "high road," if both the woman and her husband could at all levels detach from the items, much as Jesus had recommended to the rich young man who asked what it would take to enter the kingdom of heaven.  At the time of the young man's asking, what Jesus said about relinquishing possessions (and this can be within the soul's attachment as well as in tangible letting go), was too much for the rich young man to do, at least just yet.

Since the husband in this current situation was not one to give in to wrongs, he also was prone to not ask his wife's input on matters.  My asked-for-opinion thinking it best to let the husband deal with the issue in the way he wanted, which was then to get the trailer and go to his late mother's house, and attempt to get the items.  This was to be done in conjunction with the couple's vacation.  I pointed out the possessions might not be there when they arrive, as the sister knew they were planning to come to that area in a week. 

The woman who had called me was in distress for added reasons.  She said in part she felt guilty for having wanted the hutch in the first place.  Well, that is not a horrible sin, for it is very human to appreciate and desire tangible reminders of those we love and who have loved us.  And how many of us can suddenly have that kind of utmost detachment?  But we talked a bit more, and I pointed out that we are getting older, and literally, "what on earth" are we going to do with the "stuff" we already have, let alone more stuff?

We agreed that their week of vacation and the days leading into it, and possibly the days following, are now and could be fraught with tension.  The could be depends upon the woman and her husband's letting it get to them.  

But again, the main issue in all this seemed to me to be the state of the sister's soul, for this was an ugly mess caused by her wanting what was not agreed upon to be hers in addition to what she had taken already.  How sad a soul so needy of tangibles, so attached to more than enough for touchstones of her mother's memory!

Prayer would be the only balm for the couple's peace of mind and their own spiritual progression, and most importantly, for the deeper conversion of the sister's soul.  The woman (a spiritual friend) was distracted by all the emotions that go along with such issues.  (We all know what it feels like to have inner--and outer--peace disrupted.) 

The idea came:  Offer a furniture novena.  I suppose it came to mind due to recently praying the potato novena [previous post mentions this, or a video sharing].  I suggested that she and I select a piece of furniture in our own abodes--one that has some kind of meaning due to memories associated.  We would keep the prayer simple and tactile.  Lay a hand on whatever piece of furniture and simply repeat a Hail Mary.  Do this once a day for nine days.  (We each know the history of and Christian, Biblical symbolism for the "nine"--as in the nine days between Christ's ascension and Pentecost.)

On the second day of our prayer-across-the-miles, the woman emailed that she was in great distress again, feeling even more guilty that she had ever wanted her mother-in-law's hutch; and she reported her husband had decided to fight for his rightful possessions, his portion of personal effects from his mother's estate.   The woman's conscience was bothering her, and she had asked the Lord to give her another chance to somehow influence her husband's decision which was to demand tangible justice.

I emailed back that we should keep to our furniture prayer, and that right then if she could lay her hand on a piece of furniture in her house and ask Mary to help calm her upset, I would do likewise where I am.   Surely Mary would come to her aid immediately.

The next email I received was a day later.  The woman had done the praying, the laying on of hands, and peace within occurred.  But an outward miracle also occurred:  her husband had come home from work, showed her some photos of a trailer he intended to purchase so they could haul the furniture home.  However, he then he did what is rare if ever:  he asked her opinion on what he should do.  (Seriously, this is not like the husband at all.  He does not go in for praying, and he calls the shots.)

She had asked the Lord to give her another chance for input with her husband on the furniture snafu, and He gave it to her.  When given this moment, she told her husband to let his sister have whatever, and that they can go on their vacation and let all that other go. 

In another miracle, her husband agreed!

But the woman had been thinking much since our conversation.  All the more she realized that her sister's soul is endangered by what she had done, even though to others it may seem like a small matter and so very typical in estate situations.  So we are continuing the Furniture Novena, specifically now for the sister's soul and for conversion of mind, heart, and spirit--not for the furniture ordeal.

It is not that the "gimmick" of laying hands on a piece of furniture and praying a short Hail Mary is the gist here.  It is that of faith and of the simplicity of heart in the praying, that seems to be pleasing to God.  It includes the beautiful memories of people and created things and their usefulness.  We each are finding delight in praying with tangible "touchstones" but not as a heaviness or laborious effort.  We can think of the carpenter's Son, and add to that an intensity of desire for the good of souls: the woman, her husband, the sister, her adult children, for my own soul as well as all souls who have or will have these types of "furniture" or possession problems.

When I laid my hand upon (here very dusty, move-damaged, stacked and stored) furniture, the pieces I touch each have some memory included--either of who built the furniture such as in one my great-great-grandfather built, or in a $2 chair purchased at a yard sale four decades ago when I was first married.  That chair I refinished and reupholstered the seat, and it was a chair my eldest daughter sat on while at her desk doing homework during high school years.

Another was my harp stool, with thoughts of earlier desires to play but wondering if ever having this place habitable enough to take it out of protective packing.  Another is this twin bed which a neighbor gave me for my first house when married. Later, several years after the divorce, it a man with a drinking problem but needed work, refinished it. My second daughter slept in this bed through teen years.  I am in it as I write this!

Now, these details mean nothing to anyone else, but hopefully we can  grasp that somehow touching the items and praying for the resolution of the nasty situation brewing for my friend and her husband and his sister's soul, has touched my soul, my life.  It is all very good. 

And in faith, as we continue the Furniture Novena for another few days (lost count, but that does not matter), I am sure the sister's soul will be affected even if we never know or see outcomes.  For one thing, it will not be for the furniture or needing it for practical purposes or for sentiment.  The couple has overcome that "world."

And in another thought, these are some of the ways that the Lord interacts in our lives, and how we can talk with Him, interact with Him, and touch and be touched.  He talks with us; He guides our actions; and He lays out our path in little details and truly miraculous (even if nuanced) outcomes.  

These and more are God's miracles. 

No surprise, this Word reminder in Psalm 85, this morning:

"The Lord will give what is good,
   and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him,
   and will make a path for his steps."