Just close your eyes and listen to the first minute or so of this video and you’ll swear you’re in a summer thunderstorm. I love it.
Archive for July, 2009
Rain Rain Rain
July 31, 2009Small Wonders
July 30, 2009
I love taking pictures. I’m crazy about taking pictures. So I finally decided to get meself a Flickr account and share my little vantage point of this splendid reality with the world at large (you can check it out here). I’ve named the account “Small Wonders” because I think that pretty much sums up the little gems that surround us every day.
We must open our eyes to admire God, who hides and at the same time reveals himself in things, and introduces us into places of mystery… In reality, for those who know how to read in depth, each thing, each event brings a message that, in the final analysis, leads to God.
– Pope John Paul II
With the wonder of technology and the camera feature on so many of our cell phones today, we can all have the chance to capture the small wonders around us… even this close up of my neighbor’s cucumber plant! So keep your eyes peeled and your heart ready for a game of Divine “Hide and Seek” with the Lord. He loves it when we take time to read His Love Letters, big and small.
Getting a Haircut vs Going to the Dentist
July 25, 2009
One of the most memorable scenes from the movie Always is the scene in which “Hap” is giving Richard Dreyfuss a haircut in the middle of the woods after he dies in a terrible plane crash (see video below).
Why such a random juxtaposition of events? What’s a haircut have to do with the peace and rest and complete gift of the afterlife? If you’re asking that question, clearly you’ve never had a good haircut. Clearly, you’ve never been to Troncelliti’s, the last bastion for a good manly haircut in America.
Getting a manly haircut is a wonderful thing. I was reflecting on it yesterday as I sat in pensive apprehension in a similar sort of “chair” waiting for my dental exam (first one in over 3 years. Shame on me.) Yes, both involve sitting and being receptive, and letting something “be done unto you.” Great opportunities for grace and reflection. But a haircut is something done for you. A dental exam is something done on you; heck IN you. The first is a gift, the second is an assault.
You see friends, a good manly haircut is like getting a massage for the soul; the gentle hum of the clippers, the metallic twittering of the scissors… Ah! in the right hands it’s a symphonic experience! A dental exam, conversely, is akin to being abducted by aliens, then poked and prodded with yes, equally sharp metallic instruments, but this time they’re…. in your mouth.
While getting a manly haircut, you might hear things like:
1. oldies playing in the background (lots of Sinatra and Glen Miller if you’re at Troncelliti’s), 2. debates over who had more RBI’s in the 1957 World Series, or 3. silence…. which is my favorite.
A good manly barber knows you’re not there for chit chat. You just want to float away to Happy Land on the scent of that talcum powder and the smell of that amber liquid they splash on your neck. You just want to BE.
While in the dentist’s chair, you might hear things like:
1. drills, 2. drilling sounds, and 3. drills. Plus there are strings of words that make absolutely NO SENSE. In my visits to the dentist I have tried my darndest (?) to figure out their alien tongue, but have failed miserably.
Can someone translate this gibberish?
“1..2 2…3… cloobickle. 4…1 1…2 2…. clubickle… 5….1 2…cloobickle”
Now you’re asking, where is this going? What deep spiritual insight can be gleaned from my reading this post today? The answer is: I don’t know. But I do know this! On Thursday I go under the “knife” for a root canal. YIPPEE!! I’m really excited about it. I’m going to offer if up in union with Christ’s sufferings and release hundreds of souls from Purgatory. And maybe I’ll bring my iPhone and record what the “dentist” says as I slip into Numby Land. Can it be rendered in human speech? Is there an app for that? We shall see. In the meantime, I’m going to have some CHOCOLATE!
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When Passion Meets Prayer
July 22, 2009
Did a Magdalene, a Paul, a Constantine, an Augustine become mountains of ice after their conversion? Quite the contrary. We should never have had these prodigies of conversion and marvelous holiness if they had not changed the flames of human passion into volcanoes of immense love of God.
– St. Frances Cabrini
How Babies Can Save the Human Race
July 17, 2009
First off, let’s all agree that the world is presently screwed up. For proof, click here. We’re too busy, too angry, too focused on work, too ignorant towards each other, too selfish, too lazy, etc… (or is it just me?)
Well, don’t despair! I’ve discovered in the past 10 months that salvation is near at hand.
BABIES CAN SAVE THE PLANET.
Oddly enough, you may have heard just the opposite. Some propose that babies eat up the planet’s resources, that there is a “population crisis”, and that we should all feel very, very guilty and irresponsible for not routinely contracepting and for ever considering having more than 1.5 children. Because aside from being stinky, babies leave a “carbon footprint” everywhere they go. As to the “population crisis” click here and check out Caritas in Veritate, section 44 to top it off.
But I believe the secret to building a happy, vibrant, life-affirming, love-soaked Civilization lies in a healthy abundance of those squishy Little People who are utterly dependent on us Big People. Here are Ten Reasons Why Babies Will Save the Human Race (feel free to add more reasons through the comment link below):
1. Babies make people talk to each other in parks, who normally might not give each other the time of day. Talking to people builds friendships, friendships build communities, communities build parks. Babies hang out in parks (and around and around we go!)
2. Babies learn EVERYTHING from their parents, by watching, listening, studying, and looking up at Mommy and Daddy…. and so should we.
3. Babies are the greatest “man-made” creations in the universe; they shall grow up and outlive the stars, each in their own way altering the course of human history, each absolutely unique and unrepeatable. How cool is that?
4. Babies are the fruit of the sexual union between a man and a woman. We need to be reminded that that’s how it works.
5. Babies are aware of everything and everything amazes them: lights, noise, colors, tinfoil, keys. We could all stand to be amazed again by the ordinary things around us.
6. Babies smell really good.
7. Babies conversely can smell really BAD. They need us to clean up their “poopy.” A constant reminder that we have our own “poopy” to clean up.
8. Babies are completely innocent, regardless of the way they were conceived, and have no guile, no sarcasm, no agendas. They are pure as the driven snow, fresh as a sea breeze, vulnerable as a flower. We need more purity, sea breezes, and flowers in this world.
9. Babies need us and we all need to feel needed.
10. Babies see the world as their playground, a wonderful gift made just for them. And so should we.
Radio Interview on the Catholic Connection
July 16, 2009
I’ll be interviewed tomorrow morning on Teresa Tomeo’s radio show “The Catholic Connection” We’ll be discussing Pope Benedict’s new encyclical Caritas in Veritate. You can listen live at 9:30am ET (Friday) here. Here are more details!
Show: Catholic Connection
Host: Teresa Tomeo
Outlet: Ave Maria, EWTN Affiliates, Sirius/XM
Date: Friday, July 17, 2009
Time: 9:30am ET
Length: 30 minutes
Guest: Bill Donaghy
Outlet: Ave Maria, EWTN Affiliates, Sirius/XM
Date: Friday, July 17, 2009
Time: 9:30am ET
Length: 30 minutes
Guest: Bill Donaghy
Prayers for Little Mary’s Family
July 16, 2009
For those who have followed the story of little Mary Coffey, please know that she went home to God yesterday morning. Having lost our daughter Grace this past January, their story has been especially close to our hearts. Grace lived just 10 hours, little Mary was nearly three years old, and now these precious ones will always be remembered… always! The cross of their pain and suffering has been planted deep in our hearts, and has already touched so many! Now Grace and Mary both dance in Heaven’s Song; as Catholics we believe in this reality! But the notes to that Song can sometimes seem very distant. May God comfort the Coffey’s now, and all who have lost a little one, with the healing balm of His peaceful Presence.
My friend Tony has captured a beautiful memory of seeing Mary Coffey the day before yesterday and I wanted to share it with you below. His blog is here – The Joyful Faith
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2009
Mary Coppa Coffey
Our great friends Jim and Felicia lost their beautiful and wonderful daughter this morning. We are so sad to lose this amazing treasure, but as Jim said to me this morning, they are at peace knowing that they have a Saint in heaven watching over them forever. they have all ready fullfilled their role as parents, they raised a Saint, they brought to the world a saint, and now she will be spending her time in heaven doing good on earth for her family and for others.
I wanted to relate a story about Mary, I went and saw her yesterday, and it was really a very meaningful experience for me. Here was a little child who just underwent heart-surgery, but she was performing heart surgery on me, literally, staring at her was ripping my heart open. In the 20 minutes I was with her, I was beginning to understand something of beauty, and how much the world needs Mary. I thought to myself many times, wow, she is so beautiful, it taught me an amazing lesson, to look past the surface and look right to the heart, look right to the soul. Her grandpop said something to me that also struck me, without souls like Mary, the world would fall apart,” Its good for our human hearts to burst when we see such beauty.
Prayers for Little Mary
July 14, 2009
Friends of ours are going through a real Way of Sorrows right now, and they continue to plead for prayers from the larger Church for their baby girl. You can learn more about little Mary’s story here but for now, this is the latest from the Coffey’s:
“Today was a difficult day. Now is the time, everyone please, to form one voice in pleading to God for Mary’s healing. Her surgeon told us today that he does not expect Mary to recover and it would be a miracle if she did. His words were kind, but the facts remain. Despite those facts, there is great cause for hope. God is good all the time. The doctors said she needs a miracle.. well.. there is no doubt that if Mary lives it will be all to the glory of God. So please pray hard, pray now, offer up whatever you can for Mary’s healing, and we will leave the rest to God in His infinite mercy….”
You can find special prayers at the website just for this intention, and more on Mary’s condition. This faith-filled family has been a powerful example to so many. Please remember them in your prayers.
Daddy’s Here…. Mommy’s Here!
July 13, 2009
Our son is teething, which is the adult equivalent of having your skeleton slowly pulled to the outside of your body over a period of months. Needless to say, I’m glad I have no recollection of this happening to me. Perhaps this is why most of our first memories only go back to say, our 4th or 5th year of life.
So teething makes for some looong nights for all of us, especially mommy, who continues to amaze me with her lightning fast tenderness and penchant for turning anything into a soothing melody. We dole out lots of whispered songs and stories, walks down the hall and back again, and heartfelt assurances that “Mommy’s here” and “Daddy’s here.” What else can we say?
We could try something like: “Listen little one, you’re getting your teeth. You’re going to love them! They will help you chew up your food. You’ll be able to eat lots of new things with your teeth, things you couldn’t eat before. Your teeth will help you talk to mommy and daddy and ask them all sorts of things because your teeth will work with your tongue to form words. And your teeth will bring a whole new gift to the world; your smile! It will be a way to let others know you are happy to see them or that something gives you joy. Teeth are a great gift! Trust me… it’s going to be OK…. Daddy’s here with you!”
And he would respond with something like: “AAAAAAAGHAHGHHGRR?#@!?WW”
I think we Big People can learn a little something about suffering from all of this pain our little ones go through. After all, I’m discovering that God the Father has written countless lessons for me right in the flesh and blood book of my family life.
“Everything speaks to me.”
Don’t we cry too in our moments of “spiritual” teething? We cry our, “God, why did such and such have to happen? Why didn’t You stop this or that from happening? Why is there evil in the world? Why do the innocent suffer? And what is this painful longing and this aching thirst in me that I can never seem to quench in this world?”
The Father could try saying something like: “Listen little ones, you’re getting your heart. You’re going to love it! It will help you chew up the food of your experiences. You’ll be able to taste lots of new things with your heart, things you couldn’t swallow before. Your heart will help you talk to Daddy and Mommy and ask them all sorts of things because your heart will work with your mind to form words. And your heart will bring a whole new gift to the world; your spirit! It will be a way to let others know you are happy to see them or that something gives you joy. The heart is a great gift! Trust me… it’s going to be OK…. Daddy’s here with you!”
How do we respond to a Word like that?
Rebecca Sings
July 12, 2009Rebecca has such a gift for song – both in writing and in singing. I’m privileged to hear it every day, in the snippets and snatches of tunes she sings to our little boy. Now I finally caught her live at a coffee house we recently attended! The video was a little choppy, so I have tossed in a bunch of our pictures to set a nice “celtic mood” So…. here she sings! Enjoy!
The Heart of Things 