.png)
I'm back from Dayton after attending the wedding of my best friend's daughter, a young woman who I have known since she was three. It was truly a beautiful, special day to celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage. During the priest's homily, he said something very important to the couple and really to all listening. He said, "Your married life is not to be just for yourselves. You aren't to collapse in on yourselves and only live for yourselves. You are meant to be a light to the world." So very true. A husband and wife are never meant to just live for themselves. The love my husband and I have for each other is meant to be an example of Christ's sacrificial love. We are called to be not just husband and wife, but mother and father in some capacity given the circumstances of our situation. Our married life is not about traveling, comfort, material gain, or the ability to do whatever we want, whenever we want free of any responsibility to anyone but ourselves. Quite the contrary, the married couple is called to sacrifice, give, and help be a light to their children and to those in their communities, so that others might know the joy of Christ's love. Have a blessed Monday, Catholic Pilgrims.
Continue ReadingI absolutely love this picture of St. William's in teeny tiny Paoli, Wisconsin for this Tuesday's small town church showcase. Remember back two weeks ago when I showed you the picture of the church from Iowa? Our Lady of Good Counsel in Fonda? Well, I talked about a family vacation I took where we stopped at the Field of Dreams movie set in Iowa. The goal of that family vacation was to get to Wisconsin to the House on the Rock and the Dells. The House on the Rock is something else, I tell you. It's too hard to describe without sounding crazy, so just go see it. "See, there's this huge house with a ginormous carousel in it (yes, in the house), and a street of Yesteryear, and an enormous room with organs hanging from the ceiling." Anyway, southeast of the House on the Rock and not too far away is this church. It was the Germans and Irish (imagine those two groups working together!) that organized this church. Before having a church, families had to celebrate Mass in their homes. The first church was built in 1869, but as time went on, a new church was needed for a growing congregation. Well, that church burnt down in a fire on the day of the 25th anniversary celebration, which is wildly unfortunate. A new church was built and, if I'm reading things right, it's the church that you see in this picture. Because of the small population of the surrounding town, Mass is celebrated at St. Williams's only at 7:30am on Sunday. I haven't been able to find pictures of the inside, but I saw online that the stained-glass windows are really good. It just might be tricky finding a time to come visit other than Mass on Sunday. But, if you are ever in Wisconsin, go visit the House on the Rock and then maybe stop by and see this House of God--St. William's. And maybe find some good cheese to eat. Live the Faith boldly and travel well, Catholic Pilgrims. *The address for this church has it in Belleville, Wisconsin, but it sits in Paoli. I'll leave that for the Cheeseheads, excuse me...Wisconsinites to explain.
Continue ReadingSince Easter, I think I've read through the journey to Emmaus story three times now. The second time, something really caught my eye. I'm sure I'm not the first to see this. At the very end of the Gospel reading for today, Luke wrote, "Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread." I realized that these disciples were not at the Last Supper, they would not have heard Jesus say to the Apostles, "This is My Body; This is My Blood." The Apostles hadn't yet gone out and celebrated a Mass, because they had thought Jesus was dead, then they were scared, then they were amazed, but still fearful and probably a bit bewildered, to say the least. Nobody had gone out to the disciples and talked about the Eucharist yet. These disciples did not recognize Jesus until He "took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and give it to them." Then they saw Him. I find this such a fascinating, significant clue that we will find Jesus right when the Priest says, "When supper had ended, He took the bread, said the blessing, broke it and gave it to His disciples saying, 'TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.'" You and I were not at the Last Supper, just like the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. Like them, we will find Jesus, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, at the Consecration when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, ordinary bread is changed into Our Lord. That's where we look for Him. That's where He keeps His promise to always be with us, not just spiritually, but physically in the continual offering of His Body to the Father for our eternal benefit. Have a blessed third Sunday of Easter, Catholic Pilgrims.
Continue Reading.png)
.png)
.png)