I pulled my bike out of a snow bank today. Dug it out is more like it. I got really wet. But I rode it to St. Mary’s to go to Confession. I had planned on going for discipleship today, but plans changed, so I went alone and it was (relatively speaking) quite warm today. I discovered, though, that my brakes do not work, that my chain is so very rusty, and that none of my gear shifts work. So I’m starting to question whether or not this bike, which I have had for 10 years is going to get me from Fargo to Hillsboro seven weeks from now. I think I need a new bike, and I might spend the money I make over break for it. The good thing about it is that if I do, we’ll have a bike for our annual Tradition Day sacrifice!!!
Posts Tagged With: Sacrifice
I Think I Need A New Bike
Categories: Miscellanea
Tags: bike, Fargo, grand forks, hillsboro, Newman Center, race, Red River, Sacrifice, Tradition Day
Difficult Penance
I definitely picked a difficult penance for myself this Lent in addition to my typical “facebook” penance. I am saying a complete, 20-decade rosary every single day. It actually takes quite a bit of time (over an hour) and a lot of concentration. When added up with Mass, a holy hour, and other prayer throughout the day, it can be very time consuming, frustrating, intimidating. It becomes slightly burdensome. But then I think, “who am I to complain?” Look at what Christ did. Makes my penance seem rather lame.
Categories: Miscellanea
Tags: Christ, Lent, Penance, Sacrifice
Chronicles of Narnia
Even before I was a Christian I really enjoyed the Chronicles of Narnia books, they are probably my favorite books to read. Surprisingly I had not seen the Chronicles of Narnia movies (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian) yet. So I watched them earlier this week during spring break. Now I know that Aslan is the symbol of Christ, and I knew the story line long before I watched the movie, but I was still in awe and surprised at the parallels with the Passion of Christ. And even though Aslan is a lion, seeing his emotion after he convinces the White Witch not to take Edmund’s blood reminds me of Christ at Gethsemane. And perhaps before I had not really understood the realness of Christ’s agony and despair as he goes into the last of his life. But seeing the sadness in Aslan’s eyes made me realize that Christ did the same thing. I won’t go into to too much detail about when Aslan is slaughtered at the Stone Table, but seeing him, a great lion allowing the forces of Evil to kill him, mock him, and shame him just knocked me over because that is exactly what Christ did. He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and he allowed himself to be mocked and shamed for me, by me.
Though fictional, the movie really helped me to understand Christ’s Passion on another level.
Categories: Miscellanea
Tags: Aslan, C.S. Lewis, Calvary, Christ, Chronicles of Narnia, Faith, Lamb of God, Lion of Judah, Passion Week, Sacrifice, salvation, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, White Witch
Lent 2009
It’s a very exciting time for me. We are about to enter Lent, the season of sacrifice and fasting, modeled after the 40 days that Christ spent fasting in the desert before being tempted by that wily demon, Satan. For us Catholics (or soon-to-be-Catholics) it is a time for us to sacrifice the things that mean a lot to us, or that we are addicted to, and spend more time in Scripture and in Prayer. This year I am giving up Facebook again because it honestly wastes hours of my day. I always have a facebook window open on my computer and check it constantly. Instead I could spend 10, 15, or 20 minutes more each day reading the Bible and praying. I am also giving up Oreo Cookie Pudding during Lent because everytime the dining center has it, I overindulge.
Lent is most exciting this year, though, because at the end of Lent I will be baptized and welcomed into full Communion with the Catholic Church. That is exciting and it is also very scary (in a non-threatening way, if that makes sense). So Lent is the real beginning of the countdown to my fellowship with the Catholic Church. Hallelujah!
Categories: Catholicism, Life in Christ
Tags: Catholic, Catholicism, Christianity, Facebook, Fasting, Jesus Christ, Lent, religion, Roman Catholic Church, Sacrifice, Temptation
Saint Paul
ORA PRO NOBIS
Saint Kateri
ORA PRO NOBIS
Blessed Pier Giorgio
ORA PRO NOBIS
