Christians At Risk

TO VEIL OR NOT TO VEIL?

Why do I wear a veil to Mass? I have been asked that a number of times or else I hear  "I remember when we used to wear those years ago."  I ask them if they would consider wearing the veil again, the women that used to wear them until Vatican II, and their answer is typical as "been there done that."
I try to encourage them and leave it at that.  I always felt it was one of our churches most beautiful traditions, and it was written in canon law at that time for 1,963 years more or less.  Why did it begin?

Women wore head coverings so their hair wouldn't be the center of attention and there is a humbleness to the practice.  Our Holy Mother and all the women who followed Jesus covered their hair as well.  It was a Jewish practice that became  a part of our faith as well.
A woman wearing a head covering, typically a veil in the Catholic faith, submitted herself to the Lord's presence.  In the presence of Christ we cover our hair to not call attention to ourselves but to call attention that we are in front of Our Lord and we change when we enter in front of the tabernacle. 
So, this has always made sense to me even though I was one of the ones who went without a veil for many years.  But I found the closer and deeper to my faith I became the more I desired to wear the veil.  It distinguishes me from the secular world. It separates me from what is not good and reminds me that as I enter church I am entering the Lord's presence, this is why we genuflect as well, so doesn't it make sense to honor Him with what we wear? How we present ourselves to him?
It also separates us from other Christians in meaning of identity, because of the Real Presence of Christ! Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. It represents to us and others, this is not a symbol but the Real Presence! We are there and He is there, present before us!
Also, in wearing the veil, it becomes like a prayer tent that encompasses your being and helps place you into a prayerful state of mind and being. I have been blessed with other women who attend daily Mass as well that have started to wear the veil.  It takes everyone who is not used to wearing one some bit of time to get used to the idea, they feel as if they are calling attention to themselves.  But what they are really doing, and they eventually realize it, that they are calling attention to being in the Presence of Christ.  It is a holy action.
So, if you are a woman reading this, look at some articles and videos on veiling, if you are a man, encourage the woman in your life to wear a veil.  I have received the most compliments from men that they think it is a beautiful practice and my husband is especially proud of the veil and cannot understand why all women don't wear them! God Bless Him for this support, for I know there are some men who are not supportive of their wives wearing the veil.."too old fashioned".
Whatever the reason you decide it is between you and Our Lord, if you decide to wear one, I promise you will never want to go without one, if you don't, that's OK too, but secretly, I know you really want to.:)  The video below may give you some encouragement, enjoy and May God Bless You.

Faith, Hope and Charity

Faith, Hope and Charity is alive in this young girl. 

Please watch this interview about a girl from Syria who was diriven out of her home by ISIS. Let us pray for her and all those being persecuted.

http://youtu.be/_ige6CcXuMg

Hope

Faithful Christians are being murdered and persecuted because they will not give up their faith or denounce it in any way. Young, old, men and women alike.  Isn't this what the early church martyrs died for as well?  They do them service that throughout Church history people were killed for their faith. 
Do those of us that can still go to church freely realize the great humility we need to show? It would bring one to genuflect as soon as we enter the Lord's presence in church, receive Him in Communion with reverence and purity, knowing that others are dying for that very moment we are receiving Him.
What gifts the sacraments are to those who willingly give themselves over to their graces.  Pray for all Christians, Our Holy Mother Church, The Holy Father, Priests and Seminarians.  They will be in the line of fire, in the frontlines, for our Good Priests give us The Eucharist.  Please pray for the end to this violence of hatred.  Keep Hope in Your Heart.

The ways of The Lord are not comfortable, be we were not created for comfort, but for greatness, for good. ......  Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

The Mass of The Last Supper

Last Night, Holy Thursday, The Mass of The Last Supper.

After Mass we processed after our Pastor as he carried the veiled ciborium, consecrated hosts to the place where Jesus was then reposed.  Adoration followed until Midnight.  A Holy Night, a night of repentance, a night of reparation, and night of waiting with Jesus and fearing what is going to happen to Him.  And so it began, the betrayal, the beatings and degradation. We were all His Apostles last night, those who waited with him. 
Imagining what it was like for them, waiting with Jesus, fearing what lies ahead.

We all have natural fears of what lies ahead but we know what happens this Sunday, we know our Lord Resurrected, they did not.  The Apostles were left alone, or so they thought.

In front of the Altar of Repose, I knelt and looked upon the tabernacle.  It was so palpable.  He was in there.  I know that He is always in there.  Our faith is certain of this.  There was a living and holy presence it was such that I wanted to tell others there,   "Hey, come and kneel here so you can feel what I feel".. !

 This Triduum takes on a different aspect than others before.  It is because how in this present time our persecuted brothers and sisters are living the passion and have been for a long time now.  Maybe that is what I was feeling kneeling in front of the tabernacle, He is still in tremendous pain.  Please remember them in your prayers, they are the living victims for Christ, as He was once the victim. 

All of them have one thing in common, they are strong in their faith.  Why?  It is because we all know of the Living, Holy Presence of Jesus with us today.  They are the disciples of the day being hunted down, as were the Early Christians.  Let us continue to speak the truth and remember the Holy Dwelling Place where Jesus lives.

Like the Apostles, they may think they are left alone, but with the Resurrected Christ, they know He is with them.  Let us be one with them as well. It may be us someday.

Power of Witness

An article of faith taken from:aggiecatholicblog

Let us all pray for the strength of faith Such as these men and pray for the repose of their souls. May they look down upon us from heaven as Holy Martyrs and pray for us as well. They are in Paradiso!

1 of the 21 men who were beheaded a few weeks ago was not a Christian, that is he wasn’t a Christian until he saw the faith of the men who refused to deny Jesus and died for it. By their witness, he decided to believe in Jesus too! Here is the story:

ISIS announced the execution of 21 Copts but only 20 names were confirmed, most of them were from the province of Minya(Upper Egypt). There was an inaccuracy in the number of Egyptian Hostages; there were only 20 Egyptians(Copts). Then who was this remaining one non-Coptic victim?

Ahram-Canadian News was able to gather information about this man. He was a Chadian Citizen (Darker skin shown in picture) who accepted Christianity after seeing the immense faith of his fellow Coptic Christians to die for Christ. When Terrorist forced him to reject Jesus Christ as God, looking at his Christian friends he replied, “their God is my God“ so the terrorist beheaded him also.

Lord, may all of us who follow you and profess your name have faith like those who were martyred for being Christian! They were willing to lay down their lives for you and in the process helped make another man come to believe!

This is not unlike the thief on the cross:

“One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” – Luke 23:39-43

"Radical Reverence"

Last week I went to Latin Mass which I try to do when I have the chance. It is held at a different parish than mine, so when the time presents itself I take it. Every time I go I wonder , why was it changed? 

I have heard the other side of why people prefer the novus ordo.  But sorry, I don't get it.

I know that Jesus is present and the liturgy is holy and hopefully all is done with reverence, the difference is when I go to the Latin Mass I know it is holy, the reverence is palpable. The Veils are worn, the men are dressed with pride , the children are taught well and the girls are veiled as well. 

The Altar boys are beautifully vested and their posture as wells gives a clue to where they are and who is present. As the priest processes up to the altar we turn toward him and bow as He passes, in Persona Christi. This gesture alone reveals the major difference as mass begins.

At the Holy sacrifice of the Mass heaven meets earth it's just that for me I get there sooner at the TLM.

As I sit at mass I can't help but be moved that Our Holy Mother Church was The Latin Mass. It was her child that the saints sang about, chants were written for and catholics were martyered for. How I miss her,but I am blessed more than most, some people don't have any opportunity for Latin Mass or Mass at all, and they live under persecution. So, all I am asking is for Reverence and beauty to be brought back to all masses of the novus ordo.  I wear the veil at novus ordo daily mass as well as all masses, it is my part to start a movement of "Radical  Reverence". Who would have thought that reverence would be a 2nd thought in some churches these days.

Please join me in praying for holiness in our churches and Pray for our Persecuted Brothers and Sisters and  conversion of hearts.