Joy is for All of Us

Enjoying Sand Diego with friends...

The cross taught me to live.  I went from being a young agnostic - bitter like King Solomon at the beginning of Ecclesiastes where everything is meaningless to learning that all meaning is found in God.  From a young age I sought answers to those deep philosophical questions like: Why do I exist? What’s the meaning of life? What is the purpose of my life? In therapy, these where the questions that caused my depression and which I tackled with my therapist- but I never found solace in our discussions.  I felt like Nietzsche dark and slowly going mad.  Recently while reading Orthodoxy by Chesterton I found a poignant observation about how Christian philosophers have never gone mad believing in God’s fantastical philosophy (smile).  While to many Christianity is a giant fairytale because at one point in the journey one must learn to live with many unanswered questions and accept humbly that we are finite beings with limited perception of the grand universe.  The way Chesterton explains, “Fairytales are more than true, not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”  Christianity provides the answers to all those loaded questions in one word LOVE, love conquers all.  Jesus (out of love) died to give us life- we owe it to Him to live our life to the fullest!

In my short walk with the Lord He has answered those deep inquiry’s that fueled my depression.  His philosophy has given me purpose, peace and joy.  I am still Bipolar with a tendency for depressive phases, but the deeper I submit myself to God the less these phases occur.  Though faith doesn't come easily because I possess a doubting spirit- and everyday requires re-commitment to God; when I find myself in great spiritual conflict I realize that no philosophy has given me the fullness that Christianity has.  In God, we are given direction, purpose and unconditional, perfect love.  In my journey- without knowing my spirit was transformed into one that is in constant joy.  I went from someone who cried all the time to a happy, silly little flower and I know that my happiness can only be attributed to my Catholic Faith.  Death taught me mortality, but Jesus showed me everlasting life!  To this day He continues to show me how life is meant to be lived …. This earthly journey towards the eternal starts now, sanctification starts now…  And though I fall and at times leave the path, He’s always there waiting for me to return to Him.  He's waiting for you, come follow Me...

Celebrating my friends 30th bday!

I know there are many people that criticize the Catholic faith, hold grudges and resentment towards it; but, if one truly gives God a proper chance and not judge Him according to His weak, fallible followers I assure you that He will bestow His blessings and you will never be the same again- like the Woman at the Well you will never thirst again.

Style Me Jesus

“Words can never say,

The way He says my name

He calls me lovely

No one ever sees the way He looks at me

He sees me holy…”

Once during confession Father asked me to use my beauty for God… Though highly flattered by his simple compliment I was at loss as to what he was asking of me.  In my childish understanding of Catholicism I had come to think of outer beauty as something close to a sin.  In fact, in 2007 after having one of the greatest encounters with God and going through a period of considering religious life, I stopped dressing up in hopes of killing the vain spirit that lived in my soul.  The experience was extremely freeing – I stopped caring what I looked like physically.  But eventually I went to the other extreme- I started to resemble a bum or a lazy, unkempt person.  In the years since, I've come to the understanding that God is all things good and beauty is part of who He is.  He made women with radiance and femininity.  In addition, He told us that our physical bodies are good.

A while back a coworker asked me why the Catholic Church has so much art and extravagant material possessions.  She made a remark that if Jesus lived so simply why such overwhelming wealth in its cathedrals.  I’ve thought about her comment a lot since and discovered that beauty should lead us to God.  If this is true, then the purpose of art is to exalt, to pay tribute to the King of Kings and more importantly to build a path towards Him.  This is reason enough to adorn our places of worship and to maintain them.  In the same manner I came to understand that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and looking my best for my Lord is not a sin.  In fact, the way I adorn myself can lead people to Christ.

Our culture looks at Christianity as something out of date, narrow minded and irrelevant. In addition,   they judge the outer before they give the inner an opportunity and that’s why we have to learn to use all of our person for God.  When I used to come to Mass only to warm a bench I would look at the lectors and the people involved in the various ministries and see them in long dresses from decades ago and no sense of style and I would think I don’t want to be like them.  I believed then that my physical image was a great part of who I was and my biggest fear was becoming a clone of an unstylish, brainwashed Catholic...  As Catholics we strive for holiness and pay a lot of attention to our inner beauty, but Pope John Paul tells us (what Jesus told us first) that our bodies are beautiful too! While contemplating the Pope’s theology of the body I learned that my clothes are a great way of witnessing to people.  To let those that are contemplating conversion know that Catholicism is for all of us- especially for those that have difficulty wearing long skirts (smile).  Style is part of our culture, it’s a language of the youth; thus, when others see us let’s speak their language.  Let’s tell them that Catholics enjoy the art of fashion too.  I think part of what Father was telling me, was just that - to let others see me just as I am and to use my God given love of fashion to evangelize and to win people for Him.  That’s what I strive to create here a forum that presents God as He is: ALL Caring. He cares about YOU- all of you- even the small and superficial part like personal style. He loves receiving more from us - the more we give Him of ourselves the more He can do through us (smile).   

On-Line Dating

On the anniversary of my one month subscription to Ave Maria Singles dating website – I thought I would fill you in on how the husband search is coming along.  The site has been a great disappointment (I know that it’s too soon for such harsh criticism), but there are only a few members that live in California.  The ones that are in California are too old, too far or not interested.  Out of the bunch of California residents (including the ones that live far) there were only six guys that caught my attention and I sent a quick hello and only two replied.  Those that replied told me that they were in the process of talking to someone else.  The other four read my hello, but didn’t reply.  There was one man that sent me a hello, but sadly he wasn’t my type and lives in Pennsylvania.  I am not opposed to moving, but I would rather live near my family.  One month into this online dating and I have given up (dramatic sigh).  Not really, am giving the site six months before I plan my next move – though I have already signed up for the National Catholic Singles Conference (smile). 

Joining the site has not been all bad, I have learned a great deal.  After a brief psychoanalysis on why I was not attracting any suitors, I realized that am happy with who I am.  For a minute I allowed myself to have a brief moment of what’s wrong with me?  Why are men not replying to my advertisement (smile)? Am I too liberal or not Catholic enough for the men on this site?  Slowly I realized that my destiny is in God’s hands and only He knows when my Mr. Right will come along and I am happily waiting.  It’s funny I was talking to my Catholic friends about my experience on the site and after many giggles I confessed the short identity crisis I was experiencing.  In matters of two, I like to take responsibility for my role in the relationship and I was sharing with them that maybe I am not conservative or reserved enough for this particular site.  I shared that maybe my love of emotional icons, or my way of communicating always with a bit of silliness was not something that men found attractive – or maybe I had chosen the wrong pictures…  In the end, they helped me realize that I am who I am and I like green eggs and ham (smile) and I needed to stop fretting.  Friends are awesome!

Tory Burch Sandals, GAP Dress & Belt, Gold Accessories

I think that we single Catholics need motivation to press on, especially when it seems like no fruits are being produced.  Just think all of our failed attempts are only steps closer to our destiny.  It is at times like these when we feel like we are walking through a desert barren with only an occasional tumbleweed that we need to rely on God for strength, guidance and hope.  Thus, I enjoy sharing my journey towards my spouse, not because I am desperate, but because it’s part of my story.  So stay tuned and prayers are appreciated.

Easter Preparation

The small town in Mexico where I am from is predominantly Catholic and I have memories of terrible sadness relating to the celebration of Lent.  I remembered being terrified of the common practice of acted out Stations of the Cross because all I saw was suffering and death.  Thus, I decided that this Lent my nephew needed to be involve in the traditions of our church.  I envisioned forty days of prayer, study, fasting and almsgiving at the level of a seven-year-old.  I offered Mass for my desire to teach my little guy more in depth about our faith.  Then I asked him if he would like to participate and after explaining how Catholics prepare for Easter he eagerly said yes. 

Giving up toys, Our prayer candle and Lenten Calendar.

Fasting:

First we went over fasting.  I explained to him that for forty days we fast (like Jesus did in the desert) to make more room for God and on his own he decided that he was going to give up playing with his precious Thomas the Train toys.  We placed his trains in a box and he created a label: “no toys for 40 days.”  He wasn’t satisfied with just giving up his train he decided that he also wanted to give up playing games on his laptop (smile).

Our Prayer Tree with Holy Week Art Work.

Easter Prayer Tree:

The second thing we did to prepare ourselves for the forty days was create an Easter prayer tree.  At the park the three of us (for Dollar tagged along) searched for branches and pinecones to create an Easter Prayer Tree.  I printed pictures of Jesus during Holy week and bought some glittery eggs to decorate the bare branches with.  We placed the tree in the center of my kitchen table (that’s the location we decided to pray at) along with a candle.  On the candle every day we add our intentions in ink and light it up as we begin to pray.

Methods of Study

Prayer & Study:

At my local Catholic store I bought a book Saints for Boys and a Brother Francis video and coloring book.  During my shopping I discovered that the Berenstain Bears found God and have a series of about twelve books on Christian spirituality!  This was such a godsend because one of my nephew’s favorite cartoons is the silly bear family.  I found this super book (highly recommend for parents) The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story and my nephew loved it.  In fact, that little book inspired him to want to talk about Jesus all night. The simple way Berenstain presents the biblical story not only captivates the attention of little ones, but also explains it in such a sensitive, meaningful, relevant and understandable way. I am glad that I also purchased The Berenstain Bears Follow God’s Word it’s a collection of five stories on prayer and all things godly- these books really lead to great discussions on faith.  We also have a calendar that he crosses off each day so that he visually sees the progression towards Resurrection Sunday. 

"Grace what have you done murdered for me on that cross..."

Almsgiving:

All on his own he decided to do chores for payment and to use the money to buy a gift for the poor.

Brother Francis and Saints study guides.

So far it’s been such a learning experience for both of us and a blessed time of togetherness.  He looks forward to prayer time and excitedly reminds me every day that it’s time to pray.  I found that I love to share and discuss my faith with my little man.  He comes up with super questions some of them send me into great adventures to find the answer and the discussions we have are wonderful.  If you want joy in your life spend time with a child!  In addition, the prayer tree has worked great as a witnessing tool, curious people who come over to the house have been asking what the tree is about. I am having so much fun! My goal was to produce fruits by teaching my nephew all about our Catholic faith at an age appropriate level and God used the opportunity to bless me, God just loves spoiling His little flower as Saint Therese would say (smile). 

A Modest Romance

When I was younger I used to be the chaperon on my sister's dates- yes, my parents were the traditional, extremely strict type.  At the time my sister and I thought that they were small country folk desperately in need of a modern make-over, but now I know that it was their way of passing onto us their high standards for living.  Our family was the patriarchal type and one of mom’s many roles was to teach us to be modest women who would one day make good wives.  Her talk on courtship included a very clear outline on how a classy woman must always behave.  She engraved in our minds that as women it was our duty to protect our virtue because what men wanted in a wife was someone who they could respect and honor.  She told us very clearly that we were never to allow a man to hold our hand on a first date - in fact she told us that we needed to be very cautious about our physical demonstrations of affection with the opposite sex.  As a young child, I recall having these talks on the birds and the bees with my mother and I idolized her with that childhood innocence that I never thought to question her views on the subject.  As a rebellious teenager with a formal sex education talk in school I suddenly felt like my mother’s beliefs were too old fashioned. Classmates too supported the modern values and challenged me into war with anything my mother said.  She was the past generation no longer relevant…

Now as an adult, I see the wisdom of my mother.  I only have one romantic relationship to pull knowledge from, but I truly believe that all great romances begin with respect.  I have heard many men say that a man will only go as far as a woman allows him to go.  Hum… If this is true (which I believe it is) that means that we as women have a lot of power.  For one, we have the control to establish the pace of the relationship...  One of my favorite scenes in the 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice is when Darcy helps Elizabeth onto the carriage and holds her hand to help her up.  It’s the first moment in which they touch and the way the film depicts it makes the audience swoon for we have been longing for this.  My mom taught us- to experience the beauty of every moment and to hold hands only with the one that we really wanted to hold hands with…  When my ex and I held hands for the first time after a few months of dating it was the most beautiful experience – his chest puffed up with satisfaction and my insides danced with pleasure.  When we kissed after almost a year of dating it was better than any romantic film you have ever seen.  I made myself the prize and taught him to value me and when I allowed him to hold my hand or kiss me it was a sign of a huge conquest to him and fruit of his unrelenting perseverance - he loved me for it.  Nowadays people go from "hi" to sharing a bed and miss out on the rewards that come with the wait.  It’s just sex they say…  Yet, God tells us it’s much more.

I have learned that the best romantic relationships start as friendships and take time to cultivate.  One of our failings in this modern culture is the accepted rush with which we live life.  We want an easy, fast-forward button all the time, but even God took seven days to create the universe not because He needed rest, but because He wanted to stop and simply enjoy His creation (one-step at a time)…  Modesty is not just about the outward it’s also about waiting and in doing so learning the value of others.  It’s about experiencing life and enjoying everything, especially people, one moment at a time.

God in the Little Things

A few weeks ago I received a gift in my mailbox from a friend I met on the Ave Maria cruise two years ago.  It was A Shirt of Flame by Heather King and it came with a thoughtful note stating something to the affect that this book had inspired my friend and helped her during difficult times.  The gift recalled a conversation that a group of us had during dinner one night on this year’s cruise sharing our favorite saints.  My friend contributed that Saint Therese was her favorite because Saint Therese was known for seeing Jesus in “the little things.” I was really moved by her thoughtfulness and started reading the memoir soon after receiving it; but, since the book portrays the author's one year walk with Saint Therese, not knowing much about the saint I struggled through the first couple of chapters.  

At the time, I didn’t know anything about Saint Therese other than her name and seeing that Netflix had a movie about her life available for instant streaming.  Knowing that this book was special to my dear friend motivated me to read The Autobiography of Saint Therese of Lesieux: Story of a Soul. After reading the autobiography I got a better appreciation for A Shirt of Flame.  In the memoir, King travels with Saint Therese for a span of a year.  While experiencing daily struggles in Los Angeles, King reflects on the life of the saint and is inspired to a deeper conversion.  King finds solace in the childish faith of the woman who would become one of the doctors of the Catholic Church.  The premise of the memoir inspired me to take the idea of walking with a saint. So, this Lent I will be walking with some extremely godly women.  Each week I will take a different woman from the bible or a lady saint as a role model.  I will study her life, her faith, her struggles and her relationship with God.

This week I have been walking with Saint Therese and in my walk I have come to understand the importance of learning about saints because their lives inspire us to be more godly - they make the spiritual quest more human and holiness more attainable.  While reading her autobiography I was transported into a soul that loved God deeply and in manner that "the closer she approaches God, the simpler she becomes."  Reading her autobiography drew me into God and I yearned to love Him with the strength & devotion she did.
Her greatest desire was of letting go of everything because one cannot enter into heaven carrying anything and also to let more of God in.  I understood why King had decided to travel along with Saint Therese for King discovered like me that in this earthly journey we need faithful companions who will guide us towards God. 

The literal definition of the word “lent” is spring, which is so fitting because during this liturgical period we are challenged to grow and in growing produce fruits.  Lent is a time to work on personal spiritual growth, but it’s also a time to ensure that our spiritual growth is bearing fruit, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?”  Jesus teaches us that faith is not enough, unless it is a faith that bears fruits.  Therefore, my goal is that walking with these women will in addition to getting to know them better will improve my relationship with God and others.  For our relationship with God affects every relationship in our lives and the way we treat others reflects our level of focus and the depth of our love for Him.  Consequently, during this Lenten Season my random posts will be dedicated to women of the Bible or women saints because women hold a very special place in God's heart (smile).   

What are you giving up for Lent?

Growing up, the men in my family would give up alcohol during Lent (the majority were alcoholics) and then on Easter Sunday they would get grossly drunk, to this day some of my relatives still follow this pattern.  I remember for forty days my dad would stop drinking and the family dynamics transformed.  My mother became a happier woman and her offspring rested in the peace and serenity of a fully present father.  As a young child and for many years to come I didn’t understand this Catholic practice of giving up something for Lent.  I witnessed firsthand that having the discipline to give up something for a short period of time didn’t change anything because after the forty days the dysfunction entered my family all over again.  Thus, I kept finding reasons to leave the absurdity of the Catholic Faith… As a revert, I understand that the past family Lenten experiences were not Catholic at all, giving up a bad habit only to pick it up after Lent is simply not Christian!  So, as we start Lent let’s focus on why we celebrate the church traditions as we do.

My Lenten Plan.

Lent is not just a time of giving up something (fasting) it’s a time of prayer and almsgiving (giving to others) - it’s a time of ardent preparation for the resurrection of Christ in our hearts and a time of transformation.  The big question is why are giving up what we are giving up?  Am I giving up soda because I drink too much of it or is because every time I get cravings for a drink I will be reminded of all the poor who are hungry for food and all of the poor who are thirsty for God?  In remembrance I will be challenged to pray for those in material & spiritual poverty and to sing in thanksgiving to my Lord.  Am I giving up Netflix to puff up my ego in learning that I have enough self-control to give up those things I truly enjoy or is it because I want to create more time for my family, loved ones and God?  It appears to me that Lent to the great majority is just giving up something to parade to others, “look at me I can give this up if I choose to.”  But the Lenten season challenges us to do more, to give more to simply become more Catholic.  People forget the two other pillars of this season the equally important prayer and charity.  Thus, the question is not what are you giving up for Lent, but also what are you adding for Lent?  Are you going to make time to join a small Bible study group for the six weeks approaching, or participate in the Sacraments more often, or are you going to pray a few more minutes?  How are you going to incorporate time for Jesus?  Will you be open to conversion? To walking to the cross, the grave and to joyfully celebrate resurrection Sunday with Jesus?  This is the time to draw close, to enter into the depths of God’s heart and abide in Him.  WOW!  

Giving-up Netflix to make time for my loved ones & study.

The solemnity of this season challenges us to practice dying to self, meaning: “when I think of myself- I will think of Him instead.”  In addition, to prayer and fasting this is a time of action: a time to feed the hungry, to give water to the thirsty, to visit the sick and the imprisoned to do acts of charity as a response to His great love for us.  Find a volunteer opportunity, donate money to a cause you are passionate about, help out at your local parish or give a friendly smile to a stranger… The list is infinite of good works you can do.  My hope is that this Lent you along with me will make a greater effort at celebrating the season in a more truly Catholic way.  God is always challenging us to dig deeper to go deeper – let’s take the plunge together (smile).     

Women's Retreat

On Friday, I left behind my worries, responsibilities and technology to go on retreat.  Every year I try to take one full weekend to be with my Lord - cloistered away from everyone and everything and just to focus on Him.  This year I went on my first women’s retreat and my first silent retreat; thus, I found myself unable to talk for three days and forced to listen (as Elijah) to the still small voice of God.  The retreat’s theme was on “Women of the Bible” and we had five great talks on five different (but very faithful and loving) women of the New Testament…  We followed the usual format of spiritual growth talks, Mass, Adoration and time for reconciliation.  While the location didn’t have grounds for walking it did have a glass wall in the living room area and one of the best moments of mine was just sitting very still looking outside while it rained.  A family of hummingbirds kept me rather amused for in the rain they kept fighting over placement on a bird feeder.  I concluded that these peculiar birds had to be California natives for I have never seen birds flying in the rain, feathers soaked!  We rarely get rain here and these feathered creatures were as excited to be out in the rain as I was of just being able to enjoy the splashing of the sky waters purifying the ground.  When I was a child my momma would tell us to look intensely at the splashes the rain created and to tell her when we saw the dancing lovers and to this day when I look at raindrops hitting the ground I see the feet of lovers’ tap dancing (smile).

During the retreat I also happened upon a book in the library The Autobiography of Saint Therese of Lisieux: Story of a Soul.  I greedily went through half of the book during my stay mesmerized by the depth of her spirituality – I envied her connection to God and her remembrance of Him during her entire life- even as a child!  What a great gift to know your vocation so clearly and so early in life.  She followed me the entire weekend challenging me to conversion, asking me to become a child in God’s hands and to trust with abandonment in He who created me. I enjoyed submerging in her simple life and her romantic use of language – to see her struggles; yet, never feeding into negativity, to discover her courage in following the will of God and to see her vulnerability in her earthly journey really inspired me.  Her devotion to prayer and her desire to intimately know Jesus guided me and motivated me to pray more, to desire Jesus more and to be a child above all in God’s arms.

The crazy Californian's...

The retreat also encouraged me to create a plan for Lent, to focus on the liturgical time that approaches as a time to die to self and in turn receive more of Christ.  It gave me the opportunity to sit for a while and truly consider not leaving Jesus out of Lent or out of Easter…  It’s important to take time to be alone with God to offer at least one weekend and to let Him find you and to guide you to where He wants you to be.  When you two meet He will pour Himself into you and give you everything you are lacking in addition to the strength to press on (smile).           

Casual Sunday Retreat Style.

Be Faithful in the Little Things

Dollar makes a Friend...

Sometimes the single journey gets discouraging, but I like to focus on the blessings I have and not the things that my life is lacking.  In the Mexican culture women don’t move out on their own until they are married and true to my culture I live at home with my parents and my dog.  While on paper I own our house – it’s my parents’ home.  The truth is that I just can’t imagine myself coming home to an empty house.  In the mornings as I Ieave for work my mom sends me off with her blessing and when I arrive after a long work day she welcomes me with a smile and a “Gracias a Dios for another work day.”  

When I am home I enjoy being in my bedroom and hearing my parents’ laughter coming from the living room.  We are very close and am blessed to have access to them daily! There’s a verse in Ecclesiastes that was made popular by the Byrds, “For everything  there is a season…”   I think this is my time to enjoy and serve my parents.  My mom taught me (what the Bible so clearly teaches) that once we get married our priority must be our husband and the family that comes after.  Due to her sacramental union to my father my momma has left her siblings, parents and even her country to follow him.  Thus, I understand that if I yearn for marriage it is inevitable that I too will have to part and our relationship change thereafter.  This knowledge allows me to treasure this time in which I am able to bond so closely to my parents and I try to enjoy them daily to the max.   The same goes for my dog, I get to spoil him rotten and he gets to sleep next to me every night.  Who knows what the future holds, but today I am enjoying everything God has given me especially my loved ones.

Enjoying a Day Outdoors.

I think the mentality of living in the present and finding joy in all the blessings that God has already given really helps maintain peace and joy in one’s heart.  Looking back, the moments I have had terrible bouts of depression and anxiety have been moments were I am either trying to live in the future or focusing on things that I don’t have.  A few years ago I fell madly in love with a man and he didn’t feel the same about me  and I remember not wanting to let go of my feelings for him thinking that one day he would fall for me and if he did I’d better still be in love with him.  When I realized the absurdity of it I walked away from the relationship and gave myself to God for healing.  The theme of unrequited love is one I am all too familiar with; yet, I have learned that suffering occurs when our heart wants to change reality or the truth that cannot be changed and only acceptance liberates us.  Saint Therese of Lisieux tried to live her life free of illusions she felt that life without romantic expectations brought peace.  It’s hard for me who was raised in a culture of soap operas where romantic love conquers all and happy endings always triumph to look at love without the exaggeration of passion or glamour.  Yet, as I learn more about love as God intended it I am thrown into the realm of sacrificial love.  
Mexican telenovelas ruined me and God is now restoring the damage.  I found this great quote in a book I am reading, “your origin is love, your vocation is love and your destiny is love.”  Wow! God wants us to love like He loves (not just our one-and-only), but all the brothers and sisters He has placed in our journey.  Right now my commission is to love my parents, my family, my friends, my dog – to love all of those that are in my life right now; to enjoy and rejoice in their company and to wait in peace for my spouse never losing my cool (smile).  That’s the big challenge to be truly content with what you have.  It’s like that verse if we are faithful with the little things, we will be faithful with the large ones – if we are happy with what we have now and learn to love with God’s love our transition into spouse and parent will naturally come in God’s time.  

Dollar makes more friends...

True Beauty

When I was growing up, we had one television in the living room and being the youngest in the family meant that I never got access to the remote control; thus, I had two choices watch what my siblings chose or find another method of entertainment.  While many times I suffered through Steven Segal action movies as I gained access to books through my school library I began to devour novels.  While Segal fought multiple enemies in my living room, I escaped to wondrous places never leaving my kitchen floor. Early on words fascinated me.  The way artists combined them created goose bumps in my flesh and a profound joy in my heart.  For the longest time during my teenage years I couldn’t understand my affiliation to language.  How did it convey such depth, such closeness, such beauty?  Why did it make me feel so supreme?  Why did my body react to it with such tenderness, such exaltation with such an explosion of happiness?  

Once Upon A Time Show

Obviously my favorite subject was English and some of the best experiences of my early life happened while digging into Homer, Shakespeare, Frost, Steinbeck, Huxley, Salinger…  Looking back I didn’t understand the outbursts of deep pleasure words invoked, I didn’t understand the way my soul reached out to the heavens every time I greeted a new poem or the way prose inspired my heart to quicken it’s beating song… 

Last week I went to Theology on Tap at Claim Jumper and Father Troy spoke on the church and art.  He described beauty as a path that always leads to God.  True beauty has one purpose and that is to elevate our soul to dance with God - to share intimately with the Spirit of God.  Looking at a painting, a sculpture, listening to a song or as for me coming across words can transport our being to such immediate connections with God.  Pope Benedict “invites us to be open to beauty and to allow it to move us to prayer and praise of the Lord… Art is capable of making visible our need to go beyond what we see and it reveals our thirst for infinite beauty, for God.”  Visiting churches, galleries, museums can all be forms of prayer! 

San Juan Cathedral in Puerto Rico

During the talk I realized that while I love art I never saw it as a path to God, those deep feelings that I experience in poetry or a novel were just that - deep feelings.  But, now knowing that the purpose of beauty is to always lead us to the infinite, I am more vigilant as to what I read & listen.  In the past, all art and artistic expression was born of faith and expressed faith, but in this fallen world we have exploited the intention and the message.  Today, we have Miley Cyrus singing in a marijuana covered leotard, Beyonce & Rhianna dancing on strip poles, Lady Gaga living for the applause in objectifying wardrobe - sure they have the freedom of expression excuse, but their beauty is finite in a few months or a few years they are no longer in style.  On the contrary Pope Benedict describes his experience after a performance of the classical works of J.S.Bach, “After the last piece of music, one of the Cantate, I felt, not by reasoning, but in my heart, that what I heard had conveyed to me truth, something of the truth of the great composer’s faith and this pressed me to praise and thank the Lord.”  True beauty true art always leads to God and never goes out of style(smile)…   

Acrobats & dancing