I missed this link-up last month but I'm determined not to let that happen again. When I miss out on sharing what I love about Catholicism, I miss out on so much joy! I'm so grateful to Micaela at California to Korea for hosting this great link-up. Visit her blog for so many more highlights of our fabulous Catholic faith! Here's what my Catholic heart is reveling in this month:
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| St. Francis preaches to the birds |
"But, alas, what is there to the joys of this life? There is nothing solid in them and they pass away like a dream. I cannot understand how a heart that seeks God and wants to love Him can relish any pleasure outside of Him." ~St. Margaret Mary
2. Sacramentals: I'm very tactile oriented; I have to touch and feel things. So I love to dip my fingers into holy water and lavishly bless myself with it, leaving the tell-tale water marks to slowly evaporate upon my forehead and shirt. Lighting a blessed candle and watching my prayer flicker toward heaven, knowing that it will continue to burn strong until all of the wax is melted, moves me deeply. Fingering the rosary beads, or letting my thumb and forefinger frequently, and often absentmindedly, find the crucifix and medals that hang around my neck brings me comfort. Through these sacramentals, I feel that my soul touches a bit of heaven each day.
3. Prayer Postures: Again, it's the tactile thing. Knees bent, hands folded, head bowed, sign of the cross made with right hand moving over my head, heart and shoulders-these are the actions that help me feel the presence of God in a more tangible way, and that allow me to show my devotion to God with my whole body and soul. When I attend Mass at a church where the kneelers have been removed and the people in the congregation stand instead of kneeling, I feel a bit robbed of the power of my prayer. Kneeling, to me, is a necessity. One of my favorite quotes comes from my sister, Sharen, who defends kneeling as opposed to standing. She says, "Kneeling is half-standing." Amen to that!
