(Please join us in the Little HolyDays Lenten Link-Up by sharing your posts about this liturgical season. Linky below!) “I CAN’T do it! It’s TOO HARD!” whined my then 3-year-old son as he sat in the middle of his messy room and cried at the idea of having to clean up the toys, books, and stuffed animals scattered everywhere. Maybe I’m asking too much, I thought. He’s clearly overwhelmed. … [Read more...]
Preparing for Lent
Lent is almost upon us! It’s very early this year beginning a week from today, Ash Wednesday. This season of the liturgical year is represented by the color purple: the color of the bruised heart. This is the uncomfortable time preceding Easter when we remove distractions, focus on spiritual formation, and take an honest look at ourselves in order that we might prepare our hearts. Here’s a few … [Read more...]
Catholicism: Empowering Women for 2000 Years (Part II: But Women Can’t Be Priests!)
Last week I shared how understanding the Marian doctrine of the Catholic Church empowered me to celebrate my femininity. If you missed Part I: The Blessed Virgin Mary, go back to start there. “But Haley!” you might be thinking. “Empowered? Really? Women can’t be equal to men in the Church because they can’t be priests!” We’ve all heard about this issue in the media lately ad nauseum. Certainly, … [Read more...]
Catholicism: Empowering Women for 2000 Years (Part I: The Blessed Virgin Mary)
This is a series that I’ve been thinking about for months, but have been hesitant to dive into. Women and Catholicism is a hot button issue in so many circles. Story after story comes up on my news feed about how the Church oppresses women, discourages women’s rights, and promotes inequality between the sexes. According to media portrayals, the Church is stuck in the dark ages. “If only this … [Read more...]
How My Kids Didn’t Ruin Mass
Confession: my kids are not typically little angels at Mass. ‘Typical” Mass behavior being our 3-year-old banging the kneeler open and closed and then dropping it on his own foot. Commence siren-like wailing. Or the kids tussling over who gets to hold the Baby Jesus finger puppet. And, to no one’s surprise, the preschooler throwing the St. Joseph finger puppet at his baby sister’s head doesn’t … [Read more...]
Holy Time: The Joy of the Incarnation and the Pietà
The Incarnation of Christ, celebrated in the liturgical season of Christmastide, takes on a richer significance for me with each passing year. The story of the Nativity is fuller, but undeniably more strange. It loses the saccharine quality of greeting cards and becomes complicated. Christmas becomes more intricately connected to Holy Week and I’m reminded that the miracle of the Incarnation … [Read more...]
First Advent
Something from the archives today. I wrote this little reflection soon after Benjamin was born. I was huge. Not just big—gigantic. Even before I entered my third trimester, well-intentioned old ladies would pat my shoulder and say, “Any day now!” encouragingly as I waddled my way through the grocery store. Considering the raging pregnancy hormones running through my system, I’m impressed that … [Read more...]
Sleepers, Wake! An Advent Music Guide and Playlist
After explaining how we fast from Christmas music during Advent (and then turn up the jams during the Twelve Days of Christmas until Epiphany!), I get a variety of reactions including “Are you insane?” Well, probably. And “so, what DO you listen to during Advent?” To be honest I am just now discovering “Advent music” instead of just abstaining from Christmas music and I have completely fallen in … [Read more...]
Little HolyDays: The Feast of St. Nicholas
Welcome to our first Little HolyDays link up and Happy New Year! No, I haven’t gotten the months confused, it’s the beginning of a new liturgical year. Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent. Let’s hope you were more organized than I and didn’t spend part of your Sunday scrambling around looking for your Advent wreath (don’t worry! I found it!). Anyhow, for our very first Little HolyDays … [Read more...]
Little Holydays: A New Link Up!
As you noticed from my recent posts on The Gift of the Liturgical Year and the season of Advent, I've been doing a lot of thinking about holy days. Partly because I'm so excited about our new link up: Little HolyDays: Redeeming Time with Feasts, Fasts, Holidays, and Everyday! It’s being hosted by over here at Carrots for Michaelmas and with Tammy and Hannah of Dualing Moms and Molly of Molly Makes … [Read more...]
