Colorado lotsa space,
Colorado gorgeous place,
Colorado drive there feel alive there!
*
Colorado lotsa sun,
Colorado so much fun,
Colorado chocky fulla rockies!
*
Colorado I love you,
Colorado God does too,
Colorado beauty is your duty!
*
Colorado winds they blow,
Colorado tourists go,
Colorado drawz ‘em cuz it’s awezume!
(d. 1852; feast day Nov. 18)
St. Rose Philippine
Taught the Potawatomi
Fueled by love and prayer
*
The natives called her:
“Woman who constantly prays”
(“Quah-kah-ka-num-ad”)
*
What St. Anne Seton
did in Eastern USA,
Rose did in Central
*
Setbacks without end
Did not keep the Lord’s grace
From blooming this Rose
*
Jesus’ Sacred Heart
His strength, compassion, ardor
Beat within her own
GALATIANS
Now who on earth could have the Gall
To say law justifies at all?
The law of love does still us bind
And fruit of Spirit we must find!
*
COLOSSIANS
Colossians croons that Christ is cause of all, yes, He’s Colossal
Before all things and first-born from the dead, says the Apostle
God’s image and the Church’s Head, the fullness of the Godhead
In baptism, we died and rose with Christ, our sin out blotted!
*
PHILIPPIANS
In Philippi the church was suff’ring under fierce attack
Paul tells them don’t ‘Philip-out’, endure with joy and faith intact
“To live is Christ, to die is gain” he shockingly does say
His hymn of Christ’s self-emptying shows all of us the way!
*
1ST & 2ND THESSALONIANS
The Thessalonians did need assurances from Paul
About the Parousia, lest in idleness they fall
He warned them to be ready for the Coming of the Lord
And comforted the grieving by reminding of reward!
*
1ST CORINTHIANS
Divisions, immorality, and celibacy too
Plus marriage, lawsuits, idol food, liturgical snafu
Then charismatic gifts and questions on the resurrection,
And just before “Maranatha”, Jerusalem collection!
*
2ND CORINTHIANS
The false apostles, churchs’ funding, boasting in the Lord
And boasting in his suffering and weaknesses galore
New Covenant and reconciliation ministry
Third heaven revelations and strong warnings to sin flee!
COLONIST PEDRO MENEDEZ DE AVILES
In 15-hundred-65 there was an expedition
With Pedro Menendez de Aviles who led the mission
In Flor’da he established St. Au-GUS-tine as a col’ny
On August 28th, Augustine’s feastday, that’s no cal’m’ny!
*
MISSIONARIES JUAN DE PADILLA, EUSEBIO KINO, SEBASTIEN RALE, FR. STEPHEN BADEN, FR. GABRIEL RICHARD
Señor Padilla is the first of martyrs in the U.S.
In 15-hundred-42, he died in present Kansas
Euseb’io Kino spread the faith in rural Arizona
While Blessed Serra did the same in sunny California!
The French Sebastien Rale brought the saving news to Maine
And nearly all the Abenaki tribe to Jesus came!
In 17-hundred-93 to ol’ Kentuck went Baden
And five years thence RiCHARD went to Detroit to combat Satan!
*
MISCELLANEOUS FACTS
The Cath’lics early on were found in Mar’land and Virginia
And don’t forget New York and in addition Pennsylvania
The Di’ces’es Post-Baltimore, post-Noah and the ark
Were Boston, Philly, Bardstown plus illustrious New York
Ol’ Mar’land got it’s charter in year 1632
Named after M’rie, the wife that British Charles the first did woo
Two “Acts of Toleration” let folks worship God divine,
In Maryland in 1639 and 49
In 17-hundred-27 came the Ursulines
The very first girls’ sch-ool did they found in New Orleans
The great “Quebec Act” let the C’nad’ian English Cath’lics practice
In 17-hundred-74, yes- that truly the fact is!
*
BISHOP JOHN CARROLL (FIRST US DIOCESAN BISHOP) APPROVES ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON’S RELIGIOUS ORDER
In 18-hundred-12 our nation and Great Britain fought
And Seton’s rule did Carr’ll approve, same year of the onslaught!
*
THE TRICKY TROUBLE OF TRUSTEEISM
The 17-hundred-80’s in New York first saw trustee’sm
And 40 years anon in Philly came the Hogan Schism
Bishop England hail’d from Ir’land (thus might guiness ease him)
In 1823 his di’cese, Charleston, tamed trustee’sm
His constitution gave the bishop power to choose priests
And to approve the motions of trustees; this gave him peace!
Predestination,
Justifi-cation,
Sanctifi-cation,
Glorifi-cation,
(The latter is far better than
your greatest ever earth va-cation!)
Please don’t forget
You “got all wet”
You’re Abba’s kid!
Of sin, be rid!
To be with Christ is your vo-cation!
We’re justified by faith, not works
which gives us peace with God
And joy in suff’ring, which produces
patience, char’cter, hope
“and hope does not us disappoint” for
it is based in God
Christ by obed’ience fixed our lack there-
-of; for HE’s our hope!
(ch. 1) The truth suppressed (God not impressed)
(ch. 2) The Nat’ral Law (God wrote in all)
(ch. 3) For all have sinned (with conscience dimmed)
(ch. 4) Faith made Abe just (In law don’t trust!)
(ch. 5) Our death, man brought (Our life, Christ wrought)
(ch. 6) Live righteously! (All sin do flee!)
(ch. 7) By law sin kills (My love sin chills)
(ch. 8) Live by the Spir’t! (The “flesh” do fear’t!)
(ch. 9) The Gentiles spared (The Jews poor fared)
(ch. 10) Confess He’s Lord! (Bring Gospel forw’rd!)
(ch. 11) God calls the Jews (But they refuse)
(ch. 12) “Don’t be conformed…” (“…but be transformed”!)
(ch. 13) God’s rulers heed! (Cast off dark deeds!)
(ch. 14) God shall us judge (Don’t food begrudge!)
(ch. 15) Yourselves don’t please! (Give neighbors ease!)
(ch. 16) Paul’s greetings sent (Beware dissent!)
(A poem expressing my 30-day silent Ignatian Retreat experience at Broomtree Retreat Center in South Dakota)
Thank You Father,
For freaky frantic flies,
For multitudinous mucky moths,
For nasty noisy gnats,
And lest I forget,
For aromatically effective Off,
Thank You Father!
*
Thank You Father,
For great green grass,
For big burly hay-bales,
For dry dingy dirt,
And lest I forget,
For sundry satisfying showers,
Thank You Father!
*
Thank You Father,
For large luscious lunches,
For seriously succulent suppers,
For dreadfully delicious desserts,
And lest I forget,
For earnest eager exercise,
Thank You Father!
*
Thank You Father,
For massive mooing mammals,
For sweet sonorous songbirds,
For happy hyperactive hounds,
And lest I forget,
For really reticent retreatants,
Thank You Father!
*
Thank You Father,
For silent silvery sunsets,
For colorful coagulating clouds,
For toweringly tall trees,
And lest I forget,
For absence of electronic entertainment,
Thank You Father!
*
Thank You Father,
For refreshingly recollective Rosaries,
For spiritually scrumptious Scripture,
For heart-healthy Holy Hours,
And lest I forget,
For nearby kneeling neighbors,
Thank You Father!
June 24, 2013
Jesus loves children
“Let [them] come to me…” He says
“…Do not hinder them” (Mk.10:14)
*He creates children
Not just for this short earth age
But for Ageless Life
*God’s Married couples:
God’s chosen means to fill up
His heavenly house
*Various “ism”s
Influence priorities
And children’s ranking
*Consumerism
More cars, clothes, college, clutter
Aren’t always needed
*Third world families
Bigger, poorer, happier
Than those in the West
*But are they “poorer”?
Who can measure a child’s worth?
Each one a treasure
*Scripture makes it clear
“Blessed… those with quivers full” (Ps.127)
Of quivering kids
* “Be fruitful”, says God
In Genesis- and today-
Babies are blessings
* “Husbands love your wives…”
“…as Christ loved the Church”, His Bride (Eph.5:25)
He gave everything
*Family planning
Weighing various factors
“Seek the mind of Christ” (1Cor.2:16)
* “Openness to life”
And Christian “fruitfulness”, both
Take various forms
*Also “fruitfulness”:
Fostering and adopting
Children are waiting
*Has one “closed the door”?
Reversals are an option
To discern in prayer
*The root of the word
“Generous” is “generate”
There’s a connection
*Generous Father
Give all more generous hearts
For fruitfulness
[painting by my sister, Stephanie Lemasters]
Poem’s goal? God’s love made credible
Plate that’s full? God’s love made edible
Scrumptious meats? God’s love made “stew-able”
Sumptuous sweets? His love made “chew-able”
Imbibing wines? His love made potable
Bible lines? His love made quotable
Lots of hair? His care made “style-able”
Jokes to share? His care made “smile-able”
Music’s bars? God’s love made “hear-able”
Boats and cars? God’s love made “steer-able”
Fam and friends? His love so “hug-able”
Coffee blends? His love so “chug-able”
Mountaintops? God’s love made visible
Fountain pops? His love made “fizz-able”
Coats and ties? God’s care made “wear-able”
Cokes and fries? His care made “share-able”
Poem’s aim? To claim such things
Are good, but make our longing worsen
Thirst for Living, Rushing Springs
For Jesus Christ, God’s Love in Person
A Living, Breathing, Smiling Love
See-ably…
Hear-ably
Embrace-ably…
Made credible
(If any of the references don’t make sense, do some fascinating research & learn about these giants of our Faith! Email me if you have Q’s)
ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH (ca50-ca110)
Brought to Rome’s arena, he was all bound up in fetters,
On the way he zealously preached Christ in seven letters,
Calling Euch’rist medicine for everlasting life,
He became “pure bread of Christ” for lions in his strife!
*
ST. JUSTIN MARTYR (ca100-ca165)
“Apology” was written in response to persecution,
It argued Mother Church to be a peaceful institution,
The pagan gods were “demons” (no he wasn’t metaphor’cal),
For Christ fulfilled- as “Logos”- every ancient bible or’cle!
*
ST. IRENAEUS OF LYONS (ca120-ca202)
In “Countering the Heresies” he truly laid the smack down,
Thus followers of gnostic Valentinus surely did frown,
He taught Christ as the “second Adam” and as God-man very,
His “Mary-Eve” typology inspires love for Mary!
For Valentinus said salvation lies in secret “gnosis”,
But Irenaeus taught that Gnosticism was atrocious,
His famous teaching (ready?) “Anakephalaiosis”:
Christ Jesus recapitulated ALL- and that’s TRUE GNOSIS!
*
TERTULLIAN OF CARTHAGE (ca160-ca220)
Tertullian did give up false and harmful paganism,
A Cath’lic he became but then accepted Montanism,
He said that blood of martyrs is the seed for Holy Church,
His view of Christ’s two natures is quite helpful for research!
*
ST. CYPRIAN OF CARTHAGE (d.258)
St. Cyprian said don’t delay, get baptized super quickly,
The Eucharist makes present Jesus’ sacrifice of Calv’ry,
If Holy Church is not your Mother, God is not your Father,
If you’re not with an apostolic bishop, just don’t bother!
*
ORIGEN OF ALEXANDRIA (ca185-ca254)
Now Origen sought martyrdom but mom emptied his dresser;
The leader of two schools and a very smart professor;
His speculations weird may make you think him a regressor,
But later tortured for his faith, he died a brave confessor!
Origen, says St. Jerome, was father to Ar’ia’nism,
(Arius was no church father but fomented schism)
Origen said there’s no time when Christ did not exist,
Think of him as heretic? I ask: cease and desist!
For Origen was very influential and prolific,
His work named “De Principi’is” is really just terrific,
And commentaries on the Bible by him do abound,
With sanctifying content that’s doctrinally quite sound!
“A kiss from the cross”
Mother Teresa’s image
For pain and suff’ring
*
The cross is painful
Unless we lift it daily (Mat.16:24)
We’ve no hope to Rise
*
Augustine says
God permits (not wills) evil
For the greater good
*
The Cross: Deicide
The greatest evil ever
Opened heaven’s gates
*
Suff’ring saved the world
The suff’ring of Jesus Christ
Precious Lamb of God
*
“But I’m innocent!”
“Why me?” God’s Spirit answers
Forming Christ in you
*
“But it hurts so much!”
Offer your pain as a gift
This gift helps save souls
*
“Offer it up” always
Jesus joins it to his pain (Col.1:24)
Makes it salvific
*
Accept pain like Christ
Such suff’ring is redemptive
Saves you and others
*
Your water of pain
He changes to luscious wine
Wine of grace for all
*
Whenever you hurt
Jesus hurts and feels each ache
You are His Body
*
Each time you shed tears
Your hot tears are Jesus’ tears
You are His Body
*
“Lord, Let this cup pass….
Not my will, but thine be done” (Mt.26:39)
“Wipe away [my] tears” (Rev.21:4)
*
Without his Great Grace
You can’t carry ANY cross
No matter how small
*
Christ, you told St. Paul:
“My grace is enough for you”
Speak those words to me!
*
Then I can truly say:
“When I am weak, then I’m strong” (2Cor.12:10)
Christ, empower me! (Phil.4:13)
*
With one piercing glance
At life’s end He’ll heal all wounds (Jn.5:22)
Purging sin with Love
*
Purge us now we beg
Make us weep today for sins
Before it’s too late
*
“Why is there sorrow?”
Satan, sin and selfishness
Christ, save me from such!
*
God answers our tears
Jesus is the “tears of God” (Peter Kreeft)
The Man of Sorrows
*
Seek his sweet embrace
“Save me Jesus, set me free…
“Send your Spirit now!”
Rhymes for the Rejoiceful 