What's the big to-dew?

If your Eucharistic prayer was a "usual" this morning, you heard it twice....  you heard about dew.

The first time I heard "send down Your Spirit like the dewfall" I had to quick read the missalette to see if that's really what the priest said.  Dew doesn't fall!  Dew forms and it's just  ...  "there" in the morning.

Dew.  Have you ever really thought about it?  What does it mean to have the Spirit descend like the dewfall?  That's quite a gentle example, isn't it?  God doesn't force us to love him, we're not dumped on like a heavy rain.  If we're open to his Spirit, the fruits of that Spirit will become an outward sign of God's love.  Gently and quietly, we awaken to find that dew (the fruits of His labor) has formed and not only is God working in our lives, but He has become our source of life.

The folks in our first reading today experienced dewfall, too.  After their grumbling, God send them dew.  When the dew dried, what was left?  Manna.  Bread from heaven.  Their bread of life, supplied by God every day.  Did you know that God told Moses to put manna in the Ark of the Covenant?  OK, so they got tired of manna and kept complaining (just how much bamanna bread can one eat, anyway?), but that "bread of heaven" was saved in their tabernacle to remind them of who is taking care of them.

Remind you of anyone?  Sometimes we're like that, too.  Which reminds me...  I've got to remember to schedule some time to visit that Blessed Manna this week.  Life has been busy - the new boss moved in last month; the boys are preparing for school, one for high school, the other for college and we still haven't gotten away this summer!  Prayer time is usually the first to go when life gets in the way.  However, nothing refreshes the soul or allows the dew to fall and form, like a visit to the Tabernacle.  Find some time to pray this week.

Happy St. John the Baptist Day!

It's a Feast day!  The Feast of St. John the Baptist.  Got to attend Mass at West Bend with the bishop and some great friends.  I hadn't thought about this before:
The Feast of John the Baptist happens around the time when the days start to shorten.  The birth of Jesus happens when the days start to get longer.  Just like John said...  “[Christ] must increase. I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Isn't that cool?

Need a birthday gift idea?

Last week a good friend had a birthday.  She would tell you she didn’t want a gift.  This week, brings a couple more birthdays.  These friends would say the same thing.  So, I’ve decided on a new birthday gift plan.

What do you get someone who would say they don’t want a thing?  Perfect answer - a rosary!  

I made the birthday girl the recepient of my daily rosary.  I pray the mysteries with these intentions:

The first decade: In thanksgiving for the birthday person and the gifts that God gave them (that are a gift to me, too!)

The second decade:  For their family

The third decade:  For their health and well-being 

The fourth decade:  For their intentions and the people on their own prayer list

The fifth decade:  For their upcoming year and that they will be blessed

If it sounds like it takes a long time - just try it!  You don’t have it pray it all in one sitting, you can make it a part of your day all day long.  A decade here and there and by day’s end, you have gifted your friend with a gift that keeps on giving!

I dare you to try it.  You’d be amazed how much joy you will get with you give a rosary gift!!

Fortnight 4 Freedom

Wanted to let you know about some great resources for the Fortnight 4 Freedom that begins June 21.


The Archdiocese of Dubuque has a Litany for Liberty and a Fortnight for Freedom Novena.

I intend to use the Novena (which begins June 25) as our supper prayer.  That means it's 4 of us praying instead of 1!

You can find more info at Fortnight 4 Freedom

A quick note about Mass today:
From John 14:27-31a
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

Fr. Bormann has been doing a great job of explaining scripture lately.  For example, today he talked about the second sentence, which actually is still about peace and could be read as:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not peace as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be afraid.

How often we see people looking for peace "as the world gives".  As we approach the year of evangelization, may we find our peace and strength in God first.  We can't give away what we don''t have.

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