Extreme Moth

Does anybody know what on earth this is? I’m assuming it’s a moth, but honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it before. It was clinging to the outside of our back screen door this morning, and hubby gently knocked it off as I was letting out bloodcurdling screams, then he placed it in the backyard. It crawled over to the side of the step and clung to the wood all day. I didn’t venture out in the dark to see if it was still there or not tonight. It may be hard to tell from this picture, but it’s about 3.5 inches long, at least. Holy cow. I hope I don’t have nightmares.

Canadian Divine Mercy Centre and Apostolate

 

Not too long ago we had a little outing to the Canadian Divine Mercy Centre and Apostolate just outside of Lanark, Ontario, a little over an hour’s drive from where we live.  It was a beautiful day, we were very graciously given a leisurely tour, and I wanted to share some photos with you. Many of the ones taken inside, such as the chapel, the altar and Divine Mercy image, St. Faustina’s relic and some stain-glass windows didn’t turn out or disappeared (cough, cough) off my camera… so I’ll certainly have to go back! (I didn’t want to leave…)  I was hoping you’d be able to double-click on the images to get some closeups, but that doesn’t seem to be working here either! But you know me. I am detached from all outcomes.  

 

 Relics in the little library

Above is especially for Carol!

 

 First Station of the Cross.  You think that’s as far as I went, don’t you.  Oh, ye of little faith.

Happy Canada Day

What I really want for my country can only come to pass if individual hearts change. Let us practise the presence of God.  Having trouble finding Him?  Why don’t we get away from the computer, turn off the iPhones and iPads and iPods, unplug whatever is distracting us a little more often than not?  What a gorgeous country He’s given us.  Let’s enjoy it.  He’s all around – in it and through it, His creation…  Not to say He doesn’t Himself enjoy a little hide-and-seek sometimes…but the game doesn’t last long once you step outside.  

Go by Brooks

Go by brooks, love,
Where fish stare,
Go by brooks,
I will pass there.

Go by rivers,
Where eels throng,
Rivers, love,
I won’t be long.

Go by oceans,
Where whales sail,
Oceans, love,
I will not fail.

[Leonard Cohen, Selected Poems, 1956-1968]

No Other Way To Say It

This evening, Canadians who watched the horrific fate of Haiti on their televisions were also met with the face of an extremely emotional Michaelle Jean, our Governor General who was born in Haiti, sobbing and breaking down in a press conference. I could not help but ask myself, where was her compassion, where were her tears, where was this display of emotionalism for the thousands and thousands of murdered babies when she smilingly bestowed the Order of Canada on our most (in)famous abortionist?

It is time for each and every one of us to become aware of, and take responsibility for, the repercussions on both the earthly and spiritual planes of our decisions and actions. I am not saying our Governor General is solely responsible for the devastation in Haiti. I am saying that she, and millions of people the world over, appear to be asleep.  They do not seem to realize that there are universal principles at work here – that light attracts light, love attracts love, darkness and negativity attract darkness and negativity, violence, murder and death attract the same, that all of life is interconnected.  Sin has repercussions, and these repercussions have to be taken squarely on our own shoulders and not blamed on our loving God, as many are wont to do.

The Messages (Volume 1, page 136) Jesus says: 

“Abortion is murder, dear ones.  Do not be fooled…Your generation is suffering untold calamities because of this grave, grave sin.”  

The Messages (Volume 1, pg. 92) Mary says:

“We must help souls to realize that it is time to come back to Jesus now.  Time is short.  There is no other way to say that.”

Let us pray now for the people of Haiti, for the eternal salvation of the souls who may have died unprepared spiritually, for the success of the rescue efforts, for strength for the families and friends of the victims, and in gratitude for the global outpouring of relief:

Prayer for All People

O Lord, we bring before You the distress and dangers of peoples and nations, the pleas of the imprisoned and the captive, the sorrows of the grief-stricken, the needs of the refugees, the impotence of the weak, the weariness of the despondent, and the weaknesses of the aging.  O Lord, stay close to all of them. [Catholic Book of Prayers]

Simply Saturday: The Olympic Torch

 

Someone I know has been chosen to carry the Olympic Torch as it passes our way today.  I get emotional every time I think about it.  So we’ll be bundling up and heading out this morning to cheer her on for her 300-metre portion of the relay across Canada.  Then I think we’re going to go get our Christmas tree!  Hope you all have a great Saturday too!

Edited to add: here’s an example of what was happening not long ago as the Olympic torch made its way through the province of Quebec before arriving in Ottawa. Watch for the nuns in habits of days-gone-by in a horse-drawn buggy! The landscape is gorgeous, and emotions ran high. One man said (in English) that his heart was so full there was no way to describe it. Another man said (in French) that his heart felt like it was going to explode with joy, and a young woman said (in French) that she was so happy to be alive at this moment.

La Neige

Does anyone remember this?  Well, it’s not quite that bad yet, but this morning we awoke to far too many centimetres of the white stuff, with howling winds and blowing snow.  But I absolutely had to go to the office, so I donned my heavy coat, wrapped a navy-blue scarf (as attractively as possible) around my entire face, tucked my hair completely underneath my toque, and off I went.

When I arrived and entered the lobby, our current receptionist, who has been with us for nearly four years, stared and stared at me.  After I had unwrapped my scarf and taken off my toque she burst out laughing and told me she had been thinking, “Who is that woman?  I know those eyes…”

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Remembrance Day

Simply Saturday: Things Gotta Change

Every morning when I turn on my computer, my homepage says:

Sympatico.ca -  Where Canadians start their day

Catchy, I suppose.  Sad, really.

Let’s start our day with prayer, my fellow Canadians.  I promise it will give you a whole different perspective on those headlines you’re confronted with every morning.

Artwork:  “Dawn”, by Tom Thomson (Group of Seven)