Hear Me Roar!: As I continue to enjoy my twelve days of Christmas, I hope you do as well! May the joy of Christ fill your homes as we prepare to welcome the new year.
My much promised reflection on Pope Francis is finally up on the blog! It took quite a bit of sifting through sources and reading the Pope's words directly in order to come up with a synthesized article I felt good about. This has been in response to quite a few questions, concerns, and allegations on both sides of the opinion wheel regarding the new Pope's stance on orthodoxy as well as his revolutionary Papal lifestyle. Time Magazine has named him their "Person of the Year," an honor bestowed on Pope John Paul II in 1994. Pope Francis has been embraced by many outside of the Church, which has made some nervous and others very excited. Unfortunately there are quite a few false or misleading statements and satirical literature published, claiming to quote Francis. In my sifting I have fact checked these fictional quotes and in my research have come to a greater understanding of the man who is our current Pope, and a great appreciation for the direction he is leading his people.
Reflection of the Week: Pope "Person of the Year"
This generation, born of the New Evangelization, has come to experience a truly exciting time to be Catholic! The past two papacies have been led by servants who are saintly, inspirational leaders full of wisdom and the Spirit of the Lord. Currently, the head of the Catholic Church has placed his people in the unusual position of being the 'cool kids' on the religion block. Suddenly the Church is shown from every angle in a positive light and her wayfarers are returning to her heart of mercy. Continue
This Caravaggio painting portrays the choosing of Matthew as a disciple by Christ, who points at him to come and follow in the midst of his money counting. I found this painting appropriate for today's post on Pope Francis because the Pope has stated that he has often reflected on this image and related to St. Matthew. “It is the gesture of Matthew that strikes me: he holds on to his money as if to say, ‘No, not me! No, this money is mine.’ Here, this is me, a sinner on whom the Lord has turned his gaze. And this is what I said when they asked me if I would accept my election as pontiff.” Then the pope whispers in Latin: “I am a sinner, but I trust in the infinite mercy and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I accept in a spirit of penance.”
All things are better with chocolate and mint! This combination seems to quite fit the bill. Every morning I make a mocha mint coffee by adding a scoop of ghiradelli chocolate powder and a piece of candy cane or mint to the mix. Mint hot chocolate also makes a delicious night cap on a chilly winters eve.
"Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved."
- Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium (Joy of the Gospel)
Turn your Christmas tree into a fragrant essential oil!
By cutting small branches of your tree and placing it in the crock pot with several tablespoons of olive oil for 5-6 hours, you can preserve the wonderful pine smell. Pour the oil into a bottle after the cooking time, dispose of the branches, heat up paraffin wax and mix in a tablespoon of oil, add a wick and enjoy.
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