Lead thou me on!

The brand new baby Catholics and fully communicated in our parish, as of last night, have an ongoing support group for a full year, with other RCIA alums, just as when in the First and Second Orders, the Junior Professed often still live with the novices and are under the care of the novice mistress or master, so that they can really get a handle on Oh God, What Have I Done? This is something that I often hear from cradle Catholics that is missing in their lives, that ongoing formation.

In most fraternities of our Third Order Secular, the professed members are always welcome at and encouraged to attend the formation meetings, but in my experience as a formation mistress, rarely do. For both cradle Catholics in general and my brother and sister Tertiaries, I find this a great pity. We need support. I need support.

Recently, I read with a laugh on a fellow Secular's blog, 'I am the worst Franciscan ever.' Gee, I thought that was me! Then I laughed again to read that very comment from a friar.

We do not say this out of some kind of hypocritically pious self abasement, but in recognition of our being 'poor in spirit' - we know that we need help, we know that we need God. Every. Single. Day.

'Lead thou me on
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead thou me on
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step is enough for me.

'I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou
shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
lead thou me on....'

Bless all those who have chosen the path of Love and Peace this Easter.

Transitus - the Living and the Dead

There, it just happened again, my dear dead being  brought to mind in the great silence of these three days. Just now, it was my dear mother in law, who died three years ago this day, and a cryptic conversation with my friendly former spouse who 'happened' to be walking past when I went outdoors on a chore. Exchanged Easter greetings, and he mentioned her, dear dear lady. I thought of her - she was beside me - yesterday in the Stations and the Good Friday service; along with the cavalcade of my thousands of Irish and French and Scots Catholic and  Protestant relations, back and back into the mists of time (well, the 10th Century, reliably).

They were all there, with me, in this most ancient ritual, speaking the same holy words I was (in Latin) in these momentous days. It was quite special, especially this year, as this is the first in my 50 years that I have been complete, both sides of my family found and known. Even more special in that tomorrow is my father's birthday, on which during his lifetime Easter never fell. It feels such a great blessing. He, most of all, is with me.... Earlier today, a cousin said to me of him, 'his spirit is still strong and benevolent.' So it is, not merely in memory, but actively. The Communion of Saints. We go on. We go on.

So as we wait in this last hush of Holy Saturday before Compline, Peace be with you all.

Renewal

In this blessed Triduum, this little sister of our holy Mother St. Clare takes up this blog again, as a record of the Franciscan journey, with all my faults and by-ways, in the hopes that it may inspire you, fellow traveller, in the Way of Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi.
Pax et Bonum!