Monthly Archives: February 2009

With Great Sadness, A Farewell

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The news was sudden, sad and unexpected.   Amy’s beloved husband, Michael, was gone.  Amy Welborn Dubruiel, writer of all things Catholic,  is living on the trust her husband Michael wrote about in his awe-inspiring  The Last Column . He is remembered and celebrated by all who knew him and knew of him.  In his last column for OSV, Mike spoke of  what his friend, Fr. Benedict Groeschel had called “The Big Lie.’ It is that, “If we say all the right prayers and live correctly, then nothing bad will ever happen to us.” Michael then related a true story told him by Fr. Benedict:

Diana was a young Puerto Rican woman who grew up in a very faith filled home. Even though they were poor, her mother taught her at an early age to trust God above everything. By the time she was old enough to go to college, Diana found a way to pursue her education – again something that she credited to her strong faith – and became the first member of her large family to graduate from college. She then married and was hired by a large investment firm in New York.

Even though her job kept her busy, she found time to attend Mass everyday. When her friends threw parties, Diana made up goodie bags for them that included candy and make-up, but also a prayer book and holy water. When a member of her family couldn’t pay their bills, Diana secretly paid them. When someone in the family got into trouble she bailed them out of jail.

One night Diana had a strange dream. In the dream Jesus appeared to her, dressed in a white robe, standing on a cloud of smoke. He was beckoning her to come to him, telling her not to worry, that he was going to take her with him. Then it seemed to her that the whole world disappeared from beneath her and she awoke. She told her husband about the dream the next morning, but he didn’t want to hear about it—it scared him.

The next few nights, the dream repeated itself. She told her mother, who wondered what it could mean.

A month later on September 11, 2001, Diana was at work at her investment firm in the World Trade Center on one of the top floors. She phoned her husband and mother on her cell phone after the second plane struck the tower below her. She reminded them of the dream, just before the tower crumbled.

What is the opposite of the “big lie”? Trust.

To hear Michael speak, Amy suggests Spirit Catholic Radio

“There is an appointed time for everything… A time to be born and a time to die…. A time to weep. and a time to laugh and to mourn …a time embrace…a time to be silent …  A time to love”    Ecclesiastes 3

Amy our hearts are with you and your family.








In a World of Soundbites

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In a world of soundbites and video-clips with the mainstream media supplying morsels of immoral madness and pathetic pop-psychology for quick, thoughtless, consumption,  is it any wonder that so many are lost?  I ask how culpable am I?  Do “the many” even know when they’re off track or even lost?  I don’t know about you, but I have little clue where even those close to me have wandered.   As far as I can tell,  they are all  well meaning.  Is “well meaning” enough to inherit eternity?   It’s the old thing of , if  you aren’t growing, you are dying.   Misled means spiritually unfed.  Anyway, that’s the way it seems to me.  My hope is, “He knows how we are formed;  He remembers that we are dust.’ Psalm 103:14.

From the Gospel for the day:

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd;and He began to teach them many things.  Mark 6:34

Is it any wonder that we, along with our children,  move the heart of God to pity?  Hope, though, is all around us.  The Church is at prayer.  When I go off to Mass each day,  I can look forward to hearing soundbites of true substance, sanity and solace.

Thinking about Communion

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Another day in which to praise the Lord.  So again we begin.  That’s how I feel, that I am always at the beginning, trying to live just one day as I ought.  In this day and age, many people despise the word “ought.”  It may be that “ought” presumes some actual Truth and Lawgiver.  How gosh in this so sophisticated an age.  Though finding the Truth does wonders for our compass.   Take Communion:  “The Bread that I will give is My flesh, for the life of the world.” John 6:52 “This is My Body, that is for you.  Do this in remembrance of Me.” 1 Cor 11:24  This morning once again I will receive the Lord of Lords in Holy Communion.  At least, today, since I am thinking about it out loud, I can see that on most mornings I do this with little thought.  Here is how Thomas a’Kempis put it:

Solomon, the wisest of the kings of Israel, spent seven years building a magnificent temple in praise of Your name, and celebrated its dedication with a feast of eight days. He offered a thousand victims in Your honor and solemnly bore the Ark of the Covenant with trumpeting and jubilation to the place prepared for it; and I, unhappy and poorest of men, how shall I lead You into my house, I who scarcely can spend a half-hour devoutly — would that I could spend even that as I ought!

O my God, how hard these men tried to please You! Alas, how little is all that I do! How short the time I spend in preparing for Communion! I am seldom wholly recollected, and very seldom, indeed, entirely free from distraction. Yet surely in the presence of Your life-giving Godhead no unbecoming thought should arise and no creature possess my heart, for I am about to receive as my guest, not an angel, but the very Lord of angels.

Not to be deterred, I remember,too, Jesus’ words, “Come to Me. all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you.” Matt 11:28  I am often my biggest burden but I have great hope for me.  Is it any wonder with so generous a God?

You May Have Noticed

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Although I picture sanctity robed in the gentle manner of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, I think I need to find another saint to show me how I can tame sarcasm, anger and cynicism.  Is there some sort of “Way” for me?  St. Jerome may be my man, since he won a halo despite his reputation for fury.  I haven’t read anything, however of his having tempered his temper or tamed his tantrums.  Perhaps, my best bet is to be myself and allow life to wear my down like a rock in a tumbler chipping away turn after turn.  The prospect hurts!  I know,  the saints  “Count it all joy!”  Turning up the prayer  can’t hurt.  I’m a candidate for your prayer list, wouldn’t you say?  I change very slowly,  so this blog probably won’t witness any miracles.  I’m open to one,  though!

Read it and Weep! A Must Read

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Charles Krauthammer, the syndicated columnist and psychiatrist, continues to be a voice of sanity while Chicken Little (no names) runs around crying, “The sky is falling” in press conference after press conference.  (Who could that be?)

“Hard Is Not Hopeless” Gen. David Petreaus

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Sen. Joseph Lieberman says,

“The war on terror will end once we’ve empowered the Muslim majority to stand up against extremists.”

In his piece in The Wall Street Journal Opinion ,  Sen. Joseph Lieberman both warns of the dangers looming in Afghanistan and encourages with an eye to our strengths:

The biggest strength is the American military, which through the crucible of Iraq has transformed itself into the most effective counterinsurgency force in history. Although Iraq and Afghanistan are very different, many of the guiding principles of counterinsurgency do apply to both theaters — most importantly, the need to provide security for the population. Moreover, our troops will be redeploying from Iraq to Afghanistan with the momentum, experience and morale that comes with success.