A Day of Sweet Hours with Our Sons

"All our sweetest hours fly the fastest." Virgil, who figured this out more than 2,000 years ago.

Today began, quietly enough, with a prayer to the Holy Spirit. Two friends and I are praying a novena for a special intention close to our hearts. I have never prayed a novena with friends before and it was calming to know they were praying the same words for the same intention.

The rest of the day sped past. I took Gabriel to his appointment at the pediatric trauma unit, where a nurse removed the five staples in his scalp and declared him good to go - to the gym, to the swimming pool, to Spain. I discovered finding a parking spot at our local hospital takes more time than having staples removed from one's scalp.

Holy Saturday: Back On My Knees

I have blown far too much time today debating fellow Catholics on facebook about Pope Francis washing women's feet and whether a Catholic deacon can support same-sex marriage by the government while upholding the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony between a man and a woman in the Church and whether a Jesuit high school is erring in allowing two openly gay students to go to prom together.

Shame on me for my self-satisfied attitude on this, one of the most solemn, most holy days of our liturgical year.

I am going to continue praying the Divine Mercy Novena and listen to some Palestrina to keep my pride in check and fix my gaze on Christ. A blessed Holy Saturday to all who believe, even when we fall short.

After a Novena: What Are Some Good Ways to Show Gratitude?

My girlfriend K., like me, was raised Catholic and like me, did not receive a full grounding in the faith.  She asked me yesterday how best to show her gratitude to God for answered prayers. "Prayer works!" she told me yesterday. "It really really works!" I'd like to ask you, dear readers, what your suggestions might be.