Happy Independence Day!

In honor of the 4^th of July, I did a little research and came up with lots of interesting fact about this holiday.  Like, did you know there were actually several dates that could have been chosen to commemorate our independence from England? 

Here's how it went.  John Adams was the first to propose the idea of our independence; and Thomas Jefferson began drafting the resolution on June 12, 1776.  It was  read to the Continental Congress on June 28.  July 2 was the day Congress voted to declare our independence from England; but they continued to edit and revise the document until the morning of July 4, when the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted.

On that evening, it was sent to a printer who worked through the night producing the copies that were distributed on July 5 to be read throughout the thirteen colonies.  (No one knows how many copies were printed that night, but there are 26 copies known to exist today.)

The actual signing ceremony did not take place until August  2, 1776, with John Hancock signing first, in the center of the document, since he was the President of the Continental Congress.  The rest of the members signed after him, in the order of the geographic location of the states they represented.  New Hampshire, the state at the northernmost end of the Country, signed first, and Georgia, at the southernmost tip, ended it.

So, which date would you have chosen to be celebrated forever more?

John Adams, in a letter to his wife, stated that July 2^nd  “ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade… from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

On July 4, 1777, before they even knew if they would win the war, Colonists celebrated the first Independence Day by setting off rockets, which were the same type of explosive used in war.  On that same day, American patriots placed lit candles (the original display of fireworks) on their windowsills to show their love of Country.  If anyone left bare windowsills, it signaled that person was loyal to the English crown.

In 1941, July 4 became a legal holiday, and today it is estimated that 150 million hot dogs will be eaten by Americans on any given 4^th of July.  OK, that fact that really has nothing to do with the choice of the actual date we celebrate, but nonetheless, you have to admit that’s a pretty amazing number.

Oddly, both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on July 4, 1826, within hours of each other

But here’s the important part.  Our Founding Fathers both began and ended the Declaration of Independence with references to God.

The first sentence states that when it becomes necessary to dissolve existing political ties in order to assume the separate and equal position to which we are entitled by the laws of nature and of “Nature’s God,” respect requires us to declare the reasons for the separation. 

The second sentence states that we stand firmly on the belief that we are entitled to certain naturally occurring rights given to us by our “Creator.”

This is followed by a list of reasons for breaking  ties with England;  then the final sentence,states: “…for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we … pledge … our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Did you get that part?  Our Country was founded on a belief in and reliance upon God.

When they signed the Declaration of Independence, our forefathers were literally risking their lives; but they relied on God to support and protect them.  They knew that all their belongings would be confiscated, and they would be killed, most probably along with their families, if we lost this struggle for independence.

What are you willing to risk to stand up for your beliefs?  And how much do you depend on God to support and protect you, not just in times of crisis, but during every moment of your life?

Sacred Music Colloquium June 25th - July 1st

On June 25th - July 1st,  several hundred singers from all around the United States will be coming to Salt Lake City for the 22nd Sacred Music Colloquium.  While the training sessions and lectures on Gregorian Chant and Renaissance Polyphony are for Colloquium participants, there are many related events at the Cathedral of the Madeleine which the public is encouraged to attend:

Friday June 29th Mass in Extraordinary Form, 5:15pm - music of Louis Vierne
Saturday June 30 Vespers, 3pm - music of Orlando di Lasso
Sunday July 1 Mass, 11am - music of Monteverdi

Other Masses at which the Colloquium participants will be singing include:

Tuesday, June 26, 5:15PM – OF English – Votive Mass of St John the Baptist
Wednesday, June 27, 5:15PM – EF – Missa Cantata - Requiem
Thursday, June 28, 5:15PM – OF – St Iranaeus – Bishop and Martyr
Saturday, June 30, 11:00AM – OF Latin – Votive of the BVM
         
There is also sung Morning Prayer at 8:30am.

There will be pre-Mass lectures open to the public , 3:45-4:45pm Tuesday - Friday, by: Gregory Glenn,  Msgr Andrew Wadsworth, Rev. Guy Nicholls, and Dr William Mahrt.

Advice for Converts

As a recent (2007) convert myself, I think the article Submerged in the Ocean is very useful. Here's an extract:

The Church’s very oceanic vastness means that even inside one can be tempted to look at only one small corner of it and label it “Catholicism.” Some converts become obsessed with Church architecture or a particular spin on Catholic social teaching or a Marian devotion or a particular aspect of the liturgy. One of the convert clergymen at Newman’s Birmingham Oratory was so enamored of the Church’s music of choice that he wrote a book on it. Upon reading the manuscript Newman protested that Father Formby seemed to say Christ died on the Cross for Gregorian chant. Newman observed that this was not theologically accurate.

My obsession was apologetics itself. When I first came into the Church I consumed Catholic apologetic literature in great chunks—most of it geared toward answering Protestant objections to the faith. I don’t regret that. As I said, I still read it and now I even write some of it. But not nearly as much anymore. At a certain point I realized that my own view of Catholicism had a tendency to be restricted by the types of questions that I used to ask. If I were not to be stuck in a kind of intellectual and spiritual bubble I would have to continue looking at Christ from different perspectives. I would have to learn my Creed not just from the negative point of view.

Looking more deeply from other perspectives allowed me also to see and appreciate other believers—and even non-believers—in a different light. When you come into the Church from somewhere else, particularly if friends and family from somewhere else have given you trouble about it, it is easy to become harsh and impatient about others’ not seeing what you see. It is altogether too easy to become wrapped up in what non-Catholics haven’t got and not be thankful for what they do have. This doesn’t mean squishy ecumenism, but a generosity of the sort Newman demonstrated in a letter to an Evangelical Anglican:

I believe what you do—but I believe more. I rejoice to think that you with all your heart and soul believe our Lord Jesus Christ to be the Saviour of the world, and of every soul who comes to him for salvation; and the sole Saviour. I wish you believed the whole counsel of God. But in this bad time, when there are so many unbelievers, I rejoice to think that you are not one of them. 

I have learned too often that, as Renaissance writer Thomas Browne put it, “The cause of truth may suffer in the weakness of my patronage.”

How are you spending the next 4 minutes?

I’m not going to tell you about this video. All I’m going to say is that it’s only four minutes long. Four minutes that you should take to hear a message that might change your day, your week, or maybe your life. Can you take four minutes and put it toward that possibility?  

 

Linked to "Pay It Forward"

Life is Like a Bowl of...Soap?

Scientists have proven that powerful and vivid memories can be stirred up by our sense of smell.  That’s because when we first smell a new scent, we link it to the event, the person, or even the  moment in time in which we encounter it.  Because we experience most new smells when we are children, smells often call up childhood memories

I think that’s one reason I get such a kick out of handmade soaps.  The unique fragrances, the mysterious blends, the promise that they will take me to a place of peace and  harmony in my head... 

It’s been a bit frustrating, though, as I just can’t seem to find the right scent that wisks me away to some relaxed, stress free space in my mind. 

Certainly the goat milk soap that made my hair smell like a wet dog was not what I had in mind.   Nor the clear soap that looked beautiful but smelled like old ladies with Kleenex in their pockets when it got wet.  And let’s not forget the lovely, lavender scented bar that produced a lather with the texture of, dare I say it?  Snot.

Which is why I decided it was time to make my own soap.  I am a problem solver by nature; and I was certain I could figure out the perfect combination  of scent, appearance, and lather. 

I began my research online, but it quickly became apparent I would need some hands-on tutoring.   Which lead to a road trip to Logan, where the wonderful folks at Majestic Mountain Sage sell everything you could ever need to produce perfection in soaps.  I begged pathetically until I got invited to spend a delightful afternoon with Tina in their test kitchen, while she impressed and entertained  me with her knowledge of soap making. 

It’s not your grandma’s soap anymore, kids.  Now there are lye calculators, fragrance calculators, scales to measure by the gram, and more recipes than a Betty Crocker Cookbook.

So, a few days later, I spread out  $174 worth of supplies and prepared to make my first batch of soap.  I had every intention of documenting this momentous occasion, but things did not go exactly as planned.  In fact, I was making mistakes so fast I didn’t even have time to make notes, let alone take pictures. 

Yet somehow, despite my mis-measures and getting lost half way through the recipe, my nifty new electronic scale shutting down in the middle of weighing ingredients, and a stick blender that had the suction power of an industrial vacuum cleaner, the soap turned out beautifully. 

Apparently, soap is pretty forgiving.

I don’t think I could ever recreate the sequence, but the results were pretty darned good anyway.

Which made me stop and think for awhile.  Because in the course of my life, when you talk about mistakes, I’ve made some whoppers.  And yet, through the grace of a truly loving and forgiving God, I’d say my life has turned out pretty darned good anyway. 

So here’s the thing.  All we can do is do our best, and trust in the Lord to take it from there.  

I’ll leave you with this Bible verse:  "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."   Romans 15:13

What happy mistakes have you ever made?  What things have you messed up, but discovered that they turned out better than you thought possible?

HAP

Hike and Pray

A newly forming parish group, Hike And Pray (HAP), will be meeting weekly to hike various area trails. As we hike, typically for 2 to 5 hours, we will also be praying - both with the understanding and in the Spirit. In addition to providing exercise and fellowship, we hope this activity will also assist in what has been termed 'the new evangelization.'  We will carpool from St Ambrose parking lot.  Hikers are reminded to bring plenty of water and that midway we'll be stopping for a light picnic/snack.  For more info, contact: thomasgwyndunbar@gmail.com, cellphone 540 267-5625, or see the webpage: http://atstambrose.blogspot.com/2012/05/hap.html

Upcoming Hikes:

Saturday, July 7th, leaving at 10am for Mill Creek Canyon,

Past Hikes:

Saturday June 23th, leaving at 10am for Lake Mary - a 2.2 mile (roundtrip) hike. Will probably go on to Lake Martha, 0.6 miles further.

Saturday June 16th, leaving at 10am for Lake Solitude - a 3.4 mile (roundtrip) hike.

Saturday June 9th at  10am, Yellow Fork Canyon Trail - a 4 hour hike  up into the Oquirrh Mountain foothills. This is across the valley, over by Herriman.

Weather was perfect as Mary Jane & Morris, Lori & Scott, and Thomas hiked up to around 8000ft:

Keep It Simple, Silly

Last night I stopped in at Fresh Market, a grocery store that happens to be just a few doors down from the Church.  All the checkout stands had bags of groceries lined up at the end of the counters. 

Being the nosy inquisitive type, I immediately started asking questions.

Here’s the deal.  They fill paper bags with either $5 or $10 worth of very basic shelf-stable food.  Then, as people go through the lines, they have the opportunity to purchase one of the bags and donate it to the Food Bank. 

Yesterday was the 2^nd day of their project, and they were already working on their 9^th barrel of groceries. 

By making it easy for people to share their resources, Fresh Market is fostering both awareness and community involvement,  and ultimately  making   a huge difference for others who are in desperate need.  That is Stewardship in action.

So, what can we learn from this experience? 

1.  Stewardship doesn’t have to be a big deal.  If it's easy, it will happen.  One or two small actions is all it takes.

2.  Stewardship doesn’t belong exclusively to religious organizations.  There are people everywhere from all walks of life who are helping others and providing opportunities for us to help, one person at a time.

3.  It's amazing how much can be accomplished when each of us does a tiny bit. 

Did you know we have our own little food pantry in the gathering space at the back of the Church?  Granted, it takes a little more thought, because we are on our own to actually bring something. And if you're anything like me, well...let's just say that I'm doing good if I get here on time, let alone having to remember to bring something with me when I come.

But what if there were ways to make it a no-brainer?

Make it easy.  How about consciously buying a few dollars’ worth of non-perishable food on every trip to the grocery store?  Then leave them in the car.  Ahha! We wouldn't have to remember to get them when we're already running late.

Make it a no-brainer.  If we did that consistently every time we shopped for groceries, it would soon become a habit.  Then we wouldn't even need to engage our brains. 

And if all of us did that?  Well, just think of the difference we could make.

What ideas to you have to make stewardship a no-brainer?