Robert Diaz, MI: December 2003 Archives

Today, in the mail, I recieved a box in the mail that had Barnes & Nobles on the front of it. I assumed my father had requested a book, so I left it on the table for him to find it. When my father came home, he found the package. he looked and sounded quite confused. I told him I thought he had ordered a book. While he was opening it, I saw the title, The Apprentice: My Life In The Kitchen by Jacque Pépin, I knew that it was for me. I asked my dad who had sent it to me, and he said RC.

I am surprised and quite happy with my gift. I want to publicly thank RC of Catholic Light for his gift and his patience with me in his hosting of my blogs. Thank you RC, and Merry Christmas!

Behold a Virgin bearing him
Who comes o save us from our sin;
The prophets cry; prepare His way!
Make straight His paths to
Christmas Day

Behold Our Hope and Life and Light
The promise of the holy night;
We lift our prayer and bend our knee
To his great love and majesty

A very close friend of my mother's has passed away today. My mother wanted to go see her before she went to her reward, but was unable to do so. Please, keep the lady in her prayers in your prayers. I don't know her name, but my mother is visibly saddened by her passing.

I prayed a Divine Mercy Chaplet and a Rosary for Richard Chonak's mom. My prayers are with him as well.

Today is his confirmation saint's feast day: Our Lady of Guadalupe. I was hoping to go to mass tonight, but there's a big storm coming. This sure has been a pretty Marian week, and next Sunday is Gaudete sunday. I suppose it's quite natural. A lot of attention is given to a mother the last month of her birth.

So, last night, I was watching the Food Network. Some lady was making various holiday cakes. One of them was for Kwanzaa. I thought it was funny because the cake was Angel Food Cake, which is about as African as Kwanzaa is.

Has anybody out there prayed for something that they didn't want answered?

For a while now, I've been praying for things to happen to me that would increase specific virtues and hopefully decrease certain habitual sins. The events are now taking place in my life and, frankly, I don't much like it. At the same time, I'm happy that my prayers are being answered because it shows me that God does hear my prayers if I keep praying.

Now I understand what St. Augustine meant when he said, "Lord, give me chastity and continence, but not yet." Everyone thinks this is a funny thing to pray, but now I understand it. St. Augustine knew he needed it. He even wanted Chastity and Continence. But the thought of having such virtues seemed almost a foreign concept to him. Deep down, he feared having these virtues because, perhaps, they were unknown to him and wanted to not have them yet. He desired to stay with his familiar sins because they were familiar to him.

A man who prays doesn't have any fear of the unknown. He goes where God leads him, even to death. While the prayers I prayed are costing me some friendships, I am willing to offer these up so that I can attain more grace. Still, I wish that my prayers were less about me. I'm still in the illuminative phase of my spiritual journey.

I thank the Lord for answering my prayers, even when I don't want them answered 'yet'. All things are answered in His time. God, grant me the grace to accept it.

Lord, let me not fear the consequences of praying for greater virtue. Let me cast off the familiarities of this fallen world and help me to contemplate the great mysteries of Your wondrous love. In you, Lord Jesus, I have no fear. Cover me with your Precious blood. I ask this in Your name. Amen

Sorry about not writing for the past few days. I just wanted to make sure my letter was read by *THEM*. Maybe when things clear up, I'll tell you the whole story. Maybe I'll tell someone else and they can tell the story for me.

Last night, I prayed with my Jewish friend Sebastian. It was an interesting experience. After putting on his yarmulke, he held his mezuzah and prayed some prayers in hebrew. The prayer was more about a conversation on holiness. We prayed for Sebastian's safe return to Chile this weekend. After praying with him, I said the Liturgy of the Hours.

To Whom It May Concern,

The opinions and views on this blog are my own. This is an online journal I use to write on any number of topics including my opinions, daily happenings, spiritual reflections and magazine articles. Any views that I have do not come from those who have leadership positions over me. The Catholic Student Center, the parish of St. John the Baptist, her priests and her employees should not take anything I say about them on this blog as anything more than blowing off steam. I do disagree with the Campus Minister Carl Ericson on a number of occasions, and I am in no way influenced by him or his opinions. He has never uttered a bad word about St. John's in the presence of me or the other students. He is a faithful and good employee. My opinions, on this blog, are my own and nobody else's.

Thank you
Robert Diaz, MI

US Diocese Bans Pro-Abortion, Pro-Homosexuality Speakers

Everyone write Bishop Thomas Duran and encourage him in his stand for all that is right and good. His email is observer@rockforddiocese.org

Fr. Sibley has posted a picture of himself with the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word. I wonder if one of them in the pic is Sr. Carrie Comitz. I've mentioned her in the old blog, but basically, she's the one who encouraged me to join the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word. I'm grateful to her, but I've never seen her face. We met on Onerock and became fast friends. She's a sweet young lady and I do plan on meeting her someday.

Update: Yes, it is Sr. Carrie. She's down in front in the black sweater. That's her with Fr. Sibley behind her.

Do the wonders of the internet never cease? Someone has dedicated a site to the villain from Superman II. For some strange reason, I had the sudden urge to type in "Kneel before Zod" into Google and it popped up.

Fr. Sibley is going to love it. Read what Zod says about Christmas. It's hilarious.

Okay, back to work

They're requesting articles for the new issue of Onerock. The topic is Lent, but the article has to be done by December 26. I think I have an idea of what I'm going to write.

Warning: This will make little sense

For a possible article that will be submitted to Onerock

Flesh and blood. Focus on the sorrowful mysteries. Each mystery involves bleeding. Flesh. Satan parroting God by using the flesh of Man. Anti-christ? Dragging souls to hell with the flesh. satan uses temptation in either extreme, rejecting the flesh as evil (popular gnostic resergence of the day) or saying to be totally wreckless with it (sins of the flesh). The flesh is Holy and given an incredible dignity. Talk to Father Taylor. 40 days. Year C. Time of trial and cleansing. (boring topic) life making the way the way of the cross. the wood of the cross. behold behold the wood of the cross. looking to the cross. the passion of Christ uniting suffering to Christ. The elderly, unborn, disabled. suffering. Can the devil use the alleviation of suffering to his ends? No. But he doesn't like those who suffer for Christ. Those who are elderly and are suffering. Jesus used his perfect flesh for our salvation. Satan uses our imperfect flesh for our own damnation. Keeping the flesh holy. Not calling it evil, but sacred. Mary, the tabernacle. Joseph, model of priests. The mass.

A lot of bloggers are commenting on the lack of devotion towards Advent. Noting that many people are already into the Christmas season directly after Thanksgiving. I have to say that I agree with them wholeheartedly. It's quite noticeable withing my own household.

Right now, the Christmas tree is being assembled. I hate to say anything, but I just don't want to see it up yet. I want an advent wreath. Before two years ago, I never even heard of a 'Jesse Tree'. It sounds like a nice idea, but we'll never see one. I've heard of people putting in characters to their Nativity sets as the Advent season progresses, but I assure you that ours will come fully assembled before Christmas rolls around.

I want to celebrate Advent. I've always been attracted to seasons of penance and preparation. Yet, the passing of Advent just doesn't seem to happen for my family. It's frustrating, and I wish something could be done about it.

For Christmas, I want an Advent wreath.

You have to read what Hambet suggests St. Anthony do with Baby Jesus. I wonder how he feels about St. Joseph.