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BLESSED BE JESUS IN THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR

So: I am intrigued. A church in Lucerne has apparently introduced a hologram of Jesus as a practical decision reportedly meant to encourage moments of intimacy with the hologram. This means - if I understand correctly - that people can interact in a confessional with an artificial intelligence program meant to imitate Christ. [1]

Hologram of Jesus

Reportedly installed in one of the parish confessionals, people can interact with the hologram representation of Jesus which, according to one user account, addresses users with "Peace be with you, brother" regardless of the gender of the person, and encourages them to discuss "whatever is troubling your heart today," alleged news. [1]

Sacrament of confession

I am all for evangelizing the wonderful truth that Jesus is the Son of God. Yet is it possible that the sacrament of confession - a sacred moment of truth, repentance and revelation between the penitent and God Himself, with priest as anointed intermediary - may be adversely affected by hologram project with no seal of the confessional protecting the visitor? 

Addressed as brother - the feminine view

It is possible that women who are proud of their God-given womanhood may find it slightly startling to be addressed as brother. As a little girl, I sat through church services where all prayed for mankind. I asked my mom why only men were prayed for, she answered that mankind meant both men and women. As a little four-year-old with a mind of my own, I wasn't buying it. 

As catechetics teacher in later years, I found some young girls confused as to why men were prayed for, and girls excluded. They also argued that the word mankind did not automatically include women. Sympathetic to their confusion - which exactly mirrored my own as a younger congregant - I used the word humankind. Thereafter, everyone was happy. 

Robots

It was so interesting to hear of a current theory that the priesthood should possibly be reimagined to consider robots instead of, or alongside, priests. Different spiritual traditions are making use of robots within spiritual contexts. Apparently a robot in one instance recites blessings in a number of languages.

AI chatbot "cleric"

Well now. Where to from here? It is certainly praiseworthy to consider new ways of evangelization in the modern context. However, attempts to introduce artificial intelligence options within spiritual streams has encountered heavy waters. An AI chatbot "Father" launched online apparently failed within two days. alleged news. [2]

Christ waits patiently in tabernacles

We have the true Presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ waiting patiently in church tabernacles throughout the world. He constantly awaits our footsteps. The tabernacle is a reserved place in the church where the Eucharist is kept. 

In the tabernacle, Christ is in the Eucharist which remains after the celebration of the Mass. The Saviour - fully present in transubstantiated bread within the tabernacle - speaks to all who come before Him, within their souls. 

Encourage confession and visit Jesus 

Let us encourage those in need to attend the Sacrament of Confession, to experience the overwhelming sense of relief that the lifting of a burden brings through the absolution of a priest.

To me, it seems a little sad that those desperately in need of true comfort from the Way, the Truth and Life would need to walk past the True Presence of Christ in the Blessed Tabernacle, to a virtual representation of the Truth in a confessional.

Why don't we encourage those in need of love, counsel, support, guidance, healing of grief and imparting of grace and blessing, to visit Jesus at the Blessed Tabernacle? He always listens, hears and gives answers at the right time.

[1] Swiss church puts 'AI Jesus' in confessional, Alleged News

[2] Sergeant, Leah Libresco. 30 April 2024. The defrocking of Father AI, Alleged News

With thanks to pillarcatholic.com, firtstthings.com and catholic-catechism.com

Image with thanks to Freepik AI generated content by CN Whittle

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WE NEED TO REJECT THE WAYS OF WAR, AND WORK TOGETHER FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE

Mother Mary knew the human cost of the gift of Christ's Life to the world

There is so much suffering and injustice in the world. In juxtaposition with this inescapable fact, there is also much joy, healing and bringing of justice to earth. Men and women have pivotal roles to play in bringing tenets of the gospel of peace to a suffering world.

Reject the ways of war

What can you and I do to bring peace and justice to situations where there is conflict and injustice? Reverend Vanessa Wyse Jackson preached that "We need to reject the ways of war, and work together for justice and peace." [1]

Women know the price to be paid

Women know the price to be paid for the building of a human life. Countless women have grown babies within their bodies, struggled with morning sickness, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, perineal tears, post-partum psychosis in order to deliver the gift of a healthy baby to the world.

Olive Shreiner and the knowledge of woman

Olive Shreiner posited that "No woman who is a woman says of a human body, 'it is nothing'... on this one point, and on this point alone, the knowledge of woman, simply as woman, is superior to that of man; she knows the history of human flesh; she knows its cost; he does not." [2] 

Labor which brings forth a child

The labor which brings forth a child makes of a woman a realist. She knows what her child cost. Every woman who becomes pregnant faces the realization that she will have a lifelong reponsibility as mother towards this child. Is this not true courage indeed?

A woman knows the history of human flesh

On the website of artist Dina Cormick appears a haunting portrayal of Shreiner's quote, "A woman knows the history of human flesh, she knows its cost." In the depiction, a woman holds a child up towards heaven, her face would appear to be ravaged in grief. From the time I saw this artwork during the time of loss and death during Covid pandemic, I pondered its meaning. Reflection from personal inspiration I received from this image on Dina Cormick's art website has resulted in this article. [3]

The image suggested to me that a mother is holding her child up to God, the little one appears to be no more. The apparently bereaved mother is crying to Heaven for the little one, who was born of her love for another and from the sacrifices and pain of her own body. Now the little one is lost to earth, but not to Heaven. What happened? What tragedy occurred? I do not know. I do know, that this art work inspires me yet again to realize the inestimable value each precious life has in the Sight of Almighty God. 

Blessed are the peacemakers

Horrendous images and accounts of the true horrors of war have been available. Unimaginable pain, suffering and death in many countries trouble our earth. Men and women have mandate from Jesus Christ to be peacemakers and prevent this bloodshed, "Blessed are the peacemakers; for they will be called children of God," Jesus Christ tells us. [4] This seventh beatitude takes every Christian worker into the task of conflict resolution. Conflicts arise whenever people have differences of opinion.

Let us manage conflict. But let us do what we can to prevent the horrors of war. 

Mothers are less inclined to send their children into battlefields

In the context of war, Diplomat Dawie Jacobs considers that 'The burden always falls on the shoulders of the next generations. They are paying for "the sins of the fathers." ' [5]

Diplomat Jacobs goes on to write that "The only dim light ahead is that the new generation is, broadly speaking, less indoctrinated and blindfolded and that more women are slowly moving into positions of power.

As mothers they are less inclined to send their children into battlefields and generally are not as driven by a lust for power.

They rank brainpower higher than muscle power and generally put a high premium on the kind of world they leave behind for their children.

We need a new generation of leaders. Leaders that see consideration for others not as a weakness, but as a strength. Leaders that care about the kind of world they want to leave behind for future generations." [5]

Let us work for peace

Let us pray for end to war. Let us work for peace. And may women, who grow infants within their bodies and labor to bring new life into the world, continue to be life-bearers and witnesses to the utter sanctity of each human life.

As Mother Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour did.

[1] Rev. Vanessa Wyse Jackson B.A., H.dip.Ed. Public sermon July 2016. Dublin, Ireland

[2] Olive Shreiner. Woman and Labor. 1911. Olive Shreiner Quote

[3] Dina Cormick. About the artist

[4] Matthew 5:9

[5] Jacobs, Dawie (Diplomat). Pretoria. "Sadly, history keeps repeating itself in senseless wars". Sowetan. Letters, Tuesday November 21 2023.

With thanks to Rev Vanessa Wyse Jackson public sermon, libquotes.com, creativewomanartist.com and sowetanlive.co.za

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DEEPEST CONCERN OF VATICAN COUNCIL II

“... the Council’s deepest concern lay with:

(i)    resurrecting of the status of the layman,

(ii)   breaking down the barrier which the Church had thrown up against the reunion  of the Churches.” 

Fr G.M.A. Jansen. (Norbert Jansen OP). p 10, Pro Veritate Vol VII No. 2 Jun 15. The Secularisation of the Church. June 15 1968

With thanks to Sahistory.org.za and Pro Veritate. Accessed 2 December 2023

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GREATEST INSPIRATION OF VATICAN COUNCIL II

"(i) The Council's greatest inspiration was to raise the lay-people out of their state of passivity and to make them conscious that they really formed the essence of the Church, the People of God."

Fr G.M.A. Jansen. (Norbert Jansen OP). p 10, Pro Veritate Vol VII No. 2 Jun 15. The Secularisation of the Church. June 15 1968

With thanks to Sahistory.org.za and Pro Veritate. Accessed 2 December 2023

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THE VOICE OF CHRIST

"The voice of the Vatican Council is the voice of Christ

  Himself, Who speaks through His body, the Church."

Fr G.M.A. Jansen. (Norbert Jansen OP). p 11, Pro Veritate Vol VII No. 2 Jun 15. The Secularisation of the Church. June 15 1968

With thanks to Sahistory.org.za and Pro Veritate. Accessed 2 December 2023

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LAITY AND FORMATION IN THE SACRED SCIENCES

       "Furthermore, it is to be hoped that many laymen will receive an appropriate formation in the sacred sciences, and that some will develop and deepen these studies by their own labours. In order that such persons may fulfill their proper function, let it be recognized that all the faithful, clerical and lay, possess a lawful freedom of inquiry and of thought, and the freedom to express their minds humbly and courageously about those matters in which they enjoy competence."

Fr G.M.A. Jansen. (Norbert Jansen OP). p 8, Pro Veritate Vol VII No. 2 Jun 15. The Secularisation of the Church. June 15 1968

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HUMAN ACTIVITY AND CHRIST'S REDEMPTIVE WORK

   "Just as human activity proceeds from man, so it is ordained toward man. For when a man works he not only alters things and society, he develops himself as well. He learns much, he cultivates his resources, he goes outside of himself and and beyond himself. Rightly understood, this kind of growth is of greater value than any external riches which can be garnered. A man is more precious for what he is than for what he has. Similarly, all that men do to obtain greater justice, wider brotherhood and more human ordering of social relationships has greater worth than technical advances. For these advances can supply the material for human progress, but of themselves alone they can never actually bring it about. Hence the norm of human activity is this: that in accord with the Divine Plan and Will, it should harmonize with the genuine good of the whole human race, and allow men as individuals and as members of society to pursue their total vocation and fulfil it. 

     With the consciousness of this total vocation, there grows the sense of greater responsibility. But it is only in freedom that man can direct himself towards goodness. Our contemporaries make much of this freedom, and rightly so, to be sure. For God has willed that man be left in the hand of his own counsel so that he can seek his Creator spontaneously and come freely to utter and blissful perfection through loyalty to Him. Hence, man's dignity demands that he act according to a knowing and free choice. Such a choice is personally motivated and prompted from within. It does not result from blind internal impulse nor from mere external pressure. Man achieves such dignity when emancipating himself from all capacity to passion, he pursues his goal in a spontaneous choice of what is good, and procures for himself. through effective and skilful action, apt means to the end.

    Christ's redemptive work, while of itself directed to the salvation of men, involves also the renewal of the whole temporal order. Hence the Mission of the Church is not only to bring to men the message and grace of Christ, but also to penetrate and perfect the temporal sphere with the spirit of the gospel.

   It is clear that men are not deterred by the Christian message from building up the world or impelled to neglect the welfare of their fellows. They are rather more stringently bound to do these things."

Fr G.M.A. Jansen. (Norbert Jansen OP). pp 8-9, Pro Veritate Vol VII No. 2 Jun 15. The Secularisation of the Church. June 15 1968

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ISAIAH: COME DOWN TO RE-CREATE US

THE SCRIPTURE READINGS:

ISAIAH 63:16-17;  64:1,3-8

Isaiah 63:16-17

16. But You are our Father, 

         though Abraham does not know us

         or Israel acknowledge us;

    You, Lord, are our Father,

         our Redeemer from of old is Your Name.

17. Why, LORD, do You make us wander from Your Ways

          and harden our hearts so we do not revere You?

     Return for the sake of Your servants,

          the tribes that are Your inheritance.

Isaiah 64: 1, 3-8

1.   Oh, that You would tear the heavens and come down,

       that the mountains would tremble before You!

3.   For when You did awesome things that we did not expect, 

        You came down, and the mountains trembled before You.

4.   Since ancient times, no one has heard, 

         no ear has perceived, 

       no eye has seen any God besides You,

         Who acts on behalf of those Who wait for Him.

5.  You come to the help of those who gladly do right,

        who remember Your Ways.

     But when we continued to sin against them,

        You were angry. 

        How then can we be saved? 

6.   All of us have become like one who is unclean, 

        and all of our righteous acts are like filthy rags;

      we all shrivel up like a leaf; 

        and like the wind our sins sweep us away. 

7.  No one calls on Your Name

        or strives to lay hold of You;

     For You have hidden Your Face from us

        and have given us over to our sins.

8.  Yet You, LORD, are our Father.

        We are the clay, You are the Potter;

      we are all the word of Your Hand. [1]

REFLECTION:

This powerful text expresses a passionate longing for God to come down among His people to heal them. "Oh, that you would tear the heavens open and come down . . ." 

These words were written soon after the exile. A group of Israelites had returned to a temple and city which lay in ruins. The situation was a discouraging one, and they may have felt that they were in much the same situation as sinful individuals before the exile.

The future was bleak. God may have seemed silent and distant from this sad plight of His people, 'For You have hidden Your Face from us...'  Now in this time of great change, Isaiah writes these words in which Israel prays with great determination and sincerity, addressing God with loving words as 'Father' and 'Redeemer'. 

Israel experienced hope for the future, due to the powerful deeds of the past in which God liberated the people from bondage. The people open themselves to God, as clay is available for work by the potter. God may come and create them anew. [2]

And just so are we today. We turn to God in this season of Advent, and ask Him to model the clay which is our inner being into His Image and Likeness. We turn from the ruin of past sin in our everyday lives, without making excuses for ourselves. Yes, we made mistakes. Yes, we were fearful. Yes, we did not have the full story. Yes, we were lied to. Yes, we were less aware then.

Yet, our sin was part of the equation. We have given in to temptation, been less than we could have been, shown lack of courage, less than gracious decisions, weakness, sinfulness, emotional and spiritual failings.

Yet all is not lost. We are as clay in the Hands of the Potter. Turn to God and ask Him to remodel you to be the best person you can be. Trust that the work in your soul is not yet finished, and trust that God will faithfully complete what He has begun in you.

In this season of Advent, turn to God. Love Him with all your heart, your mind, your decisions, your actions, your soul.

Then you can't go wrong!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as the potter moulds the clay: mould me.

As the heavens rend open and pour down light, change indifference in our world to care, and pour down heavenly grace upon kindly efforts.

Bring us into everlasting life. Allow us to grow in grace and dignity, knowing that - despite misunderstandings and mis-steps in our past, we truly are Your children. And You love us. And we love You!

Happy Advent!

[1] The Holy Bible 

[2] Inspired by: OMI sermon, 1984

Image courtesy of Freepik AI generated content with CN Whittle   

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ARE CHURCHGOERS HYPOCRITES?

Catherine Nicolette

Imagine my surprise when I opened a spiritual magazine recently and found an article questioning whether churchgoers are hypocrites. The query reminded me of many years ago . . .

As a young child and member of a devout church-going family, I was called aside one day by one of my little peers. She explained to me that all churchgoers are hypocrites. By eschewing to attend Mass, she explained, she was not a hypocrite pretending to be holy. As, she explained, I was. Her remedy was for me to leave the church and thus no longer be a cause of dismay to other more enlightened little peers.

I was completely nonplussed, faced with my ardent hypocrisy for attending church. Further, I inwardly shuddered at the thought of telling Sean and Luky Whittle that their little daughter would not toe the line and attend church. That most certainly would not have gone down well. Finally, my heart wept at the thought of not visiting the Blessed Sacrament regularly. What to do?

Then all of a sudden I knew how I felt about this issue. I looked at my little friend, and told her,  "I know I am not perfect." As there was no surprise there, she nodded sagely. I went on,  "That's exactly why I go to church. Because I need help from God. We all need to go. You should go, too."

Having put her hand to the plough, my little peer was not going to give up. She replied, "There is no need for me to go to church. I can stand in a field in nature and worship God quite well." I asked her, "And when last did you worship in a field?" She hesitated, then flushed and turned away. I heard her mutter later, "It's no good arguing with that one. She's got all the answers!"

She got me thinking, however. In later years, I often pondered over her words, especially when, sighing, I realize that I haven't measured up to Christ's expectations of me - yet again. But, you know, I don't lose hope. I just keep on trying. Reality helps to give rational perspective. I realize I can't go it alone. Thus, I go to church, to pray to God to ask for help. Spiritually sick need the Divine Physician for healing - and there is not one of us who does not have a soul hurt or spirit wound needing His care. Basically, churchgoers don't go to church because they are perfect. They go because they are not.

Every time I pass a field, I think of my little friend from long ago. My answer to whether churchgoers are hypocrites is that churchgoers are realists. All have but one life, and each will be called upon to account to Almighty God as to how that life has been spent. Why not both attend church and pray in fields while we still can to help us towards serenity on that day? 

As the sunflower turns towards the sun, let us all turn our faces towards God. . .

With thanks to free clipart library

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MIRACLES HAPPEN ALL THE TIME

Luky:

There was a song we used to sing in church when my eldest daughter played the organ. Our best singer would sing each verse, and we'd all join the refrain:

"I believe in miracles; I've seen a soul set free / Miraculous the change in one redeemed through Calvary / I've seen the lily push its way up through the stubborn sod / I believe in miracles, for I believe in God. "

Do you believe in miracles? I do. Plenty have happened to me in my life.

I was there

The big ones I don't talk about much, because people always get an odd little smile on their faces when I do, as if to say "poor fanatic - and you can see she actually believes it. "

Well, I do, because I was there when they happened. And it's those who believe in miracles that they do happen to.

If you truly believe that a piece of bread and a drop of wine change into the Body and Blood of Christ when the words of consecration are spoken by an ordained priest, then the little miracles that have happened to me are puddysticks by comparison. But, being human, I love my little miracles and get much comfort from remembering them.

Lord said it

At one time I was praying in a certain way, and got the feeling that I was unworthy to pray that way because of my sinfulness. That very day I opened a dusty volume of an old Dutch series of books about our Lord's revelations to Saint Gertrude.

Sweet memory

My eye fell on a paragraph which quotes our Lord as saying to the saint: "why do you feel reluctant and unworthy to pray to me (in the way I was praying)? Do you not know that the fragrance of the perfume is not impaired by the simplicity of the container?"

That day sweetness filled my heart and mind, and the memory of it still fills me with joy.

In a smaller way, something strange happened some years ago. I was having an argument with one of my children (that's not strange; it's normal.)

The child had mowed the lawn and tidied the garden, and was demanding payment. I felt as though I had failed in bringing up my children.

I said, "How can you, as a Christian, demand payment from your parents for lending a hand? If you need money, tell me how much and I'll make a plan. But surely you don't expect payment for helping your hard-working parents?"

Got soft

Well, my child gave as good as he got. Gone are the old days when I was strict and they would have run a mile before they dared to answer me back - I became soft in my old age.

Just then a song started playing on Springbok Radio. Rooted in my tracks, I listened; then I hauled the child in to listen too.

You may have heard the song. It's about a boy who brought his mother an invoice, detailing various chores he had performed for her and stating what each cost.

The mother produced a pen and wrote out an invoice of her own. "To nine months carrying you in my womb - no charge; to bringing you into the world in sorrow and pain - no charge; to the tears I shed for you - no charge."

Nothing owing

By now I was shedding some tears of my own and ducked into the sitting room, but I could hear the end of the song. The boy wrote at the bottom of his invoice: "Paid in full."

My heart was full, because I felt that again our Lord had performed a little miracle. The child was very quiet too, looking rather taken aback.

I'm no diplomat. I like pressing home my advantage, so I wiped my tears and said:

"I was trying to tell you something in the passage there, but I hadn't the eloquence. So our Lord allowed a small miracle to happen by inspiring the disc jockey to play that very song to show you how He would feel about your demanding payment.

"As a rule, Jesus doesn't go in for performing miracles; He has nothing to prove. So if you're wise, you'll remember this one for the rest of your life"

The child still regarded me mutinously, so I added:

"That piece of advice comes to you at no charge." 

Catherine Nicolette

My, it is many years since I thought of that beautiful hymn we used to play. As a teenager I loved the words and melody.

Now in my mature years, I have experienced many signs and wonders of God in my life. Having travelled in many countries, it has been amazing how God cared for me in many ways, small as well as large.

The greatest miracle, however, is to be part of the wonder when the moment of grace comes for an individual. We never know when one word, one prayer, one sermon or one song is the one which will change the road for another from struggle to the grace of faith.

As Mom said on so many occasions about Jesus Christ, "For one drop of His Blood Which for sinners was spilt,

Is sufficient to cleanse the whole world from its guilt."

The price is already paid, the miracle already granted. Jesus came to earth, lived and died for us and we had to make no payment. The Son of God took the consequences of sin and death upon Himself, conquered death through resurrection and gave us remedy for sin through baptism and sacraments.

We did not have to pay anything in order for God's Son to love us and set us free.

Let us pay Christ the compliment of our deepest love, respect and sincere gratitude for the price He paid.  

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Miraculous medal, front and back

Luky:

THE SEVENTH of November has always been a red letter day in my life, as it marks the birthday of a near and dear one. When she was small she'd be counting the weeks and days leading up to it for months, giving us no chance to forget it.

One year's birthday was probably a lot different. As mother (at the time) of two and expecting her third child in another six months' time, she had enough to occupy her mind.

All the same, I phoned her that morning and she enthused about the lovely gifts her husband had brought her.

Unsuspecting

I on my side had good news too. My own husband, having successfully got over his operation, was coming home the next morning. We mutually expressed our pleasure and rang off.

Little did I know then that I was about to remember November the 7th for quite a different reason.

Just before ten that morning one of the matrons of the local hospital telephoned me. My husband was back in the intensive care unit of the surgical ward, she said, and she was sure I'd be wanting to see him to encourage him as soon as I could.

A nod is as good as a kick to a willing horse, so I went to my boss and got permission to go to the hospital.

Plugged in

Having arrived there I found my husband lying on a bed, tubes and bottles attached to several parts of his body. He was barely able to speak but the matron had explained to me that he had either got a clot in the lung, known a a pulmonary embolism, or in the heart; called a coronary thrombosis.

He had complained of a very severe pain across his chest. "I've nursed Mr Whittle for years", the matron said, "and I know him well enough to be aware that by the time he finally complains there is something seriously wrong."

Strong friend

I can't tell you how kind everyone was. As parents of one of the hospital's student nurses at the time, we received VIP treatment.

My old neighbour grabbed me as I was leaving the hospital on my way to I know not where and steered me back to the ward. She's a nursing sister and midwife and was a tower of strength to me in the eight years we lived next door to each other. It was like living next door to my doctor.

Complicated prang

When I pranged my car that morning, trying to get out of a parking place, three men helped to liberate me. If you gave me five thousand rand to repeat what I must have done to steer my car into such a position, I'd have to decline because I just don't understand how I managed it.

Please pray

Early next morning I telephoned my sister. My husband was on the critical list and my brother-in-law came to the phone and asked what he could do.

"Take all your children to church now on their way to school and have them pray a Hail Mary for their uncle", I pleaded.

He did that and more. That afternoon as I arrived again at the hospital, he was sitting outside my husband's ward. He had taken the day off and spent four hours driving my mother and sister to see me. I've always thought that man was a jewel; now I have proof.

My mother stayed and looked after the children for the next few days, much of which I spent as hospital.

It's good to have a family.

More to come

A second clot was to pass through my husband's lung before his agony was over. I received a letter from my colleagues at the office; all of them had gone into one office and prayed together for my husband's recovery. Everybody was praying, especially the lady who worked for us. 

"I was so scared Mr Whittle was dying", she said.

The younger children, aware of the tension, became unbearable, looking for attention, arguing and quarrelling and crying hysterically over nothing.

Interesting incident

The day I knew things would improve I was seated in a little room outside the intensive care unit, talking to my daughter. I had been given permission to look in at my husband on the half-hour.

She had taken off her miraculous medal and handed it to me to put round her father's neck.

We were talking and I was gesticulating with the hand which held the medal. Suddenly I looked down on my knee, and there to my astonishment I found that the chain had arranged itself into the shape of that peculiar broad flat "M" on the back of the miraculous medal.

People have laughed at my assertions of miracles all my life so I said nothing about it. I wanted to make sure I wasn't mistaken.

'That's odd", I said to my daughter, "What does this remind you of?"

"The M on the back of the miraculous medal", she said. "And look next to it, that's a heart shape, also found on the back of the medal."

"Your father will be all right now", I said after marvelling for a little while, and handed her back her chain. "He won't need this."

I went into the ward and spoke to the heart specialist.

"Your husband is improving", he informed me, "though he's not out of danger yet."

It was all I could do not to tell him he was wrong. With such a powerful patroness as our Lady showing her very personal concern, I knew that no power on earth could prevent my husband from recovering.

Catherine Nicolette

Dad went on to make an uneventful recovery - an amazing turnaround as he had been critically ill. I have great devotion to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and both Mom and I received much comfort from the configuration of the chain. Do I believe this was a sign from God? The comfort I received when I saw the symbols of holiness was deep. In that moment I knew: all will be well.

Having been witness to many signs and wonders from God throughout my life, I would encourage you to look out in your own life for those moments in which God is present with comfort and hope.

The Miraculous Medal is a holy devotion which brings special spiritual protection and comfort. Why not find out more?

Visit for petition to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

at https://lumierecharitymarian.blogspot.com/2017/08/petition-to-our-lady-of-miraculous-medal.html

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COFFEE BREAK ISSUE ONE - THE BLOG OF MOTHER AND DAUGHTER LUKY AND CATHERINE NICOLETTE

Welcome to Coffee Break, the blog of mother and daughter Luky Whittle and Catherine Nicolette Whittle.

Together we will tell you about life in the family lane over the past 50 years, together with snippets of interest such as photographs, articles, books, and family happenings which have been a rich source of amusement to us both over our years together.

So sit down, take up a cup of steaming coffee, open your laptop and enjoy!  

Coffee Break is followed by 144 countries

Please enjoy this Coffee Break Issue One

COFFEE BREAK ISSUE ONE 

ARTICLES

How Coffee Break began

Finding the baby

Happy New Year

Love and loss

I remember Papa

Fascinating Maud Gonne

Zoute drop with Irish stew

Mary, Joseph and the humble stable

Miss Marks' last day at the office

An open hand is never empty

My teenage dreams

Download your issue at the following link

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ART AND MUSIC: NOTHING IS BETTER THAN MUSIC

NOTHING is better than music. When it takes us out of time, it has done more for us than we have the right to hope for. It has broadened the limits of our sorrowful lives; it has lit up the sweetness of our hours of happiness by effacing the pettinesses that diminish us, bringing us back pure and new to what was, what will be and what music has created for us.

Nadia Boulanger

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ART AND MUSIC: THE PRIESTS CAME OUT OF THE HOLY PLACE

THE priests came out of the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without regard to their divisions, and all the levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kindred, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters). 

It was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the LORD, and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the LORD,

"For He is good,

 for His steadfast loves endures forever,"

the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of GOD.

2 Chronicles 5:11-14

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Superb musician in India. Photograph taken with musician permission

MUSIC IS A MORAL LAW

MUSIC is a moral law.

It gives soul to the universe,

Wings to the mind,

Flight to the imagination,

A charm to sadness,

Happiness and life to everything.

It is the essence of order

And lends to all that is good

And just and beautiful.

Plato

Fourth century BCE

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ART AND MUSIC: A WOMAN KNOWS THE HISTORY OF HUMAN FLESH, SHE KNOWS ITS COST" - ARTWORK BY LUMINOUS DINA CORMICK

Some years ago I found the work of luminous artist Dina Cormick. The first artwork I viewed struck me to the heart. A stark visual of a woman whose face appears to be carved in the immediacy of incredible grief, holding up what appears to be a deceased child to the heavens. Her mouth is open in what may be a wail or soundless cry of agony at the fate of the little one. The words "a woman knows the history of human flesh, she knows its cost, Olive Shreiner",  appears to the right of the image.

I found this depiction both deeply moving and meaningful. A woman goes through agony to give birth to a child, sacrifices deeply to ensure care for the child of her body until her little one reaches adulthood. Thus a woman who has experienced what it means to grow a child within, to bear that child and to nurture her offspring, knows the physical, emotional, spiritual and financial cost of bringing a child into the world and nurturing that child.

This is not to imply that fathers do not know the history of human flesh or its cost. Of course they do. Acknowledgement of the incredible role of fatherhood in the life of a child is always due. The point of this particular artwork however, to my mind, emphasizes the woman's role of motherhood: that a woman understands in her bones and flesh what the making of a child entails. 

This artwork touched my heart so deeply as it made connection for me between motherhood and war. Witnessing the fruit of your body, and the pride and joy of your heart, being sent to war possibly to be maimed or killed is so tragic. 

War has long shadows. There are countless stories of wars which had such profound and sorrowful impact on so many lives.

I pray for an end to the wars, suffering and death which are sweeping our beautiful planet at this time. Truly, a woman knows the history of human flesh, she knows its cost. If we, in our societies, realize the wonder of the cost of lives, surely we will come to value our children - and those of others of all species - with all our hearts.

The Mother of Jesus Christ knew the unbelievable pain of the loss of her Son Who died in the cosmic war to defeat satan from wrongful usurpation of the destiny of humankind. She knew the cost of human flesh received through the Incarnation being discarded, disrespected and swept away in torture and death. All mothers may turn to the example of Mother Mary in the Bible, for comfort in their darkest hours of grief and loss. There is hope again - there will one day be resurrection for all lost on earth and in war. Eternal life in the bliss of heaven will be experienced by all the fallen, all lost at sea or buried in unknown graves. The wail of the mother in the artwork of Artist Cormick will be tenderly changed to eternal joy in the reunion of mothers and children, fathers and children, families and their loved ones in the New Jerusalem. And that will be an eternal reunion and life of happiness which will never end.

I know what sober and realistic thoughts the work by Artist Dina Cormick evoked in my mind. Sorrow for past and present loss of life. Respect and reverence for women who value life, Respect and reverence for men who are devoted fathers. Acknowledgement to God in the heavens that, at the end of the day, no matter how grim reality seems, He is in control. And hope, hope for the future - that as women know the history and sanctity of life, all may come to respect and love all living beings. If not in this world, then in the next.

Thank you, Artist Dina, for your incredible mission as artist.

Click in the following link about Artist Dina Cormick, if you wish to view the artwork described above:

With thanks to creativewomartist.com

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EXPRESS FAITH AND DEVOTION IN SONG

ONE cannot find anything more religious and more joyful in sacred celebrations than a whole congregation expressing its faith and devotion in song. Therefore the active participation of the whole people, which is shown in singing, is to be carefully promoted.

Musicam Sacram, Instruction on Music in the Liturgy, no. 16

With thanks to vatican.va

Image with thanks to Freepik AI generated content by CN Whittle