How Attached Am I to the World?

Life is filled with uncertainties. But we can all be certain of one thing. We will leave this world with no attachments. No one can take anything on the final journey. And yet, don't we all cling to earthly things with a death grip? Strange expression, eh, since death will tear everything from our hands? I often think of Gulliver tied down by the Lilliputians with a million little threads. Isn't that what we are like with all our petty desires and concerns that occupy our thoughts and attention.

Develping a Rule of Life: Rooting Out Defects and Growing in Virtue

This is my third post on Fr. Ripperger's video about developing a rule of life. (You can see part one here and part two here.) Making a rule of life is all about establishing a regimen of discipline that can help in all areas of life. Fr. Ripperger talks about taking a systematic approach to rooting out our defects. He echoes St. Ignatius when he encourages identifying our predominant fault and working on that one thing until we eliminate it or at least make considerable progress. For example, if you have a problem with gluttony, begin by giving up between meal snacks and desserts. Make a good beginning and stick with it. That approach follows Ignatian spirituality which advises working on one defect before moving on to another. With regard to the regimen, the examen is recommended at least twice a day - at midday and bedtime. How did I do this morning? How did I do later? Part of the evening examen is reflecting on the next day and its responsibilities so that you can hit the ground running in the morning. Ignatian spirituality gives the structure for overcoming the sin or fault. 

Sunday Meditation: Let Us Worship Jesus as the Sacred Heart!

Fr. James Buckley, FSSP 1937 - 2023 Rest in peace, dear and holy priest of God!

In this month of the holy souls, I want to remember with love and gratitude Fr. James Buckley, FSSP who had such an impact on my life. I attended a 5-day silent, Ignatian retreat every summer with Fr. Buckley for almost 20 years. The last one, in 2022, showered me with incredible memories and blessings that I treasure. God obviously knew it was Father's last meeting with us. He died in 2023.

Be Patient with Others, but First with Yourself!

This post continues my reflection on the virtue of patience which I've discussed here, here, and here. It may take me a long time to plumb the depths of this difficult virtue. 

I was reminded of patience in a recent conversation with a soccer coach I know.  He described one of his young players as being very hard on himself. Whenever the lad makes a mistake on the field he berates himself with self condemning statements. I don't know exactly what he says, but I can imagine, since many of us are also quick to condemn ourselves for our mistakes. Can you hear the refrain in your head?

Having a Bad Day? Increase Your Prayer Time!

I took a pretty significant fall on Monday while I was weeding in my Mary garden. I'm still not sure how I did it. I was turning to put some clover in the bucket and lost my balance. I came down on my right arm scraping it up against the top of the wall. Then I hit my left leg on the wall as I went over and landed flat on my back on the brick pool deck. Quite a thud!

After Five Days of Sanity with St. Ignatius, a Return to Insanity!

Insanity: This white elitist makes big bucks
 pandering to politically correct racist nonsense.
This is what the schools are pushing!

I didn't sleep very well on retreat. Having arrived with a basketful of stressers, like the possibility of my husband needing a replacement of his knee replacement (No longer a possibility, but a surety), the serious illness of a friend (She's back in the hospital), and some other issues (sigh),  I needed to make a serious effort to enter into the meditations. So many distractions!

Just a Reminder: I'm on Retreat Praying for You!

REMINDER: I will not be moderating comments or posting during my annual retreat which began on Monday and ends Saturday after lunch. I wrote this post last Sunday before I left. Isn't technology great? Susan will be doing most of the posts this week. Special prayers for her and Chriss, my intrepid allies.

Nous sont les trois amis de Les Femmes.

I am so grateful for their friendship, their faith, and their writing skills!

And now my thoughts for this Wednesday on the retreat:

Praying for You While I'm on Retreat; In Your Kindness, Please Pray for Us!

Our Lady's Lamp will be shining brightly
as my annual Ignatian retreat begins.

I'm leaving today for my annual five day silent retreat with Fr. James Buckley (FSSP) using the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. This particular retreat will have three generations of Kreitzer women attending, since I will be there with my daughter and her daughter, our oldest grandchild.

What a blessing! And what a memory! We plan to get a photo with Fr. Buckley together. I imagine this may be the first time he has a retreat with three generations from the same family.

My daughter has attended several times over the past 15 years with me, but this will be a first time for the third generation.

I'm on Retreat this Week Praying for You

I'm leaving this afternoon for a five day silent retreat using the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. During the retreat I will be off the computer, off social media, and off the phone. In other words, I will be putting the world on mute and entering into an intense time with the Lord. So I will not be posting this week live. Instead, I've scheduled some articles that will automatically post while I'm gone, but I won't be moderating comments until I return. So expect a delay in seeing your comment if you leave one.

I will be praying for all the members and visitors of my blog at daily Mass and when I pray the rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy, especially those whose I.D.s I know and can remember to specifically mention like Catechist Kevin, New Guy, Boinky, Dymphna, Terry, Janet, TLM, etc. Thank you all for your part in my spiritual growth. May God bless you abundantly.

What Are the Spiritual Exercises?

There are many types of retreats, but the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola are unique. They represent a formal pattern based on four "weeks" of meditations beginning with God's love for us and our own attachment to sin that hinders us from responding. Most of the retreat involves meditating on the life of Christ from the Incarnation to the passion to the resurrection. Each "week" involves praying for a particular grace -- for example the grace of sorrow and tears as we reflect on Christ's passion and what our sins cost the Lord of the Universe, and the grace of great joy at our Salvation as we ponder the resurrection and Christ's opening the gates of heaven. You can read more about the Spiritual Exercises here. And if you are interested in more there's a wealth of information here. I hope you go browsing to learn more about this great spiritual method of growing closer to the Lord through meditation and contemplation on the life of Christ. St. Ignatius, pray for us.

On Retreat -- I'll Be Praying for You!

Starting this evening I'll be on a five-day silent retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. I've attended this for most of the past 10-12 years annually with a priest from the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, Fr. James Buckley. It's a wonderful oasis of peace and meditation in a very noisy world. I love the silence, both the physical silence of no conversation except with the Lord and the angels and saints and the technological silence: no phones, no internet, no Facebook, no email -- just quiet time to listen to the voice of the one who speaks in silences.

I'm scheduling a few items to post while I'm gone, but I won't be moderating any comments until I return next Saturday. So please be patient and I'd appreciate your prayers for a fruitful retreat. Be assured I'll be praying for all my internet friends and for those who don't know yet that I really am a friend and consider me an enemy, just as they consider Jesus their enemy. May God open your eyes and bring you to realize His love and His truth.

And may our Mother Mary touch your heart and wrap you in the folds of her garment like she did for her little son Juan Diego.