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Friday, February 3, 2012

A Blessed Community and Venerable Bernard Francis (Solanus) Casey

Happy Friday, everyone! As always, I'm looking forward to the weekend, and the Sunday Mass! And, what else, you ask? The NFL (National Football League)'s Super Bowl XLVI (46) this Sunday, February 5th, 2012! New York Giants versus New England Patriots at Indianapolis, IN. Kickoff at 6:30 pm EST (Eastern Standard Time). Which team are you? Good luck!

Downstairs, in our living room where our medium size flat screen TV is on, while the radio (in our family room) is on NPR, I just had my breakfast of a bowl of cereal (Post shredded wheat, whole grain) with organic milk (2 % reduced fat) and a piece of banana, and a bottled water. But, of course, I did pray before eating (asking God for blessing my food and those who produced and prepared for my food) and after eating (giving thanks to our Lord for the many blessings I've just received).

As I was wrapping up my breakfast, I got hold of our The New American Bible for Catholics (lying down on our coffee table) and found myself reading this page on Psalm 133:

A Vision of a Blessed Community 

How good it is, how pleasant,
where the people dwell as one!
Like precious ointment on the head,
running down upon the beard,
Upon the beard of Aaron,
upon the collar of his robe.
Like dew of Hermon coming down
upon the mountains of Zion.
There the Lord has lavished blessings,
life for evermore!

After rereading the above Scripture passage, I read a small explanation of the passage, on the right hand side of the page, to get a little understanding of what it is about. But anyway, I came to the conclusion that we're the community united, blessed  and showered by God with life. Thanks to our gracious God!

What caught my attention after reading the Bible passage was this small picture card that serves as a book marker  on our Bible. It's a picture of bespectacled and bearded Fr. Solanus Casey, Capuchin (1870-1957). At the back of this card is this Prayer, with Imprimatur by John Cardinal Dearden, Archbishop of Detroit, July, 1978:

Father, I adore You, I give myself to You. May I be the person You want me to be and may Your will be done in my life today.
Thank You for the gifts You gave to Father Solanus. If it is Your will, glorify him on earth so that others will carry on his love for the poor, lonely and suffering of our world.
In order that others will joyfully accept Your divine plan, I ask You to hear this prayer...through Jesus Christ. Our Lord Amen.

I clicked on Wikipedia to find out more about "Venerable" Bernard Francis (Solanus) Casey. I'd like to share with you this feeling: As I was writing down about his biodata, on a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 card, I was having goosebumps reading his life story on Wikipedia! It was an overwhelming feeling to know about what he had gone through. I was so touched (and inspired) by his humility and great faith! Venerable Solanus Casey, pray for us. Amen.

Until next time around, friends. Take care and have a blessed and wonderful weekend!-chris a. quilpa, 02Feb2012

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