"I Make All Things New"

Every year I watch The Passion of the Christ on Good Friday.  This year, I was particularly moved by the scenes with Mary.  Perhaps my "Year of Mary", has brought me closer to her and has helped me to see Christ through her eyes.  One of my favorite scenes has always been the one when Jesus falls, and Mary rushes out to meet Him (flashing back to when He falls as a little boy).  I remember seeing the movie in the theater, and that being THE moment when I couldn't contain the tears any longer.  And then Jesus says to her, "See Mother, I make all things new."  While this is a bit of artistic license on the part of Mel Gibson, since these words actually appear in Revelation and are not words that Jesus spoke to Mary, I can understand why they make so much sense in this context.  And this Lent, these words touched me more than any other year.

I can truly see the way Christ is working to make things "new" in my life.  The rough valleys are being made low, the crooked paths straight.  Where there was once pain, suffering, and discord, peace, joy, forgiveness, and a new and greater love are entering in...a true Springtime of souls.  It is that time of year for all of us, when we shake the chill of winter, when we peel back the rough and dying branches to behold the life hidden underneath.  We realize with great hope and anticipation that behind every cloud there is sunshine.

Baby mint among all the old dead mint stalks from last year.  This makes me so happy. 

     

Life begins again in the flower garden...

The transplanted chives making their Spring debut.

The kale, brussels sprouts, and cabbage seedlings thriving in the bathtub shelving setup.  

The two new apple trees planted, pruned and protected.   The peach tree is behind me.

There is so much to look forward to, so much life, growth, and newness to come.

Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  

And HE makes all things new.

Okay, So I Won't BURST!!!

I am off the Facebooks for Lent.  And I wasn't going to blog.  But if I don't say it, I think I might burst. (And my friends Ellie and Alexis have GOT to be sick of me bursting to them, Vox'ing them or emailing them articles, so I am going to direct my bursting elsewhere for a moment)...

I. 

Love.

Pope.

Francis.

We were watching live on Wednesday when the smoke turned white.  I wept.  My daughters stared at me strangely, but for the first time, they DID NOT make fun of their mommy (who "gets weepy over every little thing!")  

We waited, glued to the TV for the announcement and his first appearance.  I wept.  Again.  This man, clad simply in white with a wooden cross, waving awkwardly from the balcony was our new pope!  

Immediately I knew something was going to be different.  And then, he asked US to pray for HIM!  Our earthly shepherd bowed before his flock so that we could pray for him.  I couldn't stop crying. 

As the days have unfolded, the more I read and see about this man, Pope Francis I, the more I love him.  The articles, the pictures, the stories all point to his refusal to be anything other than a humble servant of Christ.  It is truly building me up, filling me with the joy of the Lord, and I know it must be doing the same for others.  He is a do-er.  He's out there, among the people, kissing the feet of the sick, shaking hands with parishioners, refusing to ride home from the Conclave in a special car (he rode with the cardinals instead) and I can't help but think how much he's like Francis of Assisi (strong and determined, yet humble) and Mother Teresa of Calcutta (truly a champion of the poor and sick) rolled into one.  And WHAT a combination.  

For more amazing pictures of Pope Francis, click here.

It is a much known fact that I'm a "homebody" in an almost disturbing way.  And I hate airplanes.  I'd be happy to never ever get on one again.  But seriously, since Wednesday, I've decided I'd go to Rome in a minute.  I'd go just to be in the same place as this wonderfully holy man.  There's something about him that just draws people.  You can see it in the emotion of Catholics right now.  You can see it in the press.  Something good is happening, and I'm overwhelmed completely to the core just to be a part of it.

Here are some of my favorite Internet things about Francis (so far!):

1.)  Francis' homily from today (It's a short one, and SO worth watching!)

2.)  After mass, he stood outside for almost twenty minutes greeting the entire congregation.  And yes, that made me cry too.

3.)  Just one of many beautiful articles on him, in which he states, "How I would like a church which is poor and for the poor!"

4.)  And for a good laugh, there's nothing like a Papal Meme!   (Click the link for more funnies like the one below.)

5.)  In an address to the Cardinals after he was elected Pope, he said, "We will work harder to carry out the mission of bringing Christ to mankind and bringing mankind to an encounter with Christ.  This mission will bring joy to humanity."  Yes, that is absolutely what this is...

God Bless Pope Francis!