Sacred Space the Key to Being Original

When I was in grade school, we were encouraged to make a space in our homes for Jesus.  "A prayer corner; the best being in a closet." That may be a common element of Catholic School education, it seemed that some teachers, religious or lay, were better at communicating this necessity than others.  When Dave and I were first married, Dave took the first 4 days of our married life to put paneling on a prayer ROOM.  It soon became a room to house all the baby things, but we always had a space to pray.

Over the years the "prayer corner" has disappeared, we just used the space we had available. A chair near the door, one near the fireplace, and now in our bedroom. The idea of "Sacred Space" has expanded.

Three weeks after our wedding, my mother died.  Several months later, I had inherited the mess of her collection of things in her home.  Some useful: washer and dryer, some not, all her business suits, sizes 8-12. It took me a while to figure out that I needed to make a trip to St. Vincents and just unload. 

After Clara was born, 1991, I decided my housekeeping really needed a savior.  I found that savior in Sandra Felton.  She authored several books that spoke to the messy interior that was me.  Then I had a friend that kept an immaculate house.  I was inspired to create a Sacred Space, and over the years I have expanded on that space. 

When our lives are in a constant stream of stimulation we have no time to rejuvenate. Rejuvenation is so important, God gave us a commandment about it built into our week that counts the passing of time. We need to take time...... we get to make the space, or better said, 'respect the time and space given to us!'


This space was inspired by a friend who was "Practically Perfect 24/7"

Sometimes it is easiest to start with the external life, making order on the outside so that one may want to go inside. And other times, the internal has to be cared for and collected so that we can work with what we have on the outside, and sometimes God graces us with the motivation to do the every day.... while we visit inside.  But always, it is God's love and Grace that aids us in our knowing where we are and where He wants us to be with Him.  Maintaining, building, speaking or listening or being still.  

The internal Sacred Space takes a lot of courage to maintain. People, things, events, all call attention away from the quiet. Calling attention away from what is right in front of my face, what God has purposed me for from all eternity. When I maintain Sacred Space in my environment, as well as my mind and heart, it is possible to hear appreciatively the purpose God has given for me in the time and space He has placed me in.  No one else has been given the task that was gifted to me.  Even if it is to do the dishes, that job is mine and I can be with God inside while I do those dishes. This purpose is original, unique and God needs me.  How can I say "no"?  My "no" comes from comparative thinking, curious looking about into the wider world formation field of presence; simply put, obsessing over a news periodical or a  FaceBook obsession.  ACTUALLY, there is a distraction in EVERY field of Formation. Every person is his own formation field and every person caries with him/her spheres and dimensions and ranges within that field.  I have got to get a handle on reverencing what God has created in me so that I can see when I am out of order in any of those fields and dimensions.   The internal question for the rest of this week of everyday is, "What is the distraction of this moment Lord? is it an internal coercive worry, is it an global cause or concern, is it a situational event I have no control over?  Have I accepted my life as it is at this moment? Can I just love what is right here, right now, caring and reverencing You Jesus in the everyday things of my life, events you have allowed and the people who you have gifted me with? 

Ultimately I don't want to be so unfocused that I can't answer His promptings with a joyful "Yes."  Understanding that to say 'yes' to Jesus and His unique plan for me, may be a 'no' to the popular pulsations, or a vital interest; 'just one more cup of coffee', or even a functional job I think should be mine but belongs to someone else in the family.  Hearing God seems so complicated. Yet... all he requires is that we want to hear Him.  He will answer all the other questions for me when I ask.

Ouch! The Affect of Formatitive Catholic Public Figures

It is 21012, we are in an election year.  Republican Candidates were mostly Catholic, in the beginning.  Now only one remains because Rick Santorum "suspended his campaign".  I wondered why that phrase was being used, only to find out that "pulling out" is what many who oppose him "wished his father had done" before he was conceived.  Repeating that very base comment is not pleasant for me. I found similar comments on two Facebook wall posts this morning.  It isn't obvious to those who would post such an awful comment, that shedding light on their own vile selfish practices does not make the acts attractive or acceptable.  "The family jewels are mine and I will not, do not want to... gift them to the world and I wish everyone else would just waste the same. Don't tell me not to enjoy them anyway."  ICK!!!!  

When a voter who is attached to selfishness in the forms of artificial; deathly coercive forms of birth control, see an image of Senator Rick Santorum, the picture above is what they see.  (Not that "pulling out" is deathly, but it certainly says "no" to the God who created them and invited us in joy to bear fruit and multiply!) Santorum's life is a contrast to their own, a contrast they don't want to see. He calls them out unwittingly, it makes them mad.   They take in Santorum's image through the filter of their own known selfishness.  "Ultimately, the candidate [I vote for] has to protect my right to seek pleasure where I choose to seek it."

Rick Santorum stands for "the More Than" pleasure.  He stands for responsibility.  Libertarians want to promote and protect pleasure seeking avenues thinking that if everything is legal; drugs, prostitution, sodomy, what ever, we wont have so much crime..? or something.  The ire is awakened when a man comes on the scene who lives a life opposed to libertarian views, his is happiness is rooted in traditions that nurture the dignity of the human person, not it's self centered pleasure seeking ways.  

It's about time that the foundation of our civilized society is examined! What are our presuppositions about the human person? What is our attitude about the future, do we welcome life? Is the human being a burden or an image of God; potential Faith Hope and Love?  If the ultimate attitude is "I love my kids BUT don't give me any more God, I must deny you my reproductive potential because I am done."  *** The ultimate belief is.... "human beings are a burden that I can not carry."   As if God intended you to carry the fruit of your married love from the moment of conception to the dying day of that fruit, on your shoulder!!! How preposterous!  The events and political figures of this day are forcing us to examine and speak like we have never done before.  Crass personalities can not get by with degrading statements without conservative voices answering, or reflecting back how crass and undignified the meaning and consequences of those statements are.  A Joyful dignified life demands that we give answer; shedding light on the darkness we must!

*** I am not referring to a prayerful attitude evaluating gifts and limitations and determining that adding to the family is not a wise direction, there fore abstinence is the temporary direction for fertile times, I am talking about the man or woman who wishes to indulge without inviting God's creative potential into the union.

I would rather contemplate Santorum's faith/practice in the dignity of the human person, than share in the pleasure seeking affection for humanity, that the men below possessed.