Seniors' Corner

Fr. Simon Herbers, CP

The title of my newsletter is “Think Life.”  It helps us to think of God.  I am reminded of the Providence of God.  In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read: “Divine Providence is the disposition by which God guides his creation to perfection. By His Providence, God protects and governs all things which He has made, reaching mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and ordering all things well.”

I would not be here today, but for the Providence of God.  I grew up on a farm.  I had many close calls.  We all have our stories.  I will share my most recent story.

September 11, 2010, was a Saturday.  I was celebrant at the 11:30 Mass for the Centering Prayer Group, in the convent chapel of the Villa DeMatel in Houston. My homily was answering the question still on the minds of many, “Where was God that day?” So I said something like this: God was in an office on the 110^th floor of the first tower struck by a plane.  Smoke was coming in under the door.  A husband was on the phone telling his wife that he would not be coming home in the afternoon.  His last words were, “I love you.”  God was with his wife in the family home.  She was holding their baby as she heard words which said she would be a widow and her son would be without his dad.   God was in the crowded stairwell at the 86^th floor comforting people in need of hope.  God was in the airplane giving courage to several passengers trying to overpower two terrorists.

I concluded that neither you nor I were in the towers or on that plane that day on 9/11.  But for each of us there will be a   9/11 incident.  You will not be alone.  God will be there.

I continued with the Mass. Communion had been distributed.  I was seated at the celebrant’s chair.  It was time to recite the concluding prayer.  I could not move.  God was there. He deputized persons in the pews to be his angels.  Three samaritans – two Sisters and a lay man – came up from the pews to assist me.  An angel, a Sister nurse, half way down the middle aisle, diagnosed what was happening to me.  She pressed a button on a phone she was carrying with a direct connection to a doctor who specialized in stroke victims.  The doctor said, “I am coming.” Another angel found a wheelchair, and another dialed 911 and stationed herself at the entrance to the Convent Campus to direct emergency personnel.  Just as I was ready for the ambulance, the doctor came into the chapel.  He administered the shot for stroke victims.  Then he monitored my swift trip to the Medical Center.  As I was wheeled into the emergency room, the loud speaker alerted the staff, “Arriving 89 year old Caucasian Catholic priest, a stroke victim.” I was in the hospital four days.

Some will say that I was just lucky. That I was in the right place at the right time. Was it just a coincidence that I was in the chapel with support persons available that included a doctor with stroke victim medicine who attended me so quickly?  I say it was Divine Providence governing all things mightily.

The Updated Rosary
Fr. Phil Schaefer, CP

Pious tradition tells us that our Lady appeared to Saint Dominic with the rosary in the 15^th Century.  History informs us that the rosary was formed at an earlier time, over an extended period.  The bottom line was to help “unlettered folk” share more in the Liturgy.  A starting point was the 150 Psalms of the Hebrew Bible.  Each of these was replaced by a passage about Jesus or Mary.  This collection came to be known as a Rosarium (Rose Garden).  These humble beginnings were rooted in the 12^th Century.  These passages were broken down in three sections to cover the life of Jesus: His early life (Joyful Mysteries), His sufferings and His risen life.  Today, the Psalms are replaced by 150 Hail Marys.

In recent history, Pope John Paul, II rightly observed that significant events of our Lord’s life were not covered by the traditional rosary.  On October 16, 2002, after much prayer, he proclaimed the addition of five Mysteries of Light: The Baptism of Jesus, Miracle at Cana, Proclaiming the Kingdom, Transfiguration and Institution of the Eucharist.  He did this at a most appropriate time – the closing of the Year of the Rosary.

Good Saint Anne and Saint Joachim,
parents of Mary and grandparents to Jesus,
be with me and all grandparents
that we may be wise and loving,
may share our time and stories and sense of
humor, and may enjoy and not spoil too much
the grandchildren who are close to our hearts,
for they are the sign of God’s life to us.
Jesus and Mary, be with our grandchildren
and all other grandchildren
that they may love and respect their
grandparents and all older people,
may remember to call, visit or write,
and grow in wisdom, age and grace before God.

Amen.

God, our Father, you gave me the great gift of life through the love of my mother and father.  For all the good and happy memories, I thank you.  For any painful or sorrowful memories, I ask forgiveness and grant it in return.

Growing up, I was surrounded by relatives, friends and classmates.  I thank you for them, I bless them for how they have enriched me, and I ask for a heart that forgives and is at peace.

You blessed me with the love of a spouse, with children and grandchildren.  For all this richness I bless you, and I ask pardon for any ways I may have offended.

I entrust all I love to you.  I ask for your protection for all parents expecting children, that they may treasure the gift of life.  I ask your blessing on all mother and fathers raising children in these difficult times.  May they grow to love you and serve you, as I have tried to do, with your help.

Amen.

Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy.

Lord, just a few things on my mind today, as I sit and rest for a while.  I think you won’t mind listening, for you made me this way and you already know me through and through:

Lord, it’s my eyes: they’re tired. I can’t see too well, it’s hard to read the paper or watch TV, and I just can’t find the right glasses when I need them:  Lord, have mercy.

Lord, it’s my ears: nobody speaks loud enough, the music is always too strong, I can’t hear the priest at Mass, but I do like the quiet at home: Christ, have mercy.

Lord, my knees and legs: they won’t do what I tell them, they fall asleep too fast, and those steps are just too steep: Lord, have mercy.

Lord, food: it just doesn’t taste the same, it gets harder to shop and cook, and I can’t eat what I want to anyway: Christ, have mercy.

Lord, pains and aches: there are two new ones every day, at times I’m embarrassed before other people, and then I worry about having something serious happen: Lord, have mercy.

Lord, there are too many pills: I can’t seem to keep them straight or take them at the right time, and I sometimes worry I may take too many or too few: Christ, have mercy.

Lord, I’m lonely: the phone never rings, I haven’t had visitors in ages, and when they do come I’m not much of a host: Christ, have mercy.

Lord sleep: can’t rest all night, and then I nod off all during the day, it makes me impatient and irritable, and my memory has gone to the dogs: Lord, have mercy.

Lord, You sure do have a sense of humor; you’ve made me for Yourself.  Bear with me as I try to figure out how best to give myself to You these days.

Lord, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.

God,

You’ve blessed us with the beauty of nature, the abilities of mind and body, plus the insights of modern technology.  These blessings join together today in the sport, Golf.

Be with us, that we may enjoy
each moment of today’s outing:

May
our vision be keen as an eagle’s,
our drives straight as aces,
our irons sure as the birdies’ flight,
our putts true and on the mark,
and the fellowship above par!

May we call upon your Holy Name only
in praise, and leave cursing the Devil
to those more qualified…

And, if it be your Will, a good score
would make today heavenly!   Amen!

Optimism:
On Your Way to a Happier Life

By: Fr. Simon Herbers, CP

“When you are optimistic, that usually leads to action, and anything that keeps you alive and active increases your health.”  These are words of a spry and mentally alert ninety year old lady.  I would like to share a few tips for developing a happier attitude to life.

Listen to yourself.
Many of us habitually put ourselves down.   Over a lifetime those negative messages can turn you into a pessimist and ultimately may affect your health.  For a week, write down phrases that you catch yourself saying like, “I’m too old to do that anymore,” or “I’m such a jerk.”  You’ll be surprised that you end up with a list of five or more phrases that you repeat over and over.  Now, replace the negative thoughts with something more positive.  So, if you find yourself saying, “I’m too old to dance like that,” replace that thought with, “I’m older now, but I can dance if I allow for plenty of rest between songs.”

Write yourself a letter.
Writing about how you feel can help resolve problems and subdue negative feelings.  Try this: set aside ten minutes a day for four days and write how you feel.  Don’t worry about grammar or spelling.  Just write until the time is up.  That will allow your thoughts and feelings to flow freely.  You can throw out the paper at the end of each day.  Writing will help to get the negative thoughts out of your system.

Try to do at least one new thing a month.
Go to a museum, sneak into a lecture at a local college, eat at a new restaurant, or walk in the park.  Dr. David Bouda, MD, a professor of oncology says, “If you don’t use your brain and body in different ways occasionally, you will get old very quickly.”

Look for the end of the rainbow.
Spend a moment each day to take a fresh look at something in nature and marvel at it.

Laugh.
“You don’t stop laughing because you grow old.  You grow old because you stop laughing.  It’s that simple,” says Lila Green, author of “Making Sense of Humor.”  Laugh at yourself.  When you laugh at yourself, you don’t break – you bend.  It helps keep your mind flexible and prevents hardening of the attitudes.   Instead of getting angry or embarrassed, laugh with others and you will feel better about yourself.

Grief: Let it out, but don’t let it linger.
“Grief is a totally normal part of life.  It’s as important to survival as eating and breathing,” Dr. Gersten says.  Realize that it is okay to be sad.  You don’t have to tough it out.  In fact, if your try to fight it, your grief may last forever.  Mourn your loss, talk it out, and get help.  That’s what friends are for.

Eat smart, get a hobby, plant a garden, pray – these plus many others are tips for developing a positive attitude for a better life.

The biggest opponent you have in life is yourself.  You’re either your own opponent or your own friend.  So, be the best friend that you can be to yourself.  Who knows?  If could lead you to a longer, healthier, more satisfying life.