Celebrate EASTER with me for 50 days!
As Lent is over, I look back at the 40 days and see such growth all around and within me! Do you? I think my spiritual life is the greatest source of JOY in my life. And I have come to honor the dark nights that make it so. I love that saying, "GOD'S GREATEST GIFT TO US IS LIFE, AND OUR GREATEST GIFT TO GOD IS WHAT WE DO WITH IT".
I love the Easter season of celebration! I remember how happy I was when I first noticed that there were more days in the Easter season (50) than in Lent (40). We truly are Resurrection people, meant to see the hope in all situations and know that our God will find a way to help us rise up out of any suffering we may have. And, the Easter season is the time to celebrate that very thing! It's funny sometimes people find it easier to do Lent than Easter, to be more serious and remorseful, yet forget the joyful, fun filled times with our God! Easter is a time the Church wants to remind us of that, how joyful it can be to be a follower of Jesus!!! Not every day the church says "party-hearty so let's get to it'!!! :)
For the next 50 days I invite you to find a way to celebrate...small or great! It's your choice. I am going to try to come on and write one way in which I celebrate every day. Feel free to join me! :) With Peace and Love, your justbebecky
posted by Pia's Pals at 3:04 PM
39 Comments:
DAY 1:
Today, I celebrated JOY and LOVE wherever I saw it. The JOY I felt was watching our cantor sing the Psalm Response with such enthusiasm and JOY! She was so filled with the Spirit and just radiated it to all of us! And I celebrated LOVE just standing around our Easter table to begin our prayer for dinner and felt our love radiating out into the world with such gratitude and grace...I hope you felt it at your table:)
God's joy and love be yours, your justbebecky
DAY 2:
I celebrated today by taking a nice walk with my mom through our beautiful neighborhood, noticing all the beautiful flowers blooming from the rains:)
A slower pace indeed brings greater peace,
Love, your justbe "celebrating" becky
DAY 3:
Today, was full of celebrations...starting with singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for Mom and Dad at breakfast. I would love that song sung at my life celebration of resurrection...I think that is simply where we go, to the other side of the rainbow:)
Mom came with me to my Jazzercise class, for 84 she did it with the best of them:) It was fun!!!
And then Mom and Dad bought me a special necklace for my 25th Jubilee celebration coming up this Sunday. I am going to wear it then..it has a silver heart on it with a small silver branch with 5 leaves...very simple but beautiful! It reminds me of all these years growing....in love! Isn't that what it is all about for all of us:)
Peace and Love to all, your justbebecky:)
DAY 4:
Today, I celebrated....being :)
Peace and Prayers for you, your justbebecky
DAY 5:
Today, I celebrated in my garden. I planted a little yellow rose bush in the Blessed Mother corner. Yellow is such a wonderful color, I always think of JOY! Like the JOY Mary exudes to us each day.
I feel bad when Mary becomes the messenger of such "bad" news and doom if we do not change our ways. Just never has been my Mary...to me she is the bringer of good news, peace, patience, love, challenges of growth, wisdom, healing, hope and JOY! Grace-filled words like that are more prone to change my heart where needed and embrace the world as well
Let yellow love you today, your justbebecky:)
DAY 6:
Tonight I celebrated with my mom and dad in our convent chapel singing them all my new songs on the piano. I am currently working on and loving into being a new CD:) My favorite song is, "There Is One". (It was my mom's favorite, too:)
I will go to bed with singing in my heart and head!
With joy and gratitude for God's primary language....music!
Love, your justbebecky :)
DAY 7:
Today, I celebrated my life! We should all have one such day:) I am celebrating my 25th Silver Jubilee of being a Dominican Sister of Mission San Jose this year! The theme was the rainbow...we had these delightful colored balloons and streamers everywhere!!!
I love the rainbow, it's a wonderful symbol for diversity. Did you know that the early saints of our church would have a swash of rainbow in their hands to depict the sacred unity we have in our God celebrated in our in our vast and lavish diversity?
All my different families were gathered...my beloved sisters, mom and dad, dear friends of St. Charles and Simon's and beyond!!!
We started out with a LP party in the convent patio (long playing records the old 33's, the kids said they were the biggest CD's they ever saw:) It was so much fun, dancing to the Beatles, Monkees, Benny Goodman, Village People, GoGo's, Grease, Heard It through the Grapevine, Jesus Christ Superstar, as we sang, "I Don't Know How to Love Him", and so much more. The place was hoppin' with such fun, life and love!!!
We barely could break up the party to get over to church for our awesome Mass with our rockin' band, Mass Hysteria. The church was packed and God was indeed alleluia'd and praised:) I renewed my vows to our Prioress which was so powerful and moving. Many church congregations have not witnessed that ceremony, it filled my soul, as well as theirs! I then sang a song I had written, "Forever You" which was a song of long faithful loving between my God. you and me:)
Then out the church doors to the music of a full mariachi band leading into the parish center for a huge margarita/burrito bash!!! The party continued with such aliveness and community shared! A friend read a beautiful poem in witness to my life and all the love within it. I said, "As so many said my face was simply radiant, it was only because the people before me were my mirror, such great loving can only be given when such great love is being received:)
And in the end we are all a reflection of our greatest lover.,.. our God!
Thank you for celebrating with me my life today!!!
With Love, your justbebecky
DAY 8:
Today I celebrated by just standing and watching all the colorful balloons still attached to our patio fence dancing and blowing in the wind with the bright blue sky filled with billowy clouds as a beautiful backdrop:)
Memories a day old are like a warm fire within, burning low with contentment and deep grateful joy!
With Peace, your justbebecky:)
DAY 9:
Today I celebrated by taking a long, wonderful nap!
Wishing you rest if you need it,
your justbebecky:)
DAY 10:
Today, I listened to the birds sing:)
With Joy, your justbebecky
DAY 11:
Today I celebrated by singing some of my new songs:) With gratitude for song, your justbebecky
DAY 12:
Today I celebrated "new life" with the smile of a baby in Albertson's :) Love, justbebecky
Day 13:
Today I celebrated, sang, danced, prayed, shared stories, yo-yo'd (yes, I know a few cool yo-yo tricks:) at an ALIVE Easter Concert that me and some of my friends put on at our parish!
It was like rockin' and awesome!!! I love kids and the way they are so free and fun, it does my soul good to join them:) A celebrative time was had by all!
With joy and fun, your justbebecky:)
DAY 14:
Today I celebrated with my "Purple Tent" women's group celebrating my dear friends birthday! It was great! Candles of light everywhere!!! May you shine your light into someone's darkness today:)
With the power of light, your justbebecky
DAY 15:
Today, I celebrated by going to a LIVE ecumenical service. The preaching was 'off the charts' good!!!
WE truly are ONE people, with ONE God, on ONE planet!
Celebrate ONEness today, your justbebecky
DAY 16:
Today I hung my clothes on the line for the first time since our weather has changed so warm and beautiful. Nothing like line fresh clothes!
Summer is in the air! Just breathe it in,
your justbebecky:)
DAY 17:
Today, I planted tomatoes in our garden and really "got into" my Jazzercise class! I reverence the clay of the earth and the clay of my body.
I am deeply grateful for both:) your justbebecky
DAY 18:
Today, I was celebrated for my 25th Jubilee by our 600 children in our elementary school...as they held out their hands to bless me, my eye caught a little six year old, so sincere and cute, with such an adorable smile, shy eyes looking up...I received God today. Thank you, deeply, your justbebecky:)
DAY 19:
Today, I celebrated God...in someone else:)
With deep gratitude for God's love,
your justbebecky:)
DAY 20:
Today I celebrated in two ways....first with our 600 children's school mass that the pastor and I did the homily on LIGHT! I brought my yo-yo and did a few tricks...walk the dog, 'round the world, eating spaghetti ...it lights up when it goes down, so as I yo-yo'd I talked about how when we get down (and I had it stay down there sleeping) Jesus comes in and lights our way and picks us up, and then I would bring it up real fast...I had the lights turned off, so the kids loved it!!! And got it! Just got to put those God experiences in their language:)
Secondly, had a great gathering with our sisters at the Motherhouse on the future of religious life! It was awesome!!! As we have many women in their twenties interested and coming! They are looking for a touchstone in their lives for God and companions on that journey! That's us:)
Have a great night! With love and grace for whatever you need, your justbebecky:)
DAY 21:
Today I celebrated my dear friend who graduated from a 3 year Spiritual Director program. I am very proud of her and the world is blessed by yet another great spiritual director...plus 26 others:)
God's peace to all, your justbebecky:)
DAY 22:
Today, I celebrated with our school children and their walkathon! They were so cute, running by, greeting me, holding my hand, talking with me, squirting me with water to cool me off:) letting me wear their sunflower hat with streamers...kids are just naturally fun! I did a little kareoke and sang the "Titanic" song for them:)
With gratitude, your justbebecky:)
DAY 23:
Today, I celebrated REST! And finished sending out my Jubilee thank you's, I loved writing them and feeling all the gratitude in my heart for all the special people in my life that make me SHINE!!!
With love, your justbebecky:)
DAY 24:
Today, I celebrated by eating a tangerine in the sun:)
With simple joy, your justbebecky:)
DAY 25:
Today, I celebrated by watching, "I Love Lucy" on my lunch break:) Joy, your justbebecky
DAY 26:
I agree Incandescence!!! Though, I must say I had forgotten how incredibly submissive the woman's role had been, ah, the 50's, we all have indeed grown...men and women!
Today I celebrated with a GREAT bike ride...used to race in college and I must say I love that machine:) I will be one of those 90 year old crones on her three wheel bike going down the bike path..minus the flags:) With Joy, your justbebecky:)
DAY 27:
Today I celebrated by giving a homily at my home parish...it was wonderful to be with them again:)
Love, justbebecky:)
DAY 28:
Today, I gave two more homilies at two other parishes and loved it! A wonderful tribute of love to our mothers who love us so well! I love you, Mom, and you, too, Dad, your justbebecky:)
DAY 29:
Today I celebrated by going to lunch with an old Santa Clara University collegue:) Connections are so important to maintain!
With Gratitude, your justbebecky:)
DAY 30:
Today I celebrated God's love in my life by just sitting with her. Always, Cosma, your justbebecky:)
DAY 31:
Today I celebrated by watching the birds take a bath in our beautiful garden :) Joy, your justbebecky
Welcome, S.J.! You, as well, sound like a deep woman of faith. I am aware of Victoria's brave priestly action and have in fact spoken with her about it! There is nothing or no one we should fear as Catholic adults. If love is our motivating principle we will always come back to the truth of what it means to be here together...as Church!
I love being Catholic and find there are many mansions in our Father's house even down here:) Our church is wide and broad in its teachings and practice. While in room there are still Latin Masses being celebrated in our global church there are others speaking in tongues across the way! There is room for all!
Jesus has always embraced all, men and women, into his fold...it is just that the fold got a hold of, this same way to embrace diversity as Jesus did, and are running with it.
I pray with Victoria and her Church connection, and feel that her faith will always be strong -in the eyes- of God no matter what happens:)
Peace, my friend, as you pursue you heart in faith, in the final analysis, it was Vatican II that deemed all adults responsible to follow their own informed conscience. That is the final frontier for all Catholics and people of God...what lies within oneself...with their God....for the good of all humanity!
DAY 33:
Today I celebrate your coming, S.J., and hope you come again:) Your justbebecky:)
Hi S. J. I think I have been doing much celebrating as I have not logged in for a few days!!! Love your thoughts! I do believe every person needs to follow their heart, and if that leads a woman to pursue priesthood she must...it is her own intimate journey with her God, no one ever can judge that!
DAY 38:
Today, celebrate all the days I celebrated before and didn't get them logged in:) Working on my 3rd CD with friends, putting in our summer garden, reading my Jubilee cards, preparing for my family coming in, Confirmation with my confirmandee, graduation of our little 5 year olds from pre-school religion....and much, much more!!! God's love your way, your justbecky
DAY 39:
Today I celebrated the blue sky!! your justbebecky:)
DAY 40:
Today I celebrated being on a day retreat preparing for my Jubilee this Sunday!!! Yipeee:) It was so nice to reminesce with our sisters!
Our God indeed is so faithful and sure!
Peace out, justbebecky
DAY 41:
Today I celebrated my 25th anniversary with our
sisters Congregational Jubilee celebration at our Motherhouse. It was just beyond words, so full of God, family, friends, indeed, just AWSESOME!!! My body could barely contain the joy of the experience, as I can tell because today, I am in absolute body recovery:) But oh my spirit blessed!!!
I thank you, Cosma, for 25 years of such love, grace, growth, peace and wisdom...all shared with those people throughout my life. I have always felt it takes many people to create such love within.
I am deeply grateful. With love, your justbebecky:)
DAY 48:
Well, we put a few celebrations together here coming into Pentecost!!! I am still moving a little slower in body, but so light in heart and spirit. I celebrate that love and peace within....on this beauttiful summer-like day!
With Joy, your justbebecky:)
DAY 50:
Today I celebrate the HOLY SPIRIT in my life with the wonderful celebration of PENTECOST:) I love it when liturgy is so engaging and moving! With Joy, your justbebecky
I hope you are ENJOYING life! We are changing over the administration on this blog so that we can keep it UP AND RUNNING for anyone who is still wondering what does a nun do all day. We are feeling the love of Saint Teresa of Avila today. What an example of a woman in LOVE with JESUS and a great writer too! If she were here today, would she be blogging or on on facebook.....I wonder which?
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