Novena of Grace

Yesterday marked the beginning of the 2011 Novena of Grace, a preached Lenten retreat sponsored by my mom and featuring my dad. If you cannot attend the actual novena, you can pray it at home and listen to the talks that are uploaded on the Ignatian Spirituality Center website. I'm planning on making all of the days (missing the last day as I will be out of town). It's a simple commitment that deepens the experience of moving into Lent, and focuses me on God. Plus, I get to see my folks doing their thing. Win win win. Also, repent repent repent!

Grace & Gluten

I meant to mention this a bit ago. During Lent I made the Novena of Grace, which is nine days of consecutive masses on a chosen theme. This year's theme was Free Our Hearts and included nine reflections from the three presenters. These can be heard on the Ignatian Spirituality Center's website. The reflections aren't that long and I recommend listening to them over nine days or so in a prayerful way, if it interests you.

For me the experience was doubly special as my parents and grandparents attended most of the days. It's also the most dutiful church-going I've done in months. Which reminds me that as the Communion host contains gluten, I'm off of Christ just now. Jesus blood, er, wine, is perfectly admissible though. I imagine there is some spiritual significance in all this, but I keep ruminating over how folks in first century Jerusalem I'll bet didn't suffer food allergies--in part because of the wisdom of Judaic cleanliness laws, but also thanks to parasitic hookworms.

No joke.

Novena Graphic by Jan Richardson - www.janrichardson.com