St Maria Goretti

Friday last, July 19, I journeyed to St. Cecilia Parish where the Treasures of the Church traveling relics exhibit was being held.  This parish usually has Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction Fridays, so I drove directly there once getting off the ferry, and was able to experience Adoration (which my parish does not have)for an hour.  Then the presentation began, and we were encouraged to look for the saint who spoke to us.  I knew before I walked over to the exhibit area that St. Maria Goretti was the saint who was "speaking to me."  I had heard her story when I was young, and it was impressed upon us that she was a saint because she had preferred death rather than allowing herself to be raped.  I'm sure this was slanted in this way for good and noble reasons, but it came to be a guilt-inducing story for me.  As Fr. Carlos Martins talked about her, though, he emphasized the forgiveness aspect of her story and I felt a shift within me.  Rather amazing, really - so I found her relic very quickly.  The next day during confession, my confessor mentioned St. Maria Goretti to me, so I am getting the "hint" that perhaps I should study more about her and ask for her intercession. 

Healing, not physical, but mental/emotional/spiritual occurred that night.  Whether it was from the shift in focus in the story, the intercession of St. Maria Goretti, or something else doesn't matter to me.  I'll accept it and am so very thankful.

Salty Nettle Chips

Hello, fellow islanders - wondering what to do with all that Nettle growing in your yard? Sure, there's nettle tea, nettle pesto, use it like spinach in your soups, make clothes out of it (really!!) . . . but here's a new one, at least new to me: 

Try This Out: Salty Nettle Chips 

4/13/2012 3:33:51 PM 

by Erin McIntosh 

The stinging trichomes that make nettles famous will lose their biting ferocity as you glaze and dry the leaves. No need to worry about stung tongues! You will need a good pair of thick gloves and garden shears when harvesting though. Look for the young tender tops in spring and early summer, before the plant goes to flower or seed. Snip the plant about 6 inches from the top and collect in a paper bag or basket.

This is a super healthy, easy, and delicious recipe. Feel free to experiment with different spice combinations, finely grated cheeses, oils, or vinegars for a variety of flavors. Any leftover leaves can be juiced, added to pizza, smoothies, curries, breads, scrambles, or dried for tea, and the stems can be used to make rope. (Another fun nettle project I plan to tackle this year!)

- 20-40 freshly harvested nettle leaves

- 2.5 tsp organic extra virgin olive oil

- 1 tbsp organic rice wine vinegar

- 1-2 tbsp organic shoyu, soy sauce, tamari, or Braggs

- 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed

- 2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast

- Fresh ground organic black pepper to taste

Directions 

Wearing gloves, harvest your nettles, rinse with cool water, and dry. Separate the leaves by breaking the petiole (leaf stem) from the main stem. Mix all of the glaze ingredients together in a bowl. Add the nettle leaves and gently toss until each leaf is well coated. You should be able to remove your gloves at this point. On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, unravel each delicate leaf. Place pan in a warm oven at 200 degrees and allow the leaves to slowly dehydrate. After 15 to 20 minutes, peel each leaf off of the parchment paper and flip over so the other side can crisp in the oven. Check your nettles every 5 to 10 minutes until they lose sogginess and become nice and crunchy. Be careful not to let them char and turn dark brown or black. Total cooking time can vary between 30 and 45 minutes. Once you reach the desired crispiness, remove and allow to cool. Store in an airtight glass container for up to a week or possibly longer…if they aren’t devoured by then!

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/food-matters/try-this-out-salty-nettle-chips.aspx?state=c90082ac-c2e1-442b-9486-55b8294f5b1f&authError=a0cf8a42-d43b-43eb-9c28-699899067b70#ixzz2YYfl47F6

Try This Out: Salty Nettle Chips

www.motherearthliving.com

These nettle chips are deliciously unique and packed with nutrients. Try this perfectly satisfying salty snack in early spring.

St. Juan de la Cruz

Of late, St. John of the Cross' poems have been calling me to read them.  I find so much of my own spiritual journey within his poetry.  I am so far from being in this place where "My soul is disentangled from every created thing", but it is the direction I hope to be going.  Darkness, fear, and struggling through my past and all the guilt ... but poetry and music (obviously the "good" kind!) really help me, draw me toward Him, toward my Father in Heaven.  And for the moments I can immerse myself in them, all the fear/darkness/guilt are erased.  Now I just need to find my way back over to St. Mary Parish for their excellent men's chant choir at the Saturday Vigil.  It is hard to justify the 8 hours of total time it entails for me to travel to that parish, which (except for my territorial mission parish) is the closest to us, just so I can be lifted up by their beautiful Liturgy and Music. But when I can make it over, it is completely worth it.

A gloss (with spiritual meaning).

Without support yet with support,
living without light, in darkness,
I am wholly being consumed.

1. My soul is disentangled
from every created thing
and lifted above itself
in a life of gladness
supported only in God.
So now it can be said
that I most value this:
My soul now sees itself
without support yet with support.

2. And though I suffer darknesses
in this mortal life,
that is not so hard a thing;
for even if I have no light
I have the life of heaven.
For the blinder love is
the more it gives such life,
holding the soul surrendered,
living without light in darkness.

3. After I have known it
love works so in me
that whether things go well or badly
love turns them to one sweetness
transforming the soul in itself.
And so in its delighting flame
which I am feeling within me,
swiftly, with nothing spared,
I am wholly being consumed.

Faith formation tonight

Tonight at the Faith Formation Group we will be discussing the 5 Disciplines of Discipleship, from Msgr. Charles Pope's Blog.  The article is well worth the time if you haven't read it yet.

More Torture :-)

Before you ask:  yep, this one was slightly painful.  It is quite a different stretch!