Morning Star

35 minutes there. 35 minutes back. 40 minutes of idleness. As I felt the electricity pulse through the electrodes into my back, stillness descended upon my mind. A huge golden moon had greeted me last night as I ran some late errands. The innocent prattle of Dr. Chi's three-year-old daughter rang in the hallways. I wondered how those who have to go to regular medical treatments handle their moments of idleness. Of vulnerability. Of realizing one day our life will not be in our hands. I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. (John 21:18) Jesus' words were addressed to Peter. Perhaps it meant that Peter will one day die crucified upside down for his Teacher and Master. Or it may be for me. An accidental fall on the staircase. And now, monthly chiropractic care. Fortunately, I have friends who will...

"Dear God, I love you so much, I want to give you everything. You can have my Mom, my Dad, my sister, my teddy bear. No, I take it back. You can have everyone, but I want to keep my teddy bear." Love, Little Boy. Fr. Roch hardly lost a beat in his lecture of sin as he told his joke. Sin is putting ourselves above God. Not willing to let go. In actuality, God never wants everything. He just wants the teddy bear. What we think is necessary. Photo source: www.funkyfriendsfactory.com

"I don't mean to be sassy, but Shamu is the name of a killer whale at SeaWorld!" His face lit up in a smile and he nodded slowly. "Yes, yes... but I don't think I am named after him," he replied in his bewitching French accent. That was our first meeting about a year ago. I was taken by the mildness of his manners as he lay confined to his bed, struck by a baffling illness. I came back yesterday to visit. The Avante Rehabilitation Center had undergone recent renovations and the home looked brighter and cleaner. "Hello Mr. Shamu!" He turned slowly towards me. He was an accomplished engineer who spoke three languages. "I'm sorry it has been so long since I've seen you." Silence. "I think it has been about a month." "A month is a long time." He did not say it to make me feel guilty. He was stating a fact. "I pray to God I will get out of here," he continued. One could not ignore the smell of urine...

"Vân, there is something you got to watch!" Sr. Gwen Huyền looked at me triumphantly. I was in the midst of cooking dinner. After growing up on Smurfs and Scooby-doo, it is hard to be won over to animation. Especially with Bart Simpson getting his own stamp in 2009 and the only TV character (along with his family members) to get this recognition while the show is still in production. "You would appreciate it because it has your name in it." She was still trying to win over 6 minutes of my time. As Mother Teresa says, "Take whatever God gives and give whatever God takes with a big smile." "Partly Cloudy" was fetchingly adorable. Tears of mirth rolled down our sisters' cheeks. The question answered too briefly by the short film: Who is willing to deliver the seemingly unwanted to the world?

"Janine, don't you think she's pretty?" My sister drew in a breath quickly. "Who?" "Her... the one in that light yellow sweater," Sr. Leslie Thu's eyes continued to follow the young lady's movements. We were at Barnes and Noble because some of Sr. Gwen Huyền's students had given her a gift card. Sr. Leslie and I was in the calendar section. "I guess she's pretty..." I slowly said. "Oh... you're impossible!" "I can't help it! I don't see what all this business is about. My parents never called any of us pretty, average, or plain. And they never commented on anyone's else appearances either." "Janine, you know you're lucky in a strange way..." "To be honest with you, the only beautiful people to me are the people whose company is warm and joyful... that is why I can't understand the attraction some people are attracted to each other... well you know I'm being ...

"Do you know Jane Eyre?" "Yes, I read the book when I was a kid." "That's you... honest, passionate, and poetic!" I re-read Jane Eyre the past weekend. To the sixth-grader's mind, Jane Eyre is a breathtaking romance. Plain and poor, she is rescued into marital bliss by a wealthy gentleman. Plain. My friend had tactfully forgotten to mention that Jane was plain. And almost drowned in her love for Edward Rochester. Who wouldn't want to sink in a sea of the other's intense ardor? As she acknowledges, Edward "was becoming to me my whole world; and more than the world: almost my hope of heaven. He stood between me and every thought of religion, as an eclipse intervenes between man and the broad sun. I could not, in those days, see God for His creature: of whom I had made an idol." (Chapter 24) Truth mars her happiness when she discovers he is still legally married, although to an insane woman. Nevertheless, he is willing to live...

The flakes came down fast. Flashing red lights flared from the other side of the highway. The rarity of snow in Dallas were making the roads dangerous. Sunday school classes were canceled. So was iSPY. The youth didn't know to be excited or sad. It has been almost a month since we had met. Today was when we were to decide our T-shirt designs. Today was when we were to do our Hội Chợ Tết game booth planning. It was National Vocations Awareness Week. We were going to talk about how each of us has a vocation. The word "vocation" comes from the Latin vocare , a call. Cindy & Thái was going to share how they met, heard their heart's call, and got married. I was going to share how I was called to be a sister. I made a phone call when I got back to the convent. The stories were random. The teasing was boisterous. The snow was a "call" to curl up in an afghan. To luxuriate in the voice of a friend. To realize today may be the last day one is alive. I still misse...

"Did you get the last three?" "No... they keep swimming away from me. They don't know I'm trying to save them!" We peered into the fish tank anxiously. The seven adult guppies glided in-and-out of the "shipwreck island." I had managed to scoop out twelve fry (baby guppies) already. If they are left in the tank, the adult guppies would consider them gourmet fare. However, the fry did not know what to make of my white fish net that continually ploughed the waters and made off with their comrades. They hid close to the gravel which meant I would crush them if I scooped the gravel up with them. I put the twelve fry safely into a separate tank. They didn't know I was going to save them. Just like sometimes we don't know Jesus takes us out of comfortable waters to save us. photo credit: vectorstock.dom

"Mom, why do you have to hurt when I was born?" the little blue eyes asked. "Because you're precious," she said, stroking the soft blonde curls. "Mom, why does daddy's muscles have to be sore when he works?" the deep brown eyes asked. "Because he wants to bring home things for you," she said, smoothing the dainty cream collar. "Mom, why does grandma have to get old and forget my name?" the bright black eyes asked. "Because she's getting ready to see the things that are forever," she said, wiping the spilt milk off the floor. "Mom, why does my pet fish have to die?" the luminous gray eyes asked. "Because sometimes we need to be reminded that life is precious," she said, pushing the grocery cart. "Mom, would I die one day?" Jesus ask his mom. "Yes, dear. Because all humans die. And this is why we love as much as we can now...today," Mary answered. In honor of the Solemnity of...