Blood and Lightning: Living Christ Like Mary Did

So I can be Ambiguous at times... And Unmoving at times...

Honestly, a lot of beliefs I hold to like a clamped bear trap. But those are the one are ones that my questions couldn't shake down and make crumble; they didn't spontaneously start like that! They aren't going to just be the first ideas that pop into my head. I grasp, like most people at smoke before finding substance, then stick to it afterwards for fear of finding aught else in the fog. Sometimes, I talk up conflicting things, too. I don't always explain or offer explanations when I do that, (bad Helena! Be clearer!) and I encounter confusion at how I  could think both are true. But, very probably, I don't know what I think, yet!

I have to feel my way as best I can in both secular and religious arguments. Luckily, I have the immense pleasure of having friends with very striking opinions: Thunderbolts that illuminate the fog, that are intimidating to touch but clues in finding my way around.

Why A "Fifth Luminous Mystery" Post (Still) Eludes Me

My final post in this series I'm genuinely sorry, guys. I had all five posts written before I even started publishing this series, but The Fifth mystery is the most important to me, and a little bit harder to write on. (The original are here: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th.) The Fifth, however, didn't post as scheduled, or else wasn't visible to non-admins (I'm not sure, yet, which happened...) but it triggered a re-evaluation of it that I think was needed. I have shucked multiple drafts of that post, and have learned quite a bit of humility along the way.

I want to share with all of you not just what the The Fifth Luminous Mystery is, (The Institution of the Eucharist) but also what it may mean to us, and why it's ultra relevant to our lives today... Considering that the Blessed Sacrament is literally the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Him who we pursue and worship, it would seem to be harder to explain why it ISN'T relevant! But when someone is 'your everything,' how in the name of the heaven do you convey how truly they are 'your All?' The Eucharist isn't something you can typety-type into a neat combox manifesto. His Eucharistic Body, the Supper that was his very gift of self 1982ish years ago overawes me. How do I start?

I've returned from my unintentional hiatus, thanks for being patient. A lot of things are getting dredged up as I meditate and work on this. Good things, bad things, things that are hard to admit. But that's good, since this is supposed to be a "Chronicle of my daily attempts to point back to Christ." Please pray for me, as I write this! Heck, Maybe even pray the Fifth Luminous Mystery!

Why It's Absurd to Skip Luminous (4/5)

Even if you pray the Rosary, and the Luminous Mysteries occasionally, there are 5 compelling reasons why you shouldn't skip Thursday!

4. A Need For The Acceptance Of Painful Glory:

The fourth Luminous mystery is the Transfiguration. 

^q 28 About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.^*29 While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.30 And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,^*31^* r who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.32 Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory^* and the two men standing with him.^s

Why It's Absurd to Skip Luminous (3/5)

Even if you pray the Rosary, and the Luminous Mysteries occasionally, there are 5 compelling reasons why you shouldn't skip Thursday!

3. Ministering To Our Nation Means Ministering Fully:

The Third Luminous Mystery is the Proclaiming of the Kingdom.

3They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.

4Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.5^* When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.”

Why It's Absurd to Skip Luminous (2/5)

Even if you pray the Rosary, and the Luminous Mysteries occasionally, there are 5 compelling reasons why you shouldn't skip Thursday!

2. The Crisis of The Family: 

The Second Luminous Mystery is The Wedding at Cana.

1^* On the third day there was a wedding^* in Cana^* in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.^a23When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”4^* [And] Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.”^b5His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”^c

5 Reasons Why It's Now Absolutely Absurd To Ignore The Luminous Mysteries

The mysteries of the rosary cover the life of Our Lord's birth, death, and Resurrection. In 2002, Pope John Paul II Great added the 5 Luminous Mysteries to the Most Holy Rosary. After all, it only made sense that while meditating on the life of Christ, you meditate on the gigantic part in the middle where Jesus, you know, actually lived.

With the humility of His birth we learn about God's grace and the extraordinary lengths that he will go through to accomplish the salvation of man. His death and Resurrection are the fulfillment of this accomplishment!

Despite this, some insist that the originals were enough. And I felt, for the longest time, that while it didn't make sense to me, their prayer preferences were their own business. Personally, the Glorious are my favorite! But the fact is we are in trouble in a myriad of ways and the Luminous Mysteries have much that we need.

Even if you pray the Rosary, and the Luminous Mysteries occasionally, there are some compelling reasons why you shouldn't skip Thursday!

1. Our Current Crisis of Faith: