Prayer

The truth about living liturgically

The 2020 Thy Word Gospel Reflection Journal is on sale now, but supplies are super limited. Make sure to grab a copy soon!

There is a lot of talk in Catholic Circles about “Living Liturgically”.

Now, living in sync with the seasons and feast days of the Catholic Church is AMAZING…but when I was a young Catholic mom, just discovering how to run a home, I was totally STRESSED about “Living Liturgically”.

Why?

Because I thought that to live liturgically I needed to remember every single feast day, and plan a cute craft, and cook an involved and witty meal. And if I missed even one feast day I was a TOTAL FAILURE.

And, I missed nearly all of the feast days. So most days I went to bed confident that I was, once again, the worst Catholic mom ever.

Well, the years passed and babies kept coming. The idea of doing a craft or making a special meal for each feast day was simply laughable. We were hanging on by the skin of our teeth! Fed and clean was good enough!

And here is the funny thing.

As our family grew, life got busier, and I gave up on living liturgically, we naturally became more Liturgical.

This didn’t happen through crafts or food.

Nope, it happened through Scripture. Specifically through the liturgical readings of our Church.

Gradually I have made it a habit to read the readings assigned by the Church to each day, with a special focus on the Sunday readings.

Simply making time to read the daily readings has done something to me and my family–it has brought us into the rhythm of the Church.

My heart is asking the same questions of the disciples, and straining to hear the words of our Savior. I am with the saints, pondering the Psalms and working through the teachings of St. Paul’s letters to the Early Church.

I know that this is simple and fairly obvious, but I can’t tell you how freeing it is to know that I don’t have to remember every feast day with a special meal and craft. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love cooking and crafting…but the idea that I HAD to mark these days with things that could potentially stress me out, and that I constantly had to be looking into the future, planning crafts and meal plans… Ah! I’m getting all hot and tense just thinking about it!

Celebrating with meals and crafts is AWESOME, and so many more organized people than me do just that. Bravo if that’s you!

But if it’s not you, please don’t label yourself a failure!

You can live liturgically–and you can guide your family in a liturgical life.

THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE.

Of course, we can even make reading the Scriptures complicated. (The Devil likes to do this so that we stop doing these good things). But let’s not do that! Let’s keep reading Scripture SO SIMPLE. So small. So easy.

Yes, work to get into the habit of reading the daily Gospel reading… But how about one verse a week? Taken from that Sunday’s Gospel reading. Just one verse to read and sit with. Just one phrase from Jesus, Himself, that will help you live with the Church.

This was my guiding hope for you as I put together the 2020 Thy Word Gospel Journal.

Here is a look at one of the weeks included in the journal:

As you can see, the journal is so simple. Just the date, citation, a flower, and a single verse.

And likely you’ve heard that verse on the page before, right? But do you really understand it? Read through it right now. Read it again.

What exactly is Jesus trying to say? And what is His specific message to you, right now, right where you are?

Looking at just one verse from the weekly Gospel will open your eyes to the power of Scripture. All too often we rush our way through reading Scripture. We start a reading and think, “oh, I know this reading…” and then our mind drifts and we are done, close the book and move on.

But Scripture is not like anything else. Scripture is the Word of God, it is alive and it has a message for you!

And that is what Thy Word is for. It is an invitation to slow down and dwell in His word. Allow the words to speak to you, and as they do you will start to naturally live liturgically.

If you would like to grab a THY WORD GOSPEL JOURNAL, I encourage you to place an order soon.

Since I put this book together sort of last minute, I didn’t have very many printed and MANY have already been claimed.

To place your order, just head here: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/products/thy-word…

Your sister in the small things,

Nancy

THY WORD, Gospel Journal 2020

by Nancy Bandzuch · Leave a Comment

So, I was totally NOT going to create a new version of the THY WORD Gospel Journal this year. Sure, I liked the booklet, but I’m trying to focus more on kids…and I just can’t do everything.

I had made up my mind. And even though I started to get DOZENS of emails and messages asking if there was a new version of THY WORD coming out, I held my ground and said, “No, not this year.”

And then I got this email

Now, how do I say no to this person? Impossible.

And so, it’s back, brand new, improved and full of the 2020 Liturgical Year readings.

THY WORD has exactly the same format as last year. There is a Gospel citation for each Sunday, one verse pulled out, floral image to color and plenty of room to journal, take notes, whatever.

Here is a spread from the book:

Simple, right?

And that’s the way that I wanted it to be. Use the book in whatever way is best for you. Here are a few ideas for use that I’ve had:

Once a week practice LECTIO DIVINA with the verse included. Record your thoughts and resolutions.
Use this book as your MASS JOURNAL. Take it with you to mass and use the blank lines as a place to record striking points from the homily. This journal could also be used as a child’s mass journal.
Set to work MEMORIZING VERSES with the use of this journal. Trace and color in the verse and then use the blank lines as a place to write and rewrite the verse until it is fully memorized.
Commit to keeping a WEEKLY PRAYER JOURNAL. Once a week sit down to pray. Start by reading and reflecting on the verse and then pray through journaling.
Establish a WEEKLY MEETING WITH YOUR HUSBAND. Once a week sit down with your husband to discuss and pray about the coming week. Use the verse included in your opening prayer and the space provided to take notes about what you need and hope to accomplish that week.

So there you have it.

I gave in and if you’d like a 2020 version of THY WORD, go and grab one.

But be warned, I didn’t print a ton of these, so if you want a booklet, get one soon! I expect to be sold out before Advent starts.

https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/products/thy-word-weekly-gospel-journal-2020

Have a beautiful week,

your sister in the small things,

Nancy

J1ST 097: Novenas

by Nancy Bandzuch · Leave a Comment

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Hey Friends!

Before we dive into this week’s topic, two quick announcements! One: We will NOT be releasing a new episode next weekend. We’re taking a week off for Thanksgiving. BUT (two), we will be back the First Sunday of ADVENT with the first episode of our book study series! The book we’re reading is Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacques Philippe. You can snag it right here!

This week, we’re discussing another one of those Special Catholic Things: Novenas. What is a novena? Where do we get the tradition? Do I have to start a novena on a particular day (like do the dates matter)?

The root of the word “novena’ is Latin for nine. The original novena was prayed by the apostles and Our Blessed Mother as they waited for the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. From there, novenas have been composed to many of our Saints and for many of our Feast Days (Christ the King, for example). Usually, a novena is prayed leading up to the Saint’s feast day so that the ninth day of the novena is either the eve of or the actual feast day, but you can begin a novena whenever you’d like!

Pray More Novenas is our favorite go-to for all things novenas and they have a great FAQ page that you can check out and learn even more about our Church’s awesome form of prayer. They also offer a FREE novena reminder service via your email. The prayers of whatever novena is currently “going on” will be sent to your email as a daily reminder. It is So Cool.

One thing that is important to remember about novenas… it can be tempting to believe that God can’t possibly respond ‘No’ or ‘Not right Now’ to your novena prayers, but the fact is, He often does. A novena isn’t a magic formula for a ‘Yes’ and we are powerless to make demands or attempt to control God. Sometimes, prayers are answered in a way that is not immediately apparent or more subtle than what we were expecting. It could be a change of heart, renewed energy, or inspiration to pursue something different.

In this episode, we both share an intention that is near and dear to our hearts right now. We also ask that you share your intentions with us. It would be an honor to carry your intentions to our Lady and our Lord. Just email Nancy at [email protected] and she will pass everything onto Katie so we can both be praying for YOU.

Your sisters in the small things,

Nancy and Katie

Mentioned in this episode:

Advent book study of Interior Freedom

Pray more Novenas

Katie’s new devotional for Catholic Women facing Infertility (15% off all November)

Flying Novenas ala Mother Teresa

St. Andrew’s Christmas Novena

J1ST 095: Relics Part Two

by Nancy Bandzuch · Leave a Comment

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** Before we jump into this week’s episode, we want to let you know that we’ll be doing a book study this upcoming Advent!!! The book is Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacques Philippe. Have you read anything by Fr. Philippe yet? He is AMAZING. Such a gentle, yet wise voice… our hope is this study will help us all stay centered this Advent on what (or WHO!) truly matters. You can snag a copy here. First episode/discussion will be on December 1st!! **

And we’re back with Part 2 of our Mini Series on Relics!! We thought it might be good to distinguish between veneration and worship. Besides the fact that relics are pieces of dead people or things that have touched dead people, those unfamiliar with the practice might also take offense at the idea of us giving “worship” to something/someone other than God. But the fact is, we *don’t* Worship relics. We venerate them. In the words of one of our Church Fathers, St. Jerome,

“We do not worship, we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the Creator, but we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore Him whose martyrs they are.”

So if you have friends thinking you’re weird for worshiping pieces of dead people, you’ve got your reply right there. It ISN’T worship. Holding, gazing, praying with (not TO) relics can help us feel a stronger connection to the holy people we are asking to pray for us. Relics are a powerful reminder that the Saints are Real People who had Real Bodies. Also: the fact that there are no first class relics of Christ or Our Lady strengthens our belief in the Ascension and the Assumption. Where are their bodies? Not on Earth!

Anyways, this week on the podcast, we’re diving into specific relic stories. Namely the Holy Stairs, the Crown of Thorns, and the Shroud of Turin.

The Holy Stairs were brought to Rome by St. Helena. They are the stairs that Christ ascended to appear before Pilate.

The Crown of Thorns were in the news earlier this year when a fire broke out in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. It, along with many other relics and the Eucharist were saved from the blaze.

The Shroud of Turin is arguably the most fascinating relic of our Faith. It is the cloth in which Christ was covered and buried in and a ‘negative image’ of His face was left. Studies of the shroud have shown us just how much Christ suffered on Good Friday before dying on the Cross.

Have you visited any of these ‘extreme relics?’ Tell us about it in the comments!

Your sisters in the small things,

Nancy and Katie

St. Paul was Catholic

by Nancy Bandzuch · Leave a Comment

In case you missed it, I have a new study out this week that will teach you and your family to PRAY THROUGH SCRIPTURE. It is called St. Paul’s School of the word and it is on sale for just $9 this week. To grab a copy, head here: https://catholicsprouts.com/stpaul-school-of-word.

Before researching and writing St. Paul’s School of the Word I had all sorts of WRONG ideas about St. Paul the Apostle. I mean, I liked and respected him, but St. Paul always seemed a little bit more, well, Protestant.

Is that weird to say?

It was just always easier to look at St. Peter as CATHOLIC. After all, don’t Protestants quote St. Paul when arguing against the Church?

Well, it is amazing what some research and prayer can do! This summer I spent 6 weeks at my parent’s farm. We were in the middle of a move from Kansas to Minnesota. My parents have notoriously terrible internet and Catholic Sprouts was on re-runs, so I had a bit more quiet time than usual. And I devoted much of this time to studying St. Paul.

I read some great books (this one was the best https://amzn.to/36bSgST) and slowly worked my way through the Epistles. And as I read and prayed I was finally able to see St. Paul as he really was: A Catholic Priest.

And not only that. St. Paul was a man in love with the Eucharist and devoted to Mary.

He never said we are saved by “Faith Alone” (this was actually a deliberate mistranslation by Martin Luther) and St. Paul zealously spread the faith through the sacraments. The idea that St. Peter and Paul didn’t get along is also baseless. They belonged to the same church–Our Church, the Roman Catholic Church!

Perhaps most enlightening in all of my study and prayer was the concept of PARTICIPATION.

We are all familiar with the term “Body of Christ”, which St. Paul gave us, but often we miss the full meaning St. Paul intended. Not only are we united to each other when we worship, we actually ARE part of Jesus when we believe and live our faith. When we stop fighting God, we become His hands and feet. Literally! Just as bread and wine become Jesus in the Eucharist, we become Jesus when we do His will.

And not only that but all of the great saints, when they get out of God’s way and allow His work to be done, they are a part of Jesus–and this is why we honor them! We honor Jesus through venerating His saints since the saints PARTICIPATED in His work. Also, the sacraments and Mary and everything else in our faith can be understood as a participation in not only God’s work–but in God Himself!

Deep stuff, I know, but this is what you will see if you really dig into the writings of St. Paul.

You will also see that St. Paul was Catholic! He was a Catholic Priest. End of story.

This is why I put together St. Paul’s School of the word. So that you could teach your children to pray through Scripture AND understand better this great man that did so much to establish the Church that we still belong to today.

So, if you are eager to learn more from St. Paul, then go and grab your copy of the study. I am offering physical copies for just $9 through the end of the week. And don’t forget, you can get St. Paul’s School of the Word AND the Jesse Tree Advent Devotional for Families for just $19, but only through the end of the week.

check it out here: https://catholicsprouts.com/stpaul-school-of-word

Your sister in the small things,

Nancy