Remembering The Holy Souls A Testimony Of Faith

"Remembrance and prayers for the dead are signs of true affection when they are offered for the departed ones by the faithful most dear to them. There can be no doubt but that these prayers help after life those souls who while alive merited them. Should some emergency prevent the bodies of the dead being buried at all, should lack of facilities hinder them from resting in a holy place, prayers for the souls of these dead should not be neglected. The Church has taken upon herself an obligation, prayers for the dead; for all the dead who have died in the Christian and Catholic fellowship, mentioning them not by name but under a general commemoration. Those who lack parents, sons, kindred or friends have the benefits of these offices provided for them by the one holy mother, common to us all. But if these suffrages for the dead, offered with faith and piety were lacking, I doubt whether it would profit these souls one iota, no matter how holy might be the places where the lifeless bodies were laid. "

"Since this is so, let us reflect that nothing we do for the dead we love matters to them, except what we solemnly supplicate for them through the Sacrifice of the altar, or through prayers and "almsgiving...Thus these duties toward a body which, although dead, is destined to rise again and to live throughout eternity, are in a way a testimony of faith in that belief... (St. Augustine, "One the care of the dead", Chapters 4 ">

Reference: just-wicca.blogspot.com

Invoking Warmth And Light

One does whatever she can to entice springtime into the world, bunches of confetti colored lilies from a local flower market, bowls of fragrant hyacinth and tulips on the dining room table, prisms suspended in a south facing window and and directing morning light into the study.

Last night the waxing moon was a vision dancing almost directly overhead, and Spencer and I went out into the cold garden in early evening to greet her. It could have been our imagination, but it seemed a little warmer out there then it usually does at that time, and our thoughts took a cheerful turn. One of these days, the snow in the garden will have disappeared completely, and like happy plants, we will dwell outside under the old trees, rooted, contented and part of the flowering throng.

In recent dreams, I have been wandering around in the orchard. The apple trees are in bloom and filled with happy buzzing bees; the wildflowers below are aflutter with dancing swallowtail butterflies. Both omens and cantrips, I take the dreams to mean that it is time to order that new close up lens I have been considering all winter.

The hearts of lilies yet unknown are beckoning, the shimmering wings of dragonflies, spider webs beaded with early dew, the glossy eyes and gloriously furred backs of legions of summer bumblebees. Ahead lie perfect hours in the presence of wonder and the elemental grace at the heart of existence, witness to the wild and perfect mysteries that light up our days and fill our nights with stars.

Source: magic-and-spells.blogspot.com