Which brings me to what I'm going to be doing this week: I'm crossing the Adriatic Sea on a ferry tomorrow and landing in Croatia. There, I will be going to Medjugorje, a place where Mary has "supposedly" been appearing for a while. Now, I believe in appearances of Mary... if we truly believe her to be "full of grace" and that the "Lord is with thee," then truly she would take interest in God's creation. In fact, it can't be denied that as Christ says, "Behold, your son" to Mary (referring to John and to the world) that Mary wishes to constantly bridge heaven and earth, showing us how great Christ's love is for us (love which meant his death on a cross).

Ok, so this I believe. I just don't believe in Mary appearing in some potato chip or some window that was warped by the sun or something. Now, I'm not saying that we shouldn't discount Mary's presence in the world-- I'm just thinking that we should really be mindful of when she truly appears versus when we feel her presence. There is a thin but very solid line between the two.

Me, I'm heading off to Medjugorje this week to see what is going on there. I am, in a way, like Thomas who doubts Christ's resurrection: "Let me touch his hands and his side" I'm going as a believer-- but as a believer whose faith seeks rational understanding.



This is at Suzanna (our "Mother Superior)'s birthday feast. She is Croatian-- and the guy behind me is Croatian too. I have just eaten the most delectable Croatian meat ever. And my "Mmmmmmm!" reaction brings smiles to all--especially the Croatian guy whose smile is classic here. Oh, and notice the "Happy Day" orange juice carton on the table. Not a coincidence.