Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany
at the place called the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of his disciples.
He said, “Go into the village opposite you,
and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered
on which no one has ever sat.
Untie it and bring it here.
April is Autism Awareness Month, and today, April 2, is Autism Awareness Day. That might not even be on my radar if I wasn’t the grandmother of two fantastic little boys who have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Old timers here might remember praying for our family and our grandson Conner in 2015 when he had heart surgery at Vanderbilt when he was only two months old. He and his older brother Mason are very special, very normal, and very different, but they both face the prospect of a life lived with some challenges that most of us do not have to live with.
Thank you to our regular contributor John Spiropoulos for the awesome video, and for the very informational link at the end of this post. Much appreciated John.
I have commented here numerous times about the horrible effect this past year has had on my grandsons. Last year Conner was in a special and wonderful school for kids with severe learning challenges. He only got two years in it, and almost half of it was cancelled.
The boys missed various therapies such as speech, physical, occupational, and food therapy. Their five hour ABA sessions were cancelled. The summer camps they attended were a big help to the boys, and they were also cancelled.
Autistic kids don’t just catch up next year. Early development is really key for them, and they need constant intensive help in many cases, and they will lose ground that may not be regained without it.
John, thank you for brining to life the struggle these kids and their families have faced this year.
I took this definition from gemiini.org blog and their post on autism awareness, where I also found the picture.
One of the most simple definitions of Autism is:
“A mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts.”
I would add to that definition that autistic people may have sensory processing issues. My oldest grandson is very sensitive to sound and he often wears headphones to protect him. For example, we never thought about the music at mass, which normally isn’t a problem. But at Easter the choir and organist sing and play the organ joyfully celebrating, but at such levels that Mason collapsed to his knees in tears. We had just never thought about it, but even with his headphones, he was unable to stand the music.
Anyhow, all I really wanted to say is this. Parents and caregivers of autistic children have a very challenging and tough job. It is heartbreaking, tiring, humbling, and ass kicking hard. Sometimes something like this happens, and you cannot believe how much it can revitalize and change not just a child, but a mom and dad and family.
Autistic children may be the “brats” you think are throwing a fit. They might be the shy child who is over in the corner. They might be the child who is fixated on the meerkats at the zoo and won’t leave the window so your child can have a turn (yep, that’s Conner) or they may be loud, say socially awkward things, or you may never even know they are around you. Any kindness you extend will make their family’s burden much lighter.
I have closed comments on this post because last year’s post turned into a free for all fight by the pro and con vaccination people, and that is so offensive and off topic. I just hope that today you might spare a moment to say a prayer for those on the spectrum, and those who love them, teach them, work with them, and help them.
I still occasionally get commenters who were around for Conner’s heart surgeries and struggles who ask about him, and I always deeply appreciate that caring and thought. I would ask any who are inclined to continue to remember him in prayer, as well as his older brother. As I said, both are autistic, but Conner faces severe struggles and challenges.
This post was partially taken from last year’s version, and updated, especially with John’s video.
https://nationaltoday.com/world-autism-awareness-day/
GospelJN 8:1-11
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area,
and all the people started coming to him,
and he sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery
and made her stand in the middle.
GospelLK 15:1-3, 11-32Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them Jesus addressed this parable:
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
GospelJN 4:5-42Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob’s well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her,
“Give me a drink.”
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him,
“How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
“If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water.”
GospelLK 9:28B-36Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
GospelLK 4:1-13Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,
to be tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing during those days,
and when they were over he was hungry.
The devil said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command this stone to become bread.”
Traditionally, Ash Wednesday and Lent are associated with Catholicism, but that no longer holds true. More Christians are taking advantage of the “forty days” (it’s really 46) to prepare for Easter.
Lent is a time to fast, pray, give alms. Many Catholics will give something up. Sweets, alcohol, meat, cursing, something that is supposed to be sacrificial and difficult. We perform acts of penance, and frequently take part in public prayer, such as the Stations of the Cross, which most parishes will have weekly, often before a Lenten meal.
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Someone mentioned the paczki post from last year. Stella always does a great job bringing us into the Detroit area (via our internet connection) for this special treat.
This post is not here for the same old religious arguments that have taken place for years. It isn’t a forum for you to expound upon your scorn for Catholicism or formal religion. Pass on by if this post is not to your taste.
Debauchery. Bacchanalia. Floats, costumes, beads and masks, and lots of drinking and partying. That’s what we think of when we hear the term Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday.
There is a lot more behind it. Also called Shrove Tuesday, it marks the last day of the liturgical calendar before Lent begins.
After Catholicism spread throughout Europe, many cultures celebrated the final day before Lent began in ways unique to that individual culture. Eggs, and milk were finished off in one day, giving rise to the term Fat Tuesday. In Poland, such things as lard, sugar, eggs, and fruit were forbidden during Lent, and the beloved pączki became a special treat for Fat Tuesday, and in Detroit they still sell many thousands of them to long lines of people.
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