Ora et Labora: Day 8

6/7/10
I am starting to have some major problems with my mold. All Saturday night, as well as all day Sunday I left the mold alone, letting it dry a bit after basically continuously casting last week. Today I ruined a bead trying to open the mold. So I let the second casting sit a bit longer (over an hour) to try to avoid such a problem again, but to no avail as I ruined a second bead by attempting to open the mold. The third casting I have let sit for over 4 hours and I just attempted to open the mold and it was resisting pretty hard so I decided to leave it over night and see if that helps the situation any. If I am not able to remove the bead from the mold tomorrow then frankly I’m not sure what I’m going to do. Nothing really changed with the mold and I can’t afford to be waiting for dozens of hours to remove beads as I’ve only successfully cast 15 thus far, making just over a quarter of the way there (on small beads alone). Any suggestions would be gladly accepted as well as prayers.

Having found an entire box of books that we had yet unpacked when we moved into our house I realized that I suddenly was inundated with lots of wonderful art books that needed a place to be and I was inspired to procure and put up a small bookshelf in (the clean part) of the studio. In addition to art books I also found a book that I’d nearly forgotten I even owned, “Relics”. Can’t imagine anything much more appropriate for continued study in preparation for “The Relic of the Communion of Saints.”

My study of the Catechism “Expressions of Prayer” was quite interesting as well. This article discusses that prayer fundamentally falls into three major categories: verbal, meditative and contemplative of which the following was especially remarkable:

- We cannot pray "at all times" if we do not pray at specific times, consciously willing it.
- Even interior prayer, cannot neglect vocal prayer. Prayer is internalized to the extent that we become aware of him "to whom we speak;" Thus vocal prayer becomes an initial form of contemplative prayer.
- Christians owe it to themselves to develop the desire to meditate regularly, lest they come to resemble the three first kinds of soil in the parable of the sower.
- Contemplation is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus. "I look at him and he looks at me":

While reciting Psalm 7 today, there wasn’t anything that particularly influenced me as the past few have but nevertheless it is important to be reminded that, “God is a just judge, strong and patient” (not to mention the fact that “he hath made ready his arrows for them that burn” sounds far too cool not to take note of.)

Tonight enjoy the graces of the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary.

Today’s Prayer Intentions:
- For the return of Steve’s mother to the sacraments
- For the conversion of Judyth to the Faith
- For continued increase in health for John
- For the gift of Faith for all of those who seek God, and that a great desire for Him may be instilled in those who do not.
- For safe and edifying travels for Fr. Michael.
- For mercy, upon our poor souls and upon those of the whole world
- For the past, present and future intentions and salvation of all those who participate in prayer or proximity to “The Relic of the Communion of Saints”

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