The First Thursday in May

It’s been a while since I’ve had a good rant. I know I’ve been sharing my faith daily in both little ways (the passages at the end of each post – most are part of our daily readings), and in big ways, acknowledge days of great religious significance. For me personally, today’s recognition as National Day of Prayer really doesn’t affect me. Every day is a day of prayer.

That said, I do appreciate the fact that as a Nation we take a moment to reflect on the importance of faith, and the impact of prayer. Throughout our history as a Nation, the value of prayer and a belief in something greater than ourselves has always been a part of our identity. And by that I don’t mean Christian – not Baptist or Born Again or Catholic. Faith and belief is part of being human. It is ingrained in our souls and is a part of our DNA; put there by our creator.

Beginning in 1775, Congress or the President or jointly have declared days of public fasting and prayer. As a Catholic, I find it interesting that with the noted exception of George Washington’s proclamation of a Public Thanksgiving and Prayer, fasting has been a part of the early declarations. John Adams declared May 9, 1798 to be a day of solemn humility, fasting and prayer. Abraham Lincoln signed a Congressional resolution calling for April 30, 1863 to be a National Day of Fasting and Prayer in the midst of the Civil War. Fasting and prayer are not exclusively Catholic, nor exclusively Christian. Once again showing that people of different religious persuasions aren’t all that different when you get right down to the nuts and bolts of faith – true faith. A belief in a loving God.

What does bother me about today is that is it also a National Day of Reason. Now if the atheists and those seeking some sort of separation of Church and State wished to organize a National Day of Non-Prayer, that’s one thing. But to call it a National Day of Reason implies that people of faith have lost the ability to reason. Yes, we accept the will of God, but we do so willingly and with much thought and reasoning. Faith is never blind. God does not want blind obedience. He seeks love and respect and submission out of that love for Him. It takes strength to answer God’s call, not weakness. Those who see it otherwise do not understand what faith is all about.

That’s it – my rant in a nutshell. As a woman of faith, I resent the disrespect shown to people of faith by declaring today to be a day of reasoning. Have your day tomorrow. Or just ignore my day of prayer. On the Saturday before Mother’s Day, we celebrate National Dog Mom’s Day and National Babysitter’s Day and National Birth Mother’s Day. None of these are done on Mother’s Day because it’s not a competition. So take that in your Reasoning Pipe and Smoke it.

Oh and hey – May the Fourth Be with You!

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Every day I give thanks to the Lord above for my faith, and my family. Nothing brings families together like a delicious supper. Enjoy this day!

Rosemary Pork Tenderloin with Carrots and Potatoes
Cooking Spray as needed
1 lb Pork Tenderloin
2 sprigs Rosemary
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
8 Red Potatoes
1 large White Onion
1 lb Baby Carrots
Rosemary for garnish

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a large rimmed baking pan with cooking spray, set aside.

Trim any visible fat from the pork tenderloin. Spray tenderloin with cooking spray. Place on a sheet of foil, set aside.

Strip needles from the Rosemary springs. Mince Rosemary, set aside.

Sprinkle a teaspoon or so of Rosemary over the pork. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Wrap tightly in foil, set aside.

Scrub potatoes, then cut into quarters and set aside. Peel onion, slice into thin wedges, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl toss carrots, onion, potatoes with remaining rosemary. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss to blend. Spread vegetable mixture out on the prepared baking pan; spray with cooking spray. Place vegetables in the heated oven and bake for about 15 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven. Push vegetables to the outer edge of the pan, clearing the center for the pork. Unwrap tenderloin and place on the pan. Return to oven and roast for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn, shake vegetables, turn pork. Return to oven, continue to roast another 10 minutes or until pork reaches 160-degrees.

Slice pork, serve surrounded by vegetables and garnished with fresh Rosemary.

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For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. Alleluia!