One of my favorite things to see in my daughters with their children... is the way that their children "eat their chin" out of the shere love that they have for them. I have seen numerous icons showing that little arm around his mother's neck and his own little face up there nuzzling his mother's chin to know that Jesus felt the same way about his wonderful mother too! The perpetual adoration chapel up in St Paul at Nativity parish has an icon right behind the altar with Jesus "eating Mary's chin" out of love for her, and over the last year as I would stay up with my daughter, Maria, and drive John to radiation or other things like chemo or tests... I would make it a point to go to daily mass with time in the adoration chapel on one side or the other!
Little 10 month old Mary....loves her mommy so much that she cannot get any closer to her! That's the true picture of Mother/child LOVE! There are many icons of Jesus doing the exact same thing to his mother, and he had all the reason in the World to do just that! He loved her with His life! Her saying "yes" saved the world! 
This is a picture of the icon in the Adoration chapel that got me through the good and the bad times over the last year! In the fall I noticed that John had 3 episodes of memory loss that I could not overlook! They happened in about a 24 hour period and I called the doctor... she sounded very concerned and told us that we needed to come in for a scan. It revealed that the cancer was coming back even with a new chemo with a vengence! She said that we needed to do radiation... I yelled out "No!" But John looked at me and said; "Mom, I want to live." The reason for the drama at this point was that we had decided that radiation was one thing that we would not do as it could cause John to have some damage to his brain down the road and with his young brain and how much he will need it as he goes forward with his life and his profession... we would not do that. So kneeling in the Adoration chaple that night... I wept long and loud! I would think that in front of our Lord...this is not an uncommon occurance! 
Many had told me of self help books or even books of spiritual help for this horrific journey called cancer/healing that we were on with our 20 year old son, John...but for some reason even though I would pick them up and start them... I finally realized that with the morning and evening prayers and rosaries and chaplet of divine mercy that I was saying every day along with going to daily mass whenever possible... My day was filled with my Church and all the many ways that was there for me. I decided early on that I wanted to do this journey armed with my Catholic Faith and that is where I wanted to go to find the faith, hope and strength to make it through to the other side! I was filled to the brim by that, and as I was in confession one first Saturday... I found myself telling Father that I had come to this and found all that I needed and then some to give me the strength! What an amazing blessing I found all the hours I spent in the Adoration chapel... one time I was there with Nancy and her now fiance, Bill.
Nancy had shared a wonderful story of early in their dating. One night after a date Nancy had told Bill that this was the night that she usually did a holy hour in the Adoration chapel and would he join her... He said that he had never gone before, and he would go with her. Afterwards he had told her that he really didn't understand it all, so Nancy gave him some books to read and some devotional material to help him. The next time... he was ready... afterwards he was in tears at the power and magnitude of the experience for him! Now that is a man to hold onto! Nancy says that he is always bursting with things and insights he has gained while in there to share with her! A man that likes and loves to communicate... Nancy you certainly did find a man like your dad! Your prayers have been answered! 
How I needed my time with my God and Creator... then in the midst of my fear and weaknesses! I love the station of the cross when Jesus sees his mother along the way.... here is the station with my Mary statue behind where many rosaries have been said over the years... Maria came home from the monastery after 5 months and made me the stations for my grove. The outside stations at her monastery had been a powerful experience for her as she had asked him to reveal his plan for her in her life! Soon I will be going out there nightly to lift up the upcoming TEC retreat that Pat and I will be working together as Spiritual directors or more like spiritual servants. 
Both of these friends of Maria are now sisters! I pray for them and all those being called today! Help them to say "yes" to this amazing life my Lord! Openning prayer for mass today:"Lord God, give to your people the joy of continual health in mind and body. With the prayers of the Virgin Mary to help us, guide us through the sorrows of life to eternal happiness in the life to come. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. Amen and Halleluia! "
Bless-bless, Barb
No comments:
Post a Comment