What could be more joyful than 2 year old grandchildren? AS we stayed in a hotel for the two nights on the Nicolet Mall in Minneapolis and went in both directions for the wedding and reception... we would pass to the side of my dear Bascilica of ST Mary numerous times... everytime I would cross myself knowing that the tabernacle holds the true Christ, and also flooded with the knowledge that my becoming a Catholic and living it each day started here as well as my marriage to my "most cherished Cross" - Patrick Gerard Joseph Verly! 
On our program I had the symbol of Christ with the two intertwined wedding rings on top... the sacrament of Marriage with Chirst above all and in all... I also had simply the words..."There was a wedding feast at Cana and Jesus was there." I know that at least one of my brothers did similarly and my oldset daughter, Ruth also.
Nancy had it... truly quoted from John... "There was a wedding feast at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited." I had mentioned to her a few weeks ago that I had put this on my program as well as the others and she had sounded interested... she is aware that I have prayed this mystery for her over many years as she is always the second mystery of the rosary... being my second child... and the second Luminous mystery is the wedding of Cana...as I have shared many times...for each of my 5 children I pray each decade of my rosary every day. It has been a powerful way to pray for them to Our Spiritual Mother, who loves them and cares for them way more than I do as their earthly mother!
I have seen clearly, as I pray about the joy that Christ wrought with his first miracle at the urging of His Mother... Making two huge jars of wine... gallons and gallons.... that it would be an equally huge time of great rejoicing when Nancy found her wonderful man of faith! It was no doubt that the tears and doubts and waiting that Nancy had to do... that we would have out of this world joy as we celebrate with her on her wedding day! 
Namesake, Mary Lanoue, age 4 had to pay a visit to the Blessed Mother's statue on the side of the church... where about an hour later, Nancy and Bill took a bouquet of roses to her and knelt and prayed... thanking her for bringing Christ into this world, so that He could bring the joy for all of us! I thought her humble sweet look was so much a Mary look! The look of humility and trust!
As I have heard and said myself to many family members and friends... there is not a thing about the ceremony and mass that could have been better! It was a total celebration of joy, and putting Christ first!
Ruth shared at the reception that she now could see that the waiting and the tears of Nancy, now made this occassion one of that much more joy and celebration... as we all with total abandon rejoiced with them... they were totally calm and excited with each step... they seemed to be totally savoring every word and action, and as my dad said in his homily... they had the two amazing life changing sacraments here blessing them... the sacrament of marriage and Eucharist.... and changing them from two into one, and then giving them the food and help they need to embrace their most cherished cross and carry it forward into their new lives together!
I had not realized until last night, when I sat and took time to look at her program, that she had added the wedding of Cana Gospel reading at the bottom of the front of her program! I have prayed that for Nancy for years... through those prayers to Our Lady and taking my heartfelt pleas to her Son... Nancy's most personal and heartfelt prayers have been answered in all ways and then some!
Simon loves his Godmother, Aunt Nancy, and has prayed for her every night... the prayers of chidren rise to Our Lord... and then as small children they learn to turn to their Lord every day of his life! Jesus we need you always at our sides from day one!
Nancy surrounded by her brother and brother in law... two men that have seen and appreciated her beauty inside and out for all these years and marveled at it! Now they can rejoice with her at her great happiness, and her happiness is theirs also! Now they have a wonderful new brother to share life with too! 
We walked into mass late at St Olaf's downtown Minneapolis after turning the wrong way, and missed the readings. So this morning we had to read from Luke the Gospel from the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary time - Luke 14: 18-24 the wedding feast where Jesus gives us the lesson of Humility where we are to go to the lowest place so that the Lord will come and tell us to "come up higher." So much here is grabbing me and won't let go! I think of Hallel and the Community who take the "banquet... invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind: blessed indeed will you be because of thier inablity to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
I need to end this as I have so much pouring out of me and am filled with so much that it is hard to sort them out! The meditation for the day yesterday was also very powerful! It is written by Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty (1985) who was born in Russia and was the foundress of Madonna House. She uses her loneliness here but I can put in the word for anything that comes into our lives and becomes a cross for us...cancer, anger, resentment, you decide what the emotion or circumstance is for you...I like to think of loneliness as if it is a person with a particular job to do. So I imaginge loneliness as a fancy doorman dressed in a brilliant uniform like you would see at an expensive hotel or club. He opens the door for us to enter into faith. As we pass through the door, we find steps to go up. Each step takes us a little further into faith. That is why loneliness is with us - to grow in faith. We are never friendless, for we know that Christ resurrected and promised he would always be with us. Loneliness brings us closer to him." 
Thank you Lord... there is so much to the last few days! Yes, there is also the parts that bring us to a "higher place." Like not being able to have little sister Hallel with us for this family occassion - yet she was more powerfully than we could have ever imagined. Also Nancy long years of waiting in hope and the hard parts of that now give this that much more luster and joy! Bless all of those that were there to "see" their example to the world. Jesus we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia!
Thank you Lord... there is so much to the last few days! Yes, there is also the parts that bring us to a "higher place." Like not being able to have little sister Hallel with us for this family occassion - yet she was more powerfully than we could have ever imagined. Also Nancy long years of waiting in hope and the hard parts of that now give this that much more luster and joy! Bless all of those that were there to "see" their example to the world. Jesus we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia!
Bless-bless, Barb
No comments:
Post a Comment