"My Lord and My God!!!!!!!!!!!"

The two kittens had found a sunny nap in the sun on one or Ruth's afgahn, and Therese added to the scene... well, just look at these following pictures as a still-movie of a warm scene with mother, child, grandfather and of course the Kitty factor!

I had a most wondrous experience at mass this morning with daughter, Maria and two grandchildren... at the consecration... I heard the woman behind me in a profound whisper proclaim from somewhere very deep..."My Lord and My God!"  Immediately my wandering mind was snapped to the fact that Jesus we now there with us!  I thought that this was a wonderful powerful way for us to recall that we are in the presence of God at mass! 

"When you hearken to the voice of the Lord, your God, all these blessings will come upon you and overwhelm you."  Dt 28: 2  I truly felt that I heard the voice of God reminding me to worship and adore and as my daughter Nancy said..."If we truly believe that is the body and blood of Christ... we should be crawling up there on our knees!" 

Preface to the Eucahristic prayer for Advent II

"His future coming was proclaimed by all the prophets. 

The virigin mother bore him in her womb

with love beyond all telling.

John the Baptist was his herald

and made him known when at last he came.

In his love Christ has filled us with Joy

as we prepare to celebrate his birth,

so that when he comes he may find us watching in prayer,

our hearts filled with wonder and praise.

And so, with all the chior of angels in heaven

we proclaim your glory

and join in their unending hymn of praise:  Holy..."

It is quite wonderful to be getting to daily mass more thanks to my daughter and her small children!  To have the honor and joy of receiving Christ each day in the Eucharist... there could be nothing better!  Not even two small ones can make Maria think twice nor the fact that it starts at 7a...Her little ones can be hungry and yet they have attended daily mass from the womb!  Maria and Joseph had both considered religious life and gone through the Catholic Studies program at St Thomas... receiving Christ daily is something that they yearn for!  There are not many obstacles that they consider big enough to prevent them from attending mass daily!

T

From the Eucharistic prayer IV..."Father in heaven, it is right that we should give you thanks and glory: you are the one God, living and true.  Through all eternity you live in inapproachable light.  Source of life and goodness, you have created all things to fill your creatures with every blessing and lead all men to the joyful vision of your light.  Countless hosts of angels stand before you to do your will;  they look upon your splendor and praise you, night and day.  United with them, and in the name of every creature under heaven, we too  praise your glory as we say:  Holy..."

That is truly a grand Hallel - a grand hymn of praise and glory of our Lord God!  So mysteriously amazing that He comes to us in such a humble and simple and melt in your mouth form... a small wafer of unleavened bread and a sip of wine... His Body and Blood! 

Many times when I attended daily mass at Nativity over the last year... I was staying with my daughters in ST Paul and driving to Rochester daily for John's 10 minutes of radiation... WE would recite this amazing hymn...

"Amina Christi - Soul of Christ

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.

Body of Christ, save me.

Blood of Christ, inebriate me.

Water from the side of Christ, wash me

Passion of Christ, strengthen me.

O good Jesus, hear me.  Within thy wounds hide me.  Suffer me not to be seperated from thee.  From the malicious enemy defend me.  In the hour of my death call me and bid me come onto thee, that with thy saints I may praise thee for ever and ever.  Amen"

The first reading today is from Isaiah 48: 17-19

"I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go." 

Having my daughter and grandkids here is teaching me much... yesterday Therese and I put the baby Jesus away and left the manger empty for his coming... it allows us to prepare more and not take it for granted.  She was in her sweet voice telling a lady friend after mass that her cribs are empty and that Jesus is not here yet..."No Baby."  She told her with a sad sweeet face... We were all touched by the thought that for Therese the big thing of Advent and Christmas is for her baby Jesus to come! I pray that this can be the case for all of us! 

I cannot get into shopping this year... I had a discussion with another young cancer survivor and she reminded me that my priorities have changed in the last year of bringing John back from the brink of death due to his sudden onslaught of brain cancer!  Yes, much like I see in hospice... what really matters in life... faith and family is all that you care about after such a life changing year and a half!  When you look death in the eyes... there is not much meaning for us in all the trappings of life!  All I want for Christmas is to have my family around me and to celebrate the birth of the baby!  To have baby Jesus in that crib/manger with his loving parents around him and the animals in the barn breathing their warm breath on him and the shepherds there with the angels from the heavenly host!  The presents are a mindless distraction from the GLORY! 

Yes, this a planned picture and it took a few attempts to get it!  But I got it!           Jesus, we love you and praise you for the delightful and active times with family around us!  I know that you love to see the little ones leading us older and not wiser ones into your Truth! Therese just came to remind me with a big smile on her face -"Grandma, Baby Jesus in coming!"  Yes, that is all that matters as we come to you on our knees and take you on our tongue and you dwell in us and show us "what is good for your good, and lead you on the way you should go."  We know that you are the mysterious and glorious God and we can trust you always to be with us and in us and before us and behind us and above us and below us!  We love you now and always!  Amen and Halleluia!

Bless-bless, Barb

"A virtuous life tends to the contemplation of heavenly things, and finds its end in this contemplation.  Great purity of heart is requisite for the attainment of this end.  Consequently, as no life so purifies us, and renders us so apt for contemplation, as does the Christian life, it follows that nothing better can be found on earth than Christianity."  Fr Sanovarola (1498)