I was transported back to France in my mind yesterday as Therese, my almost 3 year old granddaughter, and I worked on a picture- watercolor of her Godparents and her. Since Hallel is in France - I asked her if she would like to be in France with them - her Godfather is Fr Mathias, a diocesan priest! So we made them all in France and they were playing together with a kite, a ball, and sailing a boat on the creek that runs through the land there... Both of her Godparents although they are religious- love little kids and would just love to take an afternoon of "play" with their precious little Goddaughter! It was fun for us to imagine and in grandma Moses fashion put on paper in her little memory book that she will be taking with her to Georgia in a few weeks! I wanted to share with you how hilly and roungh that the land is there...
It was at one time a farm on the Southern border of France and Spain - in the foothills of the Pyrannies Mountains... When we were there it was August and the creek bed was dry and there was dry look to the grass and the vegetation... But just like wanting to imagine spring after this long and brutal winter.. I wanted to imagine St Pierre in spring time with the creek full of water and the grass green and lush... They do not get the snow and cold like we do... the snow they get only lasts a day or so, and the rains would be what gives them the moisture they need.
Hallel has been going through another deeply moving Cross with another member of her community and her family... Much like the shock we all went through with the discovery of John's brain cancer and the return of Susan/Hallel to be with all of us along with all the prayers and support of the community - including the traveling companion of Little Sister Benedict... One of the little Sisters from France discovered that her sister had been in a nearly fatal car accident on Sept 11 of last year. She had hit her face on the steering wheel, and all the bones in her face were broken... She still is unable to talk or move her right arm and the left side of her face is paralyzed...
Using pictures of her vesture - taking of her habit in August... Early on Susan/Hallel asked me to pray for Clair-Marie... and I did everytime that I said Hallel's decade of the rosary for the day - being my 4th child... the 4th decade is hers... I would remember her at that time. I have a strong conviction to pray now more than ever after all the outpouring that we were so overwhelmed with for John's healing/cancer journey!
Hallel's face was a total picture of JOY! "At mass the day of my birthday (Sept 18th), I received a gift; I found out that Caire-Marie and I are born the same day and the same year. The Lord has given me a twin- I had no choice but to pray for her nonstop." How powerful is the feeling that when you were entering the world - half way around the world another little girl was being born and now you are tied together in prayer! I will take it a step further- as a mother I can do that - Susan for some unknown reason came out weighing 2 pounds less than the others - just barely 6 pounds. She was healthy in every way, but small and precious, I have since thought that maybe the placenta wasn't doing quite the job of the others, but it makes this idea of her being a spiritual Twin even more special and deep for me.
The mass that followed the veture - Hallel brought up the cup... Thinking of Claire-Marie in prayer all the time... Hallel was shocked with joy when she was asked to accompany her sister to visit her for the first time after the accident! "I was so happy I almost cried, but at the same time I felt like she had made a mistake in choosing me ( I really don't speak French all that well, I never know what to say, I am too shy, Am I really going to be a help?)"
"I fought with this for a long time until I realized that the Lord had chosen the poorest sister, because then it would be certain that it was Him working and not me. Also I saw that I could bring nothing to this family (not a great speech to make them feel better), the only thing I could do is carry Jesus with me and pray."
"Meeting Claire-Marie was a great gift... She looks at you with one eye, because the other is covered with a bandage, and when she looks at you - she really penetrates right through you, but at the same time it is a look full of tenderness and peace. Her sister shared that before the accident she didn't have this same tenderness in her look. She is like a little Lamb. You can see that the Lord is truly doing a great work within her."
"We often spent time with her just reading the Bible. Her face is disfigured because of all the bones in her face were broken by the steering wheel. And even though she has this face not like any other - she is at the same time so beautiful. It is hard to put into words just how amazing this couple of days were. It was truly a moment not of sorrow, but of great hope. I even made her laugh once! I even invited her to ST Pierre for our birthday and she nodded her head, "Yes!""
The Crosses that come with life are so hard and painful - yet when we embrace them we are made more yours... as when we are weak and suffering we turn into your arms open wide to us, with your nailsarred hands reaching to pull us close to your heart burning with LOVE for us! Be with all those that are suffering and forever changed like Claire-Marie and John. Thank you for this special calling they have received from you in this life! May our prayers always rise to you like incense. Jesus, we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia!
Bless-bless, Barb"We adore you , O Christ, even when confronted by crisis or catastrophe, Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
We adore you, O Christ, in accepting that God works in the ways we least expect, Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world."
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