"In praying..." Matt 6

 The generations of family gathered at my mom's for a great time of sharing... 4 generations ooohed and ahhed over the arrival of the newest member of the Cross family - Augustine William Bandzuch.  Little Gus did not have a want for arms and attention and seemed to be taking it all in!

Nancy beamed with joy at the time spent with her aunts and grandma and mom as well as little 5 year old niece, Mary.  The saints look on from above too... as you see lined up on the plate shelf are the icons my mom has gotten or handpainted herself.  My parent's home has always contained the beauty and truth of our wonderful faith as Catholics!  Little Gus seems to be filled with awe by it all! 

I am sure that his little inner light is beginning to glow as he is surrounded by love and prayer as we gather for meals and sharing!  Many times we were able to share our "Blessing song" that we have learned from the Community of the Lamb!  As 4 carloads of Veryls went to share the life with the Little Sisters before Hallel left for France a year ago... all of us but Gus got there... we all now can share that beautiful blessing song before meals - "Bless the Lord, O my soul!  Bless the Lord!"  Gus is surrounded by so many amazing sounds and graces!

A liesurely afternoon of visiting are such a blessing to me and my many generations with my aging but reasonably healthy parents... the time that I have with them is cherished and I long to have these special times of sharing in their wisdom and love!  Little Mary has been blessed with a special time beyond her understanding at this point in time.

She has also come to know her little cousin, Gus, in a deeper way.  She has held him close, and felt that feeling of new and tiny precious LIFE!

"So perfect, so precious."  my mom is saying... Augustine has now joined the ranks of family prayed for by my parents every morning as they gather to pray and lift up all the needs and each and every person in their family of 70+! Even in the womb Gus was prayed for!  Today in the Gospel, Jesus teaches us how to pray... He teaches us the "Our Father."  The perfect words to pray are given to us from Jesus... it doesn't get any better or more direct than that!

I watched my parents love and welcome all life growing up the oldest of 11!  Now two generations later... with my children... I continue to see the fruits of that love of LIFE and openess to bringing life into the world and nurturing and protecting it and for the challange as a parent to bring "lights into the world."  Along with that goes PRAYER!  Now that my children are grown and raising their own families - Prayer is the powerful real thing that I can offer them on a daily basis, and they count on that!

"In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them.  Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."  Matt 6: 7-15

"This is how you are to pray:

'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.' 

Jesus and Your Mother, Mary Most Holy... give us the graces that we need to bring your love and peace and truth into our families.  May we see your face in all those closest to us, and turn to prayer for all those that have been gifted to us in this life!  May we be in a constant state of prayer - with every beat of our hearts and every breath that we take... Jesus, we trust in you!  Amen and Halleluia!

Bless-bless, Barb the humble and fervent

Litany of Humility

"O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed,

Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved...

From the desire of being extolled ...

From the desire of being honored ...

From the desire of being praised ...

From the desire of being preferred to others...

From the desire of being consulted ...

From the desire of being approved ...

From the fear of being humiliated ...

From the fear of being despised...

From the fear of suffering rebukes ...

From the fear of being calumniated ...

From the fear of being forgotten ...

From the fear of being ridiculed ...

From the fear of being wronged ...

From the fear of being suspected ...



That others may be loved more than I,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.



That others may be esteemed more than I ...

That, in the opinion of the world,

others may increase and I may decrease ...

That others may be chosen and I set aside ...

That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...

That others may be preferred to me in everything...

That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…"

Always good to read this and realize how hard humility is, but how important to get ourselves out of the way and allow Jesus to come fully to us!  Hear our prayers!