Two flowers in a vase made for a thing of beauty at my parents house... Today being the feast day of St Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), and yesterday that of St Dominic... both patron saints of the Community that Hallel has joined with heart, soul, and mind... I have no doubt that they are spending long hours in prayer and "mendication" of the Word... accentuated by words of wisdom from both of these amazing saints as well as other wise people of the Church!
Edith Stein has been huge in my life before Hallel came to the Community... due to my mother's study of her, and her lessons to us on being a woman. My mother has been sharing "the message" with the help and guidance of the Word and St Benedicta of the Cross, and many others... since she was baptized in the Holy Spirit over 40 years ago. It seems from my perspective that she, around that time, started to talk about the "headship" of a husband over a wife, and how this was necessary and proper for a marriage to work and be free, total, faithful, fruitful and loving. 
I know that not only the Community and Hallel are having some special meal today, but most of all they are filling themselves with the beauty and wisdom of St Benedicta of the Cross. She speaks to them with her words and her life about being that "little helpless Lamb." The Lamb that is small to make more room for Him, and the Lamb that gives without counting the cost, and the Lamb although "wounded continues to love." How I struggled to do that in France and every day of my life! 
My mother is an artist of word and paint... This is a painting of my childhood out on a farm place we lived in outside Flint, Michigan... Our family started with 3 girls... I being the oldest of eventually 11 kids! I just got off the phone with my mom to clarify just how Edith came into her life. "It was in the late 80s and someone gave me her book called, Woman. I had never heard of her and she spoke in beautiful terms many things about women that I had discovered." "She never left a stone unturned and really tried to understand us as women." My mom then wrote her own book - trying to bring this collection of Edith's talks and writings into a better composition. She had been a Jewish philosopher, who converted to the Church and then became a Carmelite nun! Later, in 1942, she died in the gas chambers.
Mom just told me about something St Benedicta wrote about... what we are to do when our children are grown and gone..."She spoke about how we are to carry our empathy into the world and use it in our profession after we have been home raising our childern. We, as women, are called to carry our mothering forth into this confused and misled world and make a difference!" Once again I see the wisdom of my husband in pushing me out of here, when John started school and working as the nurse I had been trained to be and to use my God given gifts and ability as a mother to serve those that are dying and sick!
Lord, thank you for the army of Saints that are with us on this journey. They show us in their wise words and also in their lives how we are to serve you better and find happiness and fulfillment here on earth! It is so wonderful to have a spiritual family that we can always be learning more about and it goes on and on! When our earthly families seem to be hard and we are struggling... we can know that we are surrounded by the saints, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus Christ! We are never alone and belong to the most wonderful perfect and holy family! Jesus, we trust in you! Amen, Hosanna, and Halleluia!
Bless-bless, Barb
"Let go of your plans. The first hour of your morning belongs to God. Tackle the day's work that he charges you with, and he will give you the power to accomplish it. " Edith Stein - St Benedicta of the Cross
My mom also told me that although she tells women to plan to return to work after raising their families - "She also is strongly saying that we need to make prayer a big part of our days." Yes!
No comments:
Post a Comment