As Herbie just came in from being out in the night, and is sitting on my lap as I try to write this.... I found these pictures taken on May 1st last year - Divine Mercy Sunday! I thought that this one was very special considering we are talking about the unconditional LOVE and desire Jesus has for all of us- no matter what! I am off to mass, and will return to this when I am able, but I thought this was a special way to express His love for us... I will also share a painting I received from the Handmaids- Susan/Hallel lived with them for a year while discerning her vocation and they had this painted portraying the sacred heart/divine mercy... They are now called the Handmaids of the merciful heart of Jesus!
We arrived home to an hard update on young Gage Driver's battle - unresponsive and nearing the end. I am still wiping tears... http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/gagedriver Pat and I just gathered in prayer for him and we had to include a decade of the Divine Mercy Chaplet - it is specifically to be said for those that are near death, so it only seemed powerfully right to do! We started with a decade of the rosary together - The Crown of Thorns - the 3rd sorrowful has always seemed to be the one to pray for our battle with brain cancer and all those that we have also known to be in that fight with their loved ones!
"For the sake of the sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world." Many powerful images today at mass... one thing that struck me very profoundly was something that I adopted from a wonderful spiritual woman, who about a year ago was kneeling behind me at daily mass, and when the host and cup were held up during the consecration - I heard her whisper with bowed head "My Lord and my God" - the exact words of Thomas, the doubter, when he saw the risen Christ! It put this into a much different perspective - I have starting saying it quietly to myself to help me truly concentrate on the Real Presence of Christ in the Body and Blood, and to realize that this was when Thomas saw the Risen Christ and touched Him in the risen flesh with all of his wounds present for him to touch and see... It is really something powerful that I too want to remember that He is truly there for me - REALLY REAL! Jesus says to us in our hearts, souls and minds -"Do not be unbelieving, but believe." Yes, Lord, life would be impossible without our faith in you... Look at young Gage's family preparing to say their final goodbyes to their young son, brother, grandson... Impossible to understand or to go forward without our faith and trust in YOU!
I am feeling very close today to Blessed John Paul II and his fellow Polish saint - St Faustina - I read her diary while staying with our daughters in the Cities and driving John to Rochester daily for his dreaded radiation of his brain! Something that we said we would never do to his young brain, but when the cancer came roaring back through his chemo... it was the only chance we had to save his life. Continued prayers for the protection of his brain from early dementia... and so far no signs of it! It was very interesting to me to read a commentary by Blessed JPII on St Faustina... "Sr Faustina saw this Son as the merciful God. yet she contemplated him not so much on the cross but rather in his subsequent state of risen glory. She thus linked her mystical sense of mercy with the mystery of Easter, in which Christ appears triumphant over sin and death. (see John 20: 19-23)" The Easter Christ reminds us that he conquered sin and death... He is there with His Mercy for all of us... carry us in your arms as the weak and weary sheep that are caught in the brambles with the wolf reaching in to devour us! We are saved!!!!
Jesus, we long for your mercy to surround us and protect us from sin and death! You overcame death, and we need no longer fear or worry or doubt... We fall on our knees proclaiming "My Lord and my God!" Lifegiving water and blood pour forth from your heart - Your sacred Heart that loves and forgives us unconditionally! All the times you asked ST Faustina to pray and to tell the world about how you longed for us to turn to you in your infinite Mercy! Jesus, we need you - we are nothing without you - we are feeling that earthly life and death are impossible without you! We are weak and sickly and confused - we are sinking in the sea of fear and sadness - "be a rock of refuge for me, a mighty stronghold to save me, for you are my rock, my stronghold. For your name's sake, lead me and guide me.... As for me I trust in the Lord: let me glad and rejoice in your Love." Psalm 31 - Thank you, David, you sure know how to lift us on to the Rock of faith, when the storms are all around us! Jesus, we are yours, and we are on our knees this day and always asking for your help and trusting in your constant love and forgiveness! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Halleluia!
Bless-bless, Barb"You are sin's conqueror: Redeem us, O Lord!
You are death's destruction: Redeem us, O Lord!
You are all hope realized: Redeem us, O Lord!
You are everlasting life: Redeem us, O Lord!"
"Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access ( by faith) to his grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God."
Romans 5: 1-2
"By his wounds you have been healed."
I Peter 2: 24
Our Lady of Lourdes - you are also so close to us today - we remember the two times that we were allowed to bath in your miraculous healing waters on this journey of the last two years. We lift up young Gage and his family to you this day! As John said after his having water poured on his head at Lourdes just a few weeks after his discovering his brain cancer - "It was good to be with Our Lady!" Hold Gage and his family in your Mother's arms, and bring him into eternal Peace and Joy of heaven!
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