Out on the deck in the sun - the birds were happily chirping in the grove, and Dave and I paused to listen to their wonderful joyful singing... the best symphony ever! Our Lady is there to steady him on the railing, and is a very familiar presence for him... he even has a sister, Mary! Their new little one, Ruth is expecting #4, will be here before we know it... Ruth saw the doctor yesterday and all is well, and her due date continues to be May 1! So many prayers - trusting in their safety! There has been some very deeply emotional and awe inspiring moments in the last few days for John, our son who is now 2 years cancer free after a year battle with a very rare brain cancer! He called on his way to mass on Sunday night, and I shared with him that little 8 year old Gage was very close to death - this was about 4:30p and Gage died at 7p. John said that he would take him on his heart with him to mass and pray for him throughout, along with Justin Lothert from Bird Island and William...
When John and I talk about all those that have died and are facing the enemy-cancer, and losing the battle- he seems to get angry and wonders out loud why he has been spared! It gives us such a sense of unworthiness, and that there is something very big that he is being called to carry forth the baton of LIFE and LIGHT... probably by doing small things with great love! With college graduation now just weeks away - after taking the year off after his sophomore year to fight the great battle with Aslan at his side - there is a sense of the door that will open ahead revealing the gleaming light filled narrow path that circles around the ever rising mountain of God! Rising to heights of faith, and hope, and trust, and LOVE! John attends job fairs armed with his many resumes, and approching many - even those that look small and humble. He has one offer here close to home that gives him some assurance to fall back on, yet he continues to be "open" to what lies ahead of him... he is trained by experience and school to use his agriculture roots and knowledge, along with his ability to present himself in front of large groups, and he discovered over the summer that he can also work well with people one on one. "I have the ability to make fun of myself, and be humble in that way... People seem to relax and enjoy that in me, and then open up to me." Wow! That is a great thing for all of us to learn when dealing with others, isn't it?
Such a delight to have John 3: 16-21 as our Gospel for today! And the first reading was the Apostles being helped out of their prison..."If we 'live the truth' we find in our heart, we know that our first preference is for 'everything about this life' which the Apostles preach: 'God so loved the world...' The Risen One beckons us to 'come toward the light.' Then when the prison guards open the doors of the jail of our own making, it will be like the empty tomb: they will find no one inside." see http://www.magnificat.com/ How I love this image of our inner prisons - whether they are the insurmountable fears of the night, or the sins that are a chronic issue for us, or the lack of prayer... with turning towards the LIGHT that comes with the Day, Jesus Christ, we can escape those prisons and they will be found empty - a testament to our giving our all to HIM! "Whoever lives the truth comes to the Light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done by God." John 3: 21
John will be the first to tell you that he asked for his cancer... Yes! that does sound shocking, but he just called me the other day about a book he is thinking about writing about his experience..."Mom, I think that my book should start with that talk I gave at TEC about 6 years ago. I said that I didn't know if I had any faith, because it had never been tested. I was asking for that cancer to come, and give me the test of my life, and for my life! I now know the power of prayer, and faith has become a daily real part of my life!" Shocking to hear this, but it is all true now looking back at it. Now life is a gift... I will always remember the look of amazement and wonder on the face of a mother, who had lost her 21 year old son - http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/michaeljensen1 the year before. We met while attending the wake for another girl from the area, Lisa Bratch, http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lisabratschwho lost her battle at 23 in November... so many called to heaven, so hard to understand... Michael's mom surprised me at the way she looked with almost Joy to see John healthy and alive, and with a future ahead of graduating college and starting his future. How can she be happy for John and almost need to touch him and see him? I was told a story of a horrible experience where someone was killing people in a gathering of people - quite a few were killed, but some escaped. There was a reunion of those that had lost family with those that had escaped and they found great joy in seeing and hugging those that had escaped the murderer! I can see that they would be saying; "Thank God he didn't get all of you, and some of you escaped, and can go forth and live life for the others." John feels the weight of that on his shoulders, and there have been tears for those that have lost the battle, and almost the feeling of "why me?" I can now understand that cancer has become the murderer, and it is a testament to others, who have had their child or loved one taken from them, to see this healthy person, yes altered and different, but probably filled with more Truth and LIGHT and LIFE than they had before, after embracing the death on the Cross! And for their loved ones - they suffer no more and are now in the LIGHT that we all are striving to reach in our lives - to walk into the sunset of our lives with confidence and hope - eternal LIGHT in eternal LIFE!
Jesus, as our light of day becomes the setting of our days here on earth... we fear not! We know that we are called by you to find LIFE eternal... Death merely becomes a part of life, and we are almost longing to see those we have lost from this world - not understanding "why?" Yet this world is filled with small slices of heaven... as we give up our selfishness and embrace YOU! You are there for us in the Sacraments, Your True Church, and your Word! WE are filled to the brim, and are a light to be set upon the lampstand for all to "see!" May we give up of our selfish needs and desires... giving of our gifts, talents and graces to those closest to us - especially those in our domestic church/family! Those that we love the most we hurt the most. Why? Help us to see you in them, and to make small steps in loving and serving them as you ask us to this day and forward. And for all those that know nothing but darkness - show us how to live life in a way that they can see and desire to know and love you and your amazing LIGHT and LIFE and LOVE! May we realize that "I am able to discover what is worthy of God in the world, and to realize that man - every man - is a sacred being, that my neighbor's heart was born, like mine, for the same love of the Father, that he yearns for God in the same divinely originated way, and that I am called to love him in the same way that God loves me and I love him." (Father Bro) Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Halleluia, Halleluia, Halleluia!
David commenting on the rain - thank you, Lord, for more rain overnight - we are hopeful that the drought cycle has come to an end. For good crops this year, Lord. Bless-bless, Barb"When the Spirit from on high is poured out on us, Then will the desert become as an orchard and the orchard be regarded as a forest.
Right will dwell in the desert and justice abide in the orchard. Justice will bring about peace; right will produce calm and security." Isaiah 32: 15-17
"Send forth your Spirit, O Lord!"
Psalm 104:30 A grand Hallel Psalm!
1"Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty,
2wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent,
3you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind,
4you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers.
5You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken.
6You cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
7At your rebuke they flee; at the sound of your thunder they take to flight.
8They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys to the place that you appointed for them.
9You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.
10You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills,
11giving drink to every wild animal; the wild asses quench their thirst.
12By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches.
13From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.
14You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth,
15and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.
16The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17In them the birds build their nests; the stork has its home in the fir trees.
18The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the coneys.
19You have made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting.
20You make darkness, and it is night, when all the animals of the forest come creeping out.
21The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.
22When the sun rises, they withdraw and lie down in their dens.
23People go out to their work and to their labor until the evening.
24O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
25Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great
27These all look to you to give them their food in due season;
28when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
30When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.
31May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works—
32who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke.
33I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.
35Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord"
“For the fruit always works - it must work - but it does not work happily for any who pluck it at their own will. If any Narnian, unbidden, had stolen an apple and planted it here to protect Narnia, it would have protected Narnia. But it would have done so by making Narnia into another strong and cruel empire like Charn, not the kindly land I mean it to be. And the Witch tempted you to do another thing, my son, did she not?”
“Yes, Aslan. She wanted me to take an apple home to Mother.”
“Understand, then, that it would have healed her; but not to your joy or hers. The day would have come when both you and she would have looked back and said it would have been better to die in that illness.”
The Magician’s Nephew – Chapter 14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1_o-VGp-t4&feature=relmfu A song by the same two that sing that amazing guardian angel song - with Halleluia spelled the right way!
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