Grandma time last night was so special! I got there when Ruth was supervising showers for the boys. Rose was awake ,so my job was sitting and holding her. She looked at me! Her dark little eyes seemed to be studying my face... her new little lamb blanket with the words - Jesus Loves me - inspired me to sing the little sweet song to her. She was quietly listening to her sister, Mary, and I singing to her. Mary held her 1 week old baby sister, and you can "see" her listening to the sweet sound of her voice saying words of LIFE to her...
"Jesus loves me this I know
for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak but He is strong!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me,
The Bible tells me so."
And for Rose the loving arms of her family tells her that Jesus loves her, and the fact that her mother said "yes" to life tells her so, the sacrament of Baptism that is being planned soon for her with loving Catholic Godparents, Uncle Bill and Aunt Nancy tells her so, the Wisdom and Tradition of the Catholic Church tells her so, but for now the warm embrace and sweet voice of her older sister and the milk at the breast of her nurturing mother tells her so the very most - with promise of all the rest to come in a lifetime spent with Him and His Wondrous Amazing Catholic Church!
Sometimes I wonder if I will ever run out of things to write about, but, although it seems that I return often to the main themes of my life, that with the readings of each day and the sharing of morning prayer in the Magnificat... there is always an excitement that builds within me and the Truth is like a tidal wave within me! "Deep is calling on deep, in the roar of the waters: your torrents and all your waves swept over me." Psalm 42 I shared with my son-in-law, Bill, last week that I find it so exciting to consider that the whole Catholic world- millions/billions are all reading those exact readings, praying over them, the Holy Spirit is speaking through them, preaching from His Word to congregations and at doors of the poor - Hallel and some of the Little Sisters are in Paris,France begging from the poor for their food and sharing the Word! Making the readings so much more than just the sharing between Pat, John and I or those that are read at mass here in Marshall - this makes the WORD so BIG! In morning prayer this morning we were filled with the Truth of how "Christ the vine continues to be refreshed and renewed by the water of Life, the Spirit of God, for whom all human beings thirst, knowingly or unknowingly." See http://www.magnificat.com/ 
It was heartwrenching last evening, when out helping Pat, to hear this little orphan mooing for its adoptive mother... His own mother died shortly after birth, and he was put on a old cow... well, yesterday she was suddenly taken to Pipstone sales barn to be sold, so now it is calling for her and is hungry! I felt sad for it, but Pat put it in a pen with feed and it was eating and "doing good" according to Pat the farmer! This little guy has experienced "the cross" more than most!
Yes, today the Gospel is the same one as Sunday - John 15 - the Vine! And morning prayer was having to do with coming to Christ to have our thirst satisfied! The little icon I came across in Kansas City with the verse from John 7:37 was used today!
And again... I just knew that the verse that my dad was reading when the Holy Spirit told him to become Catholic had to be in morning prayer this morning... there it was!
Isaiah 55:1 When I first had John 7:37 translated to me in Kansas City by Little Sister Martene... I thought that is was Isaiah 55 and I was super excited, but instead I discovered the many times that we are told to come to the LIVING Water, Jesus Christ!
"Like the deer that yearns
for running streams,
my soul is yearning
for you, my God.
Hope in God; I will praise him still,
my savior and my God."
Psalm 42
My inner place of worship feels and looks a lot like this... yet it can also be like the most magnificent Cathedral ever built or seen too! There are times when I have to lift my hands in supplication or praise!
Lord, this day is one of great joy in your Word and LIFE around me! I am forever reminded of the gift of LIFE and domestic church/ family with all the new little ones in the womb, and now with little Rose Ida here taking in with such peace and tranquility the world around her. A world of pure love, and welcoming her new gift to the world. A new little one formed in the image and likeness of God! There is so much that surrounds her in Spirit and in Truth! She is soon to be welcomed into the arms of the True Church through the waters of Baptism, and that is being planned and anticipated with love by her family. Her Godparents have already started to pray for her! She is prayed for by name when we gather as a family each morning! Those in the womb are covered with protection, as they grow and develope in the waters of life in the wombs of their mothers! We are clinging to the Vine, and pray that we can be pruned to bear much fruit - the pruning takes the form of the Most Cherished Cross in our lives! We ask to die to self this day and forward... that we may totally love and serve you! May we see you in those the closest to us - our domestic Church/family. Those that we hurt the most. May we ask forgiveness this day, and go forward to forgive as we are forgiven. Protect all LIFE this day, end abortion now and forever! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Halleluia, Halleluia, Halleluia, Halleluia!
"Hail Mary, full of Grace... Pray for us sinners!" Bless-bless, Barb
The Vine and the Branches and the Eucharist by Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida (1937)
"Remain in my love. Do you know what it means to remain in my love? It means to have with Jesus the same love, feeling, being. It means to suffer, not looking at the earth but at the cross, loving with patience, constancy, and enjoyment. It means to follow the life of prayer, self-denial, and purity without leaving me, without being dissipated by the things of this world, without being troubled by adversity of any kind. It means always to be willing to fight again after each misfortune: it means to love, to love and to know that love makes everything that is difficult easy and everything that is bitter, sweet...
Come to your Vine, Jesus, who wants to nourish you with his substance. Come so that I introduce you to my Father, the Vine Grower, and tell him that you are mine, that my juice gives you life and that you only want to grow and develope in his hands. Come to be planted in the fruitful soil of my Eucharist."
The first home of the Little Sisters in the U.S. in Kansas City - soon to be torn down to make room for the Little Monastery... putting down roots in the heart of our country! The blessing and graces are flowing out to all those around them! Jesus, we trust in you!
Lifegiving waters of love and grace!
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