I am drawn to 3 years ago pictures today! Today is the anniversary of our trip to the ER here in Marshall with our 20 year old son, John! He had been having double vision and tiredness for a couple weeks, and after two visits to the eye doctor and new glasses - I realized that it continued to get worse by the day! The CT scan showed that there was something in the center of John's brain- a rare cancer! Yes, this is the longest day of the year - the summer solstice! For us it will always be Father's Day 2009 - the beginning of our battle/journey called cancer/healing! We also discovered today at morning prayer that it is the feastday of St Aloysius Gonzaga, who died at 23 ( John's age now) while caring for the victims of the plague in 1591! This day seems to have no end to the gifts and meaning - pregnant with the LIFE that is coming to change the world! John is certainly sensing that the Lord has come to become a huge reality of healing and LIFE for him, and he wants to shout it from the rooftops with speaking and sharing his story of change of heart... and eventually writing a book! He will be working with his dad and I at the TEC retreat this weekend, and giving the last talk on the retreat. Last night he chose the song, which will follow his talk - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvItxpK30Ro Into Jesus by DC talk! I just watched this on Utube and am wiping tears as I watched the clips from the movie - Jesus of Nazareth of Jesus calling his disciples and then appearing to them as a resurrected Savior! It was powerful to see John's joy at finding this way of expressing his strong/never to be questioned faith due to the Cross Cancer/healing!
Another picture of the two one year olds... David and Therese now 3 years later they are two- four year olds... They have grown into two lovely children with each passing year! And John has pickep up and gone forward with his life over the last 3 years also... two years of fininshing college after the year off to battle cancer, and now working in Marshall! Such a gift to have him here in the midst of our lives once again... how we cling to the shared prayer to start each day, which is something we shared over that year! The constant reminder of all the prayers as thousands followed us on caringbridge - http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/johnverly , the sacraments of annointing, Eucharist, and the Holy Spirit- confirmtion that showed us that Jesus was in control, the devotionals - the rosary was my lifeline, and the angels and the Saints - especially Venerable Solanus Casey and Our Lady of Lourdes! I just google Solanus Casey and found this on Utube about his life - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUHlytdBrf4
This picture was taken the weekend before - John was starting to complain about double vision... I added a picture of Susan - now little Sister Hallel!
Here is our family today in the collage/photo I made so that we all could be together! I added a picture taken of Hallel in Paris a month ago and Maria's little family in Texas! I know that we are all together in Spirit, but sometimes I just need to "see" us all together! This will add two new members in just a few months! The picture of Blessed John Paul II has a relic attached of a piece of one of his robes, and many prayers to him were included for us too! The statue of Mary was picked up in the free box at Church just the week before our journey began! She traveled with us from hospital room to hospital room! And from rosary to rosary that seemed to be the background and basis of every day for me - contantly asking her motherly assistance to put John into the her son's hands! "Mom, this is the storm and Jesus is in control!" These words from our daughter, Susan/ little Sister Hallel, made the storm calm as Jesus stood up and calmed the sea!
We are given the Lord's prayer this day in the Gospel... "This is how you are to pray: 'Our Father...' It is all there for us to speak the words that we need to address our Lord! Thank you,Lord! We are easily distracted and filled with fear at the storms of life that come to us. May the rocking of our boat remind us not to scream and run and doubt, but rather to turn to you and trust that you are in control! Seeing your fingerprint upon us and all that happens to us in life - we can with confidence say and never waver from the fact that we are INTO JESUS! May we carry this forth into our lives and especially into our domestic Church/family. Use us to your honor and glory. "We seek your presence, Lord
This grace to us impart:
Make us a temple fit for you,
A pure and lowly heart." From morning prayer - see http://www.magnificat.com/
"Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God." Matt 5:8 Jesus, we long to be pure of heart, Lord hear our prayer, with St Aloysius at your feet! Amen and Halleluia!
Bless-bless, Barb
"The darker is grows, the more numerous the chasms, the snares, the fears, the persecutions, the famines, the troubles, the despairs, the purgatories and hells that line our path,the greater shall our faith be. It is enough to cast our eyes on you to be safe in the greatest dangers. WE will forget all about the road and its condition, good or bad, we will forget ourselves and completely abandon to the wisdom, goodness, and power of our guide, we will remember nothing but to love you..."
Fr De Caussade (1751) a meditation entitled - Praying Our Father with Abandonment!
Praise you to the highest heavens, O Lord! The highest of Hallel psalms are on our lips this day of anniversary! This song by Casting Crowns speaks of our TRUST!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdcyue0bSw Praise You in the Storm!
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