This morning at 7a mass I had the gift of sitting in the back of Church with Pat and his mom... I was close to the 10th station where Susan sat morning after morning for her Holy Hour followed by mass. Yes, she had just returned from living in the discernment house in St Paul for a school year and returned home still asking God what He was asking of her. " I know that I am to leave it all behind." she told us. "Does that mean your family?" She gave me a knowing look at that. Just as with John...she got me out of bed in the dark and accompanying her to Church. She would sit in the dark by the 10th station - the stripping of his garments - the Humility station and pray on her knees in front of the tabernacle. Why the 10th station, I asked? "Because it is the last row with kneelers and then people will not see me cry." Tears as she wrestled with her "call." I am thinking of Hallel much today as she will be coming to the U.S. in a few weeks with their foundress, Little Sister Marie, and it is her feastday today! It was decided that since she did not choose to take the actual name of a saint when she changed her name and took her habit... She chose to take a Hebrew word that means the highest of praise to our God - Hallel which is the first part of Halleluia! Today all those that have been gleaned from the "Harvest of Holiness" - The Saints are all more than ever before the throne of the Lamb praising HIM to the highest heavens! So a perfect day for Little Sister Hallel's feastday!
These pictures were taken 3 years ago when Hallel was here to help out with John's cancer treatments - taking him to radiation for a week! The church was not remodeled yet... Now with the new interior - the 10th station is so special! And what a gift to sit close to it today as I am blessed by Hallel's answering the call to join the Community of the Lamb! There is much to celebrate as the coming of the Community to the U.S. at the same time as Susan joined... this year there are 4 American girls that are postulants in the Community! We will meet them and their parents on the same weekend that we are invited to come and see Hallel - the 3 days following Thanksgiving. Of course, we long to see our daughter and for our family to come together in force, but it is such an answer to prayer to know that the beauty of their prayer life and representing Christ knocking on the door of the Poor - the call is now being answered by other young people in our country, and to know of the little monastery - the Light of Christ - that is being built in the heart of our country! Lord, we know that you long to bring our country out of the culture of death/darkness into your LIGHT!
The chapel part of the monastery going up a few weeks ago! If you want to follow the progress... here is the link to their site
WE are super excited to go and see first hand when we gather with Hallel to celebrate our family Thanksgiving, and thanksgiving it will be!!!! Lord, we thank and praise you for the wonders we are allowed to witness through our daughter's answer to your call! We are blessed with this Dominican shoot which embraces the sacrificial LOVE of the Lamb! "Wounded, we do not cease to Love." is the words they live by, and we all know how terribly hard it is to not be protecting ourselves, when we get hurt, but rather to LOVE and forgive. The Saints truly show us how to live in this way, and they certainly are interceding for us when we look to them for help and example. "Nothing can bring us into close contact with the beauty of Christ himself other than the world of beauty created by faith and light that shines out from the faces of the saints, through whom his own light becomes visible." Pope Benedict XVI This is a feastday for all of us! Today I am very blessed by my Saints - Luke and Barbara, who are among those praising and celebrating the JOY of heaven and sharing it with me here on earth! Jesus, I am yours and I love you with my total LIFE and LOVE! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Halleluia
Bless-bless, Barb
The update on Patrick is that he is continuing to do amazing. He went to see his pediatrician, who used to work with NICU, and she was amazed to see how well he is doing and continues to be a shining LIGHT and Lamb! When some hear of his beginning - they are totally shocked to know that he was that close to death just weeks ago! Thank you, Lord. I have asked Maria that now that I am not there that she attempt to update more often on her blog.
She promised me that she will try. I am especially excited to see pictures of her 3 for Halloween - they had the Robin Hood theme,and Patrick had a green vest and hat to be Little John! Hopefully sometime today, but I will leave you with the 4 that are closeby for now
Grandpa too...
Just had to include a view of our newly renovated Church!
This stirring sharing was on the back of the Columbia magazine, which the Knights of Columbus puts out every month. It is a young girl, Sr Cecilia Ross, Novice, Sisters of St Joseph the Worker, Walton, KY
"It is a sad fact that many people believe that religious sisters have given up love because they have given up marriage. This is simply untrue. In fact, love brought me to religious life. The more I come to realize teh infinite love that God has for me, the more I want to return that love to him.
St Augustine wrote to consecrated virgins, 'Let Him who was fastened to the Cross be securely fastened to your hearts.' It is impossible to follow a religious vocation without the love for Christ that flows from a deep relationship with him through prayer.
My time of formation has only confirmed and strengthened my desire to commit myself totally to Christ. For those considering a religious vocation, remember that he who calls you is LOVE."
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