The big event in town last night - The Chrism mass with John is clerical garb as well as most of the priests of our diocese and all the seminarians . I think that I counted 6 seminarians from the New Ulm Diocese! Wow! John carried the Cross in the procession, and that just seems familiar and welcome. I loved this picture when I got a chance to look at it today! It really is so appropriate for John to be carrying the Most Cherished Cross. It has become a thing of great beauty and grace in John's life as he shared so openly in his article in the Prairie Catholic - http://dnu.org/news/documents/JAN.2013MASTERISSUE.pdf . The week after he half-heartedly prayed for Faith - brain cancer struck and has formed the new and improved John Patrick Augustine Verly! A friend from the Handmaids asked if John had hurt his foot as he seemed to be limping as he carried the cross last night. "No, that is his ataxia from the cancer. This is the new John." So true!
He poses for mom, and it is a gift!
One of these icy days that we have been having with this endless winter - John called me from seminary to tell me that he had just fallen on the ice for the second time that day. His balance has been altered as well as his use of his left leg and hand/arm. When we were there visiting the seminary in February, and walking over to breakfast - some of his seminary brothers watched out for him by telling him to be careful on some big patches of ice on the sidewalk. John is now mildly handicapped, and that is just the new John. Thankfully he usually lands on his bottom, and is not hurt as he knows that he needs to be slow and cautious. It has been interesting to see that John can continue to be in plays and act. He is currently in a play written by a fellow seminarian - it is the first acting he has done since the conversion life-altering cancer/healing/seminary. He was told that due to his physical limitations that he could not be considered for the lead, but he is the man's father in the play. It was a great thing for him to be able to once again include this big part of his life in the new version of John Verly's Amazing LIFE - acting/speech was John's shining moments growing up, and now we are going to see how the new John does with this God-given Gift!
All the priests gathering for the procession behind John! John was very proud of the beautiful removations that have put our spectacular Church in the spotlight. "Our Church really is beautiful now!" It was a lot of money raised and a lot of work for Fr Paul, and we are so grateful that our church has been made to be as beautiful as it deserves to be. All of our children's sacraments happened in this church, and now our grandchildren too! Simon will have his first communion here in 5 weeks! Last night Ruth brought her 4 to see John and to witness this glorious Chrism Mass with the Bishop!
Little 4 year old David loves priests, so it was a sight for him to behold the dozens of priests around the Bishop for mass! David hugged a few too last night, but the one that he truly wanted to hug the most...
His Godfather, Uncle Johnny! He didn't want to let go of him. It was super cute to watch John glow with great loving appreciation that Ruth brought the kids out to see him on this special night!
It was great for David and the others to be there and watch John along with the other seminarians and all those priests - So awe inspiring to have the Church in this beautiful LIGHT of beauty and Truth! These last weeks of our Universal Church in Rome with all the coverage of our new Pope Francis. I know that we were wowed by it all, and it has been our prayers that many may come to the True Church as a result of the great beauty of all that makes up our Church - the sacraments, the Saints and the keys of Peter handed down from one Pope to the next! I even heard a reporter on CNN stating that there has been a succession in the Church from St Peter on up to Pope Francis today! If that isn't saying that this is The Church as Christ instituted it, and is His Bride,The Church... I was blown away!!! Thank you, Lord, and please use this time as a time of great conversion of those drawn to the Beauty and Truth of Your Church!
How glorious that John can model for his neices and nephews and the youth of our Church - the listening to the call and asking the Lord to show the path to a possiblity of being a priest or religious! Jesus, we are so blessed by so much beauty around us in the Catholic Universal Church! We marvel at the ways we "see" your glory and might with the eyes of Faith! There is so much that comes to us in each day through all the blessings of Truth, LIGHT and LOVE and LIFE! We are called to share that LIGHT with all those around us - especially those in our domestic Church/family. We know that you are showing John your Path as he carries his Most Cherished Cross called cancer/healing/seminary. Embracing our Cross we find LIFE, LOVE and LIGHT! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Halleluia
Bless-bless, Barb
Hymn from morning prayer
"Take up thy cross, the Savior said,
If thou wouldst my disciple be;
Deny thyself, the world forsake,
And humbly follow after me.
Take up thy cross, let not its weight
Fill thy weak spirit with alarm;
His strength shall bear thy spirit up,
And brace thy heart and nerve thine arm.
Take up thy cross and follow Christ,
Nor think til death to lay it down;
For only he who bears the cross
May hope to wear the glorious crown."
"I turned every way, but there is no one to help me, I looked for one to sustain me, but could find on one. But then I remembered the mercies of the Lord... I called out: O Lord, you are my father, you are my champion and my savior; Do not abandon me in time of trouble, in the midst of storms and dangers." Sirach 51:7-10
Lights to the world!!!
Leaves on the Easter Tree!!! The Cross becomes the Tree of LIFE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlh6_5znn7U Francesca Battistelli Lead me to the Cross
He LIVES!!! We gain strength from the Cross and promise of NEW LIFE!
Pat smiling with the "The Men Crew" out in the cold caring for the cows and calves. Lord, please give us warm weather! Spring is due right?
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