"The whole world stands in awe..." Psalm 65

Yes!  The sun was shining brightly on the statues on the deck along with the glorious crystals of ice due to the unseasonal cold weather this morning!  John is talking to Hallel in Kansas City now.  We just called to see if she had arrived here safe and sound, and discovered that she has been in the U.S. for two weeks.  We teased her that we were heading down there for Holy Week with the community, but truly I am working the weekend at the nursing home.  They are discussing how much they like our new humble Pope Francis.  Hallel told John that he will have a mass at a prison for the prisoners on Holy Thursday rather than in a huge church as the two previous pope had done.  "She really likes Pope Francis - he is for the poor and so is the Community of the Lamb."  So true!  It really is good to look out in the cold frozen world and to see Mary, the Mother of God, with a shorter more humble Francis at her side with the blazing sun on them this morning!  So much a visual of the status of our amazing Church - Mary there as our Spiritual Mother and the amazing Christ-like St Francis alos interceding and showing us how to embrace poverty.  Because as Simon sees so clearly... God is better than money, and that is why Susan/Hallel is poor!  We all should embrace that!  John was saying that we will never have "nice" things in our home because of all the kids/now grandkids that fill it..."That is what we want... kids not stuff!"  What is truly important after all? 

Lord, we are filled with awe as we look at the ways that you are at work in this world of lies and darkness!  We see the bright LIGHT of YOU, O Lord.  It shines on all that is Truth and LIFE, LOVE, and LIGHT!  There is no doubt where YOU are to be found, as we look to the LIGHT.  The Cross, which you embraced as God made man, has now become the Tree of LIFE!  We see the fruit which comes to us from that Tree/Cross.  "By their fruits you will know them." Matthew 7:16  How often do we see this?  We see the fruits of a beautiful large family - those that are open to LIFE and their children are given siblings rather than stuff and things!  So beautiful to see!  On the other hand we see the sad lack of fruit in those that have listened to the lies of Satan.  So hard. Lord, help us to reach out to those around us and share your LIGHT.  As ST Francis said -"Share the Gospel and when necessary use words!"  May our living our lives in YOU share your LIGHT with all those in our lives, especially those in our domestic Church/family.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

"Who, being in very nature[a] God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father."
Philippians 2:6-11