"I am the Way, the Truth and the LIFE."Jesus in John 14

Remembering all the prayers and the great need - PATRICK!

Today we are rejoicing without end, as we celebrate hearing that Patrick's EEG showed us what we all knew- He is a healthy boy in every way, and his brain has been healed!  We are so excited to thank and give the glory to the Lord... all those prayers by so many were answered - Jesus showed us that his words to us are something we can cling to from this day forward... He truly gives us LIFE without end!  Through our Catholic Church we are given all we need to find that healing through the sacraments of reconcilliation, annointing of the sick, given the food of LIFE - His Body and Blood, and that glorious Baptism, which Patrick and I shared in the midst of NICU at 1a - hours after his birth...I represented his FAMILY back generations bringing him into The Church for healing, and showing him the Way to go carrying his Most Cherished Cross and following Jesus!  All knowing that the Truth is what we depend on to see us through the storms of LIFE.  "Mom, this is the storm and Jesus is in control."  Hallel spoke these words to us at the beginning of our journey called cancer/healing/seminary with our 20 year old son, John Patrick!  Yes, John and Patrick share the name of their grandpa/dad, and they both know that is a powerful handle to be blessed with!  Little 6 1/2 month old Patrick even has the large hands and feet that his grandpa has.  Stamped with those things shared with his grandpa makes us all smile with great delight.

Looking at the pictures of that month I spent there with Maria and her family... the beauty of faithful prayer and worship prevail!  After Jesus tells us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the LIFE today... his next words are this - "No one comes to the Father except through me."  This is so evident in the month of Patrick and the lives that Maria and her family live.  They truly know that they look to Jesus for all that they do, say, live, and believe.  Patrick did not make us question our faith, but brought us more to our knees!  We with total faith and hope placed Patrick in the Lord's loving and forgiving arms, and our prayers were answered!  How I loved to see my beloved Venerable Thomas a'Kempis (471) quoted today - he was huge for me in my early Catholic days - if you can get a chance read Imitation of Christ! 

"Follow me.  I am the Way, the Truth, and the LIFE.  Without the Way there is no going.   Without the Truth, there is no knowing.  Without the LIFE, there is no living.  I am the Way which you follow, the Truth which you must believe, the Life which you must hope.  I am the inviolable Way, the infallible Truth, the unending LIFE.  I am the Way that is straight, the supreme Truth, the LIFE that is true, the blessed, the uncreated LIFE.  If you abide in my Way you shall make you free, you shall attain LIFE everlasting."  (in·vi·o·la·ble (n-v-l-bl) adj.

1. Secure from violation or profanation: an inviolable reliquary deep beneath the altar.
2. Impregnable to assault or trespass; invincible: fortifications that made the frontier inviolable.)  I don't know about you, but "inviolable" was a new word for me and now I think it is a wonderful word, too!

The Cathedral of St Patrick's just blocks from the hospital in which Patrick defied all odds, and recovered, and went home from NICU... our haven of prayer and the graces of our Church - in our amazing True Church we find all that we need to be healed and brought to eternal LIFE!

El Paso is largely Hispanic area as there is a twin city Juarez that is Mexico, and the border between our countries goes through the center of town!   Of course, the Patronness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe, is there surrounded by LOVE in the form of beautiful flowers, and many heartfelt prayers to our Spiritual Mother.  She is pregnant with Christ - the black ribbon around her shows this to us!  How we can place Patrick in her loving arms as the symbol of LIFE, and the respect for all LIFE!  "A person's a person no matter how small."  Horton the Elephant had it right no!

Jesus, we look at the beauty and Truth of Patrick and his healing.  We hear so many times that he should have been a vegetable, and we are so filled with gratitude for his healing!  He will always know that it was prayer and Jesus with His Bride, The Church, at His side... that brought new LIFE and everlasting LIFE to our precious little Lamb, Patrick!  Your Truth is there for all to see with their own eyes... a beautiful happy healthy 6 1/2 month boy being raised in the Faith, and always looking to the Truth that will set us free!  The beauty of Your Church gives us the hope we need in the midst of the storm to know that you are in control!  Your first words to us today in the the Gospel in John 14..."Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You have faith in God; have faith also in me..."  At times this is so hard to do, when we are there and see the heartbeat stop, and know that our precious grandson and daughter, Maria, are in terrible danger... the words of Romans 8 which were read at mass just days after Patrick's birth caused Maria and I to be in tears - how we experienced this...

^{22 "}We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God." 
The version we heard expressed that feeling of wordless groaning as "inexpressible groanings" how true that was for me as I fell on my knees, with my hands raised to Jesus, in the agony of fear, and attempts at Faith, and giving it to Jesus... as they wheeled Maria on her hands and knees on the bed, and no heartbeat from Patrick!  I have never felt such impossibility to pray with words just inexpressible groanings!!!!   You know our hearts and minds, and souls, O Lord!  You know them better than we do ourselves!   Our prayers come to you more perfect and truthful if we just allow YOU inside of us, and fall on our knees before the altar in our inner temple.  You LOVE us with unconditional LOVE and forgiveness.  All we need do is lay our burdens at your feet, and ask for your forgiveness in the confessional.  We are so blessed by all the Truth that surrounds us in Your Church!  Jesus, we are Yours now and forever.  May we give without counting the Cost.  Jesus, come into our domestic Church/family and dwell there no matter what the storms of LIFE may hold for us.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb
That Holy place within is no less wonderful than this....
"If you wish to enter into LIFE, keep my commandments.  If you will know the Truth, believe in me.  If you will be perfect, sell all.  If you will be my disciple, deny yourself.  If you will possess the blesed LIFE, despise this present LIFE.  If you will be exalted in heaven, humble yourself on earth.  If you wish to reign with me, carry the cross with me.  For only the servants of the Cross find the LIFE of blessedness and true LIGHT."  Venerable Thomas a'Kempis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXaPwHPqJi4  Danielle Rose singing I am wonderfully made - Psalm 139!!  Watch it and marvel at the beauty of LIFE . 
And Jesus may the taking of innocent LIFE in the atrocity of abortion come to an end.  Save LIVES this day, O Lord!