"Taste and see the goodness of the Lord...His praise shall ever be in my mouth." Psalm 34 from the readings today
Today marks a very special day for me. It marks the 36th anniversary of my best friend Marge Verly's wedding in 1977! It was a very hot day that year and I traveled down here to Marshall on a bus to attend her wedding. I was pretty naive to think that I could stay at the farm as a guest, when they have a huge family of 10 children that all were wanting to stay in their home with their parents! They never made me feel that way at the time - they made room for me and were most loving and gracious, but now looking back I see that it was kind of a dumb thing that I did. But by being there I was more visible to Pat's mom of my Catholic ways, and Pat tells me that she pointed out to him that a good Catholic girl, such as myself, could be just what he needed. I guess the fact that I went out to sunbath with my rosary and two piece swimsuit also made a forever impression on him. So, although I imposed thoughtlessly on the family at this big time... I see that the Holy Spirit used it to bring Pat and I together and a year later becoming man and wife! Pat became my Most Cherished Cross, and daily we administer the Sacrament of Matrimony to each other. On the way home from our planning session we were discussing the sacraments that we can use daily in our lives in The Church... of course, we mentioned the Eucharist as most important and LIFE giving, and also reconcilliation, but we did not mention that the Sacrament of Matrimony is that also for us that are called to marriage! "Look to Him that you may be radiant with JOY, and your faces may blush with shame. When the poor called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress he saved him. Taste and see the Goodness of the Lord." Psalm 34 blesses us this day in the mass!
Little Rose was so sweet at her aunt's wedding! She is a version of me as a child as well as my girls... so special to have the LIFE continue with such warm memories! Today the Gospel is the Beatitudes in all their beauty and Truth for us to live by each day. They are good to ponder and pour over, so I will add them here...
5" Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.The Beatitudes He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Matthew 5: 1-12
The thing about the Beatitudes is that they are speaking to us when we are weak and in need! It is when we turn to God in our lives. We all know that when things are going along without a hitch in our lives that we kind of forget God, because we are doing just fine on our own, thank you very much. Hallel reminded me of this when I was saying that I was so weak when I had my hip replaced. "Mom, when we are weak is when we turn to Jesus." Yes! That is what I always want to be weak and needing HIM! Even the one about being pure in heart... what do we have to accomplish this? We deny our selves and live LIFE with the help of the Spirit following the narrow Path called LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! I look at Hallel and her Community that spends their days in contemplative prayer and works actively on their purity of heart... with every moment of every day, with every breath that they take, and every beat of their heart. What a reminder of our need to be small, weak and lowly/poor to find Jesus blessing us and giving us the graces to be all that we can be - LIGHT to the world!
Jesus, we embrace our Most Cherished Cross/The Tree of LIFE this day and always as we follow after YOU. We are weak and lowly and poor, and that means that we cannot do it alone - we need YOU and your Holy Spirit to find the strength to face all that comes to us in our days. We are yours alone, and long to rid ourselves of all that distracts us from the journey called FAITH/FAMILY/FARM - LOVE/LIFE/LIGTH! Jesus, we are so filled with wonder and awe at the ways that YOU are at work in our lives. Lord, I love you and long to have YOU always guiding and directing me. Your Church is there always for us to find the Truth. I trust in all that the Church holds out to me without reservation. Jesus, I trust in YOU. Amen and Halelluia
Bless-bless, Barb
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage thsoe who are in any affliction with the encouragement we ourselves are encouraged by God. For as Christ's sufferings overflow to us, so through Christ does our encouragement flow. If we are afflicted, it is for your encouragment and salvation; if we are encouraged, it it for your encouragement, which enables you to endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is firm, for we know that you also share in the encouragement." 2 Cor 1: 1-7 The first reading in mass today - St Paul speaks of our ability to find Christ always there to carry us in our weakness and help us on the narrow Way!
Simon Patrick - a shining LIGHT!
"Jesus is in my heart." Simon after receiving his second Communion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiypaURysz4 Holy Now by Peter Mayer
My champion for LIFE - "The world needs LIGHTS! Patrick Verly at our engagment weekend 35 years ago! Yes, we married 14 months after meeting at his sisters wedding today 36 years ago. I talked to Pat a little while ago- he remembers that the corn was knee high on that date as well as all the ditches were baled that summer... much warmer than this one! Lord, we need heat units now for the crop - turn up the heat, please!
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