Another big day of canning with 2 pails brimming with tomatoes for Nancy to do stewed tomatoes today. Finishing up the processing of our 120 quarts of applesauce started my day, along with the realization that today I gave birth to my 4th daughter, Susan Angela Agnes Verly - now called Little Sister Hallel. I know that she was induced 3 weeks early and weighed 2 pounds less than her siblings. That was a surprise and there were no high definition ultrasounds to give me things to worry about - like less blood to nourish her than the others or something like that. We do say that these days you know too much, and worry needlessly at times - although there can never be too many reasons for prayers. As soon as we know they are in the womb they are surrounded by prayers - that was true for my own and for the grandchildren! I know that my parents, too, pray for all LIFE that comes to our extended family! That is snowballing now with 5 new great-grandsons that they know of in this year! We were over 90 last year and now we will be closing in on 100 this year.
The Cross of the Community will become the Lamb when she takes her final vows in 5 years or so. All the nieces and nephews like to hold and put the cross in her mouth.
So happy Birthday dear Hallel - I am sure that there is a procession today with some candles and yummy dessert! It was great to read the mass psalm this day and then those in the morning office of readings with John - Hallel Psalms and Grand Hallel Psalm in mass today! They know that we are called to praise Our Lord to the highest heavens on this day of your birth!
Psalm 111
"I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart... Great are the works of the Lord, exquisite in all their delights. How great are the works of the Lord!"
Hallel with her Patron Saint from confirmation - while visiting her sisters, who studied in Rome, she chose, after much prayer and consideration - St Agnes! How powerful she has become to me since... many times I have shared the story of St Agnes and how she went to her death as a Bride goes to her wedding... after she had been put in a house of prostitution to try to break her vow of being a pure Bride of Christ - the only man to try to touch her was struck blind - she left there untouched! How we need to ask St Agnes to intercede for us as we are put in a house of impurity/prostitution in this world of darkness... we too can come through untouched and pure!
This amazing story surrounds the statue that one of the lay people in the Community made of St Agnes missing her hand...
"In these latter times, after the nuclear explosion in Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, in the ruined Catholic cathedral, where nothing is recognizable, your statue is found, little St Agnes, laying facedown on the ground: you protect the Lamb upon your heart.
When you are raised up, your right hand excepted, your statue is whole and the Lamb intact. The symbol in such circumstances proclaims the victory of Divine Tenderness: the Lamb and those who bear him upon their hearts, behold, they are victorious 'today,' even over nuclear fire, hatred and death through the Love of God poured forth in their hearts." from the mass of dedication of the Little Monastery on the feastday of the Exultation of the Cross
Well, it is now some hours later with clothes on the line, processing jars of stewed tomatoes, changing diapers, eating lunch and the constant job of moving stuff to make room for 30 more jars of tomatoes today. There was also taking David to preschool, and chopping and freezing peppers that came out of a discussion of how the peppers are good this year, and although we took half a pail to the Community over the weekend - we still had about 1/3 a pail today. We have been watering about once a week, so we are getting abundance from our garden. But for the big picture - we have not had rain to speak of for months! Every morning Pat's first prayer request is for "bountiful rain." So dry - the crops have long died and what we get is what we get!
Hallel and Pat just 3 days apart in celebrating their birthdays!
Jesus, bless Hallel on this day that brought her into the world. I always remember that it is also the day that Clare Marie was born in France, and I pray for her with Hallel each day. Clare Marie is the sister of one in the Community, who almost died in a horrible car accident leaving her very debilitated in a wheel chair- I pray every day that Clare Marie can forgive the woman in the other car, who took her life as a normal person away. So happy birthday today to Sue's twin, Clare Marie! Hallel's Goddaughter, Therese, in El Paso called and talked to her Godmother today on the phone. That is so nice about having her here in the U.S., although reaching her by phone in France is usually quite easy too! Too much going on to really devote to this any longer. Word from Pat that another young man from our area is dying at this time from brain cancer. Jesus, we fall on our knees and beseech you to hold them in the palm of your hand. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-bless, Barb
Simon and Hallel - Simon's birthday in in 2 days, so these two share birthday hugs and JOY!
We just found out that Hallel is going to be in Marseille, France for this next year - It is right on the Mediterranean Sea, and they will be building a little Monastery there! It looks like a beautiful location - I included a map that you can check it out for yourself if you are interested - http://www.holidaysonlocation.com/images/rail/france-italy-map.jpg
Hallel and John - tonight John is giving a talk to the youth in Morgan, MN - about 50 young people, and focusing on Mary so he will share quite a bit about Lourdes starting with her wedding at Cana where Mary asked Jesus to perform the first miracle. His story continues to be powerful and we pray that many will be touched by his Faith journey!
Mary up with the Community and standing beside Hallel to experience a closer view of this huge day for Little Sister Inez.
Missing our El Paso family...
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