"You will be with me in paradise..." Jesus on the Cross

David telling mom to hurry down to the KC French toast breakfast while she visits with an old school friend after mass.  Our newly remodeled Church - now with a gathering space where the treacherous outside steps used to be - today they would have been cold with blasts of wind and icy steps to contend with... we take such joyful pride in our wonderful beautiful and comfortable church!  How I love to take pictures with the Church showcasing Family time combined with our Faith at mass each week!  Luke is now a week from his Baptism and seems comfortable in his beautiful Church. 

Rose missed her dad after he was gone for a few days, so she gave him lots of kisses during mass and did not want to leave his lap and arms!  Grandpa could only watch and wish that she would come to sit with him, but dad who she wanted today. 

Coming out into our wonderful gathering space!  How we are happy to have this place to share and enjoy the Community/Family of Faith that we have just shared the banquet of Heaven and Earth together!  Simon was sitting next to me and trying very hard to pay better attention to the mass today... as the "Holy, holy" I leaned over and reminded him to sing along with us - I wanted to add that he was being joined by all the angels and Saints of Heaven as we all were to fall on our knees before the KING of Heaven and earth - the Universe!  It is a little hard to express that adequately to a 9 year old boy, who has only been receiving Communion/Eucharist for 6 months!  I could have added that at that time we are also united with Hallel in France and all those throughout the world that are partaking of the Heavenly Banquet of LIFE!  That would have required much more explanation and probably he would have only been confused by it all!  For me it is such a wonderful powerful Truth to know that we are together through Christ and His Body and Blood - poured out for us on the Cross and taking all our sins away, and saying to us repentant sinners - "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."  Luke 23: 35-43  The Beautiful Gospel for today - Jesus is the Word of LIFE, and that is one powerful time that I am reminded of Hallel at the mass - the presentation of the Gospel and reading of the Gospel!  When the Hallelujah is sung while Fr holds up the Word - Hallel always has her hands up in praise and the hugest smile to LIGHT up her face - showing her LOVE for HIM in his Word!  That has changed me and shown me how much she loves her spouse there... she has said that this is what brought her to the Community of the Lamb - they "chew"/mendicate the Gospel starting the night before - they repeat it and meditate upon it and take it into themselves as they carry the Word out into the world as they beg for their food from the poor! 

Down for a family breakfast with 4 generations!  Luke seems to know that this will be his home of Faith as it was for the 3 generations ahead of him - so blessed to have him here to share this 94 years after the great-grandmother that is holding him!

John called to share that he too had a special benefit breakfast after mass in Jackson this morning - "It was for a couple, who both have cancer!  I didn't get to speak to them as it was so busy, but I did bid on some memorabilia they were auctioning off of the Twins!"  John shared about how he really enjoyed meeting people and sharing mass in his new community today.  So good to have that sacred bond with all those we encounter, and that familiarity of mass being the same wherever you go.  All the readings are the same from the mud hut in some poor country church to St Peter's in Rome!  Today with the second reading being from St Paul to the Colossians... so amazing!  We have so much to ponder form the Word with the reading from the OT, the psalm, the second reading from the New Testament and then the Crown from the Gospel! 

On this feast of Christ the King of the Universe, these words from St Paul

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions of principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.  He is the head of the Body, The Church.  He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent.  For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven."  Colossians 1:12-20

 

Jesus, we do know that thanks to YOU and the glorious sacrament we have received this day - Your Body and Blood in the Heavenly Meal of Heaven and earth - we are indeed blessed with a small slice of paradise here on earth!  May we in turn share without judging or counting the cost with all those that we encounter in our lives - Most especially those in our domestic Church/family!  It seems that those are the closest to we treat the worse.  Why, when they are the ones we LOVE the most and have given our lives to LOVE and serve?  May the fruits of Your Spirit this day give us all we need to LOVE without counting the cost - "Wounded, I will not cease to LOVE."  Lord, this is the hardest thing we have to do, because when we have been hurt all we want to do is hurt back.  This leads to a cycle of hatred and anger and only makes the wound much worse and infected!  If we turn the hurt into an act of LOVE and forgiveness - returning the mercy that has bee shown us... it ends and is transformed into the LIFE that we gain through embracing our Most Cherished Cross!  Today in the Gospel - although you were suffering so horrifically - you reached out in love to the penitent thief, and promised that he would dwell with you always in paradise!  May we fall on our knees and find that place of paradise and we forgive and show the mercy we have been shown by YOU.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

So true!  He never gives us on us!
http://www.faithit.com/atheist-heroin-addict-gets-schooled-on-power-of-prayer/#.UpE0ch3OwbE.facebook  This moved me very much!  It is from CBS news - Steve Hartman runs across a secret Santa, who goes around giving away $100 dollar bills without judgment of who they might be - deserving or not by human judgment - watch this and see how Jesus used this! 

I LOVE this so much!  Luke basking in the sun, attention good and negative - LIFE is this way and is a masterpiece of the most wonderful art called LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!

I just have to use Danielle Rose today as NCYC has come to an end - 23,000 youth have just had a life-changing encounter with Christ and his Bride, The Church!  May they come fully into Communion with the Body of Christ now and always!

Danielle Rose singing See You in the Eucharist - a song she wrote to those loved ones that would miss her when she entered the Monastery for about a year.  She discerned out - like our Maria did from the Poor Clares.  They both certainly considered a call to religious LIFE!

A week ago at Luke's baptism!

From Nancy's camera - so perfect!