Come Our Universal Redeemer Always Giving Everlasting - LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!

 Reading a sharing on caringbridge this morning by a some good friends, who have been at Mayo for almost a month now in a battle against Leukemia.  They described their walks through the tunnels to mass each day at St John the Evanglist's chapel!  John and I would frequently do this in our month there for his stem cell, which started 4 years ago just about now.  We spent the month of January and into Feb in our little yellow house, as John underwent his final bomb dropped on his brain cancer - a stem cell transplant - using his own stem cells harvested a few weeks before.  Being the "rock star" that he is - it only took one try to get the millions they needed!  One place that was very special to us was the Eucharistic chapel there just behind the chapel - there is not perpetual adoration, yet you can sit in front of this glowing glorious tabernacle and ponder the Christ within - taking COURAGE in the storm!

On the side wall is this image of our Lord!  I would watch daily as a woman after mass would stand and speak to Jesus and stroke his side with the LOVE of one, who intimately knows and shares all with her loving and forgiving LORD!  There is something so stark and real about this image without arms and missing a foot... It speaks so much of his total LOVE for us as we are reminded today by who else? St John the Evangelist in his first book - I John!  "God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.  In this love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence.... There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear..."  I John 4: 11-18 - the first reading for today!  Today I am drawn back to that cold winter sunny January in Rochester with John fighting the final battle for John's LIFE!  I remember how I would gaze at my 20 year old son, and marvel at the courage of David I would witness in him with all that he faced in that year!  It was obvious that the prayers surrounding him as was his family all around him and the realization that his half-hearted prayer for Faith had been answered - it all added up to him being fearless and brave and courageous in the face of the giant - brain cancer!  It was very powerful in those days 4 years ago when we read at mass the story of the ruddy youth David and his facing down the giant and killing him!  So it happened for John!  Today he called as his father and I were sharing morning prayer to remind us that he is speaking in Levenworth tonight, and asking for our prayers of support as he continues to share his story/journey/healing! " I will sing praises to you and not be silent." Psalm 30

Such power and might and the words from the Gospel today of Christ to us - "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!"  Truly the recognition of Christ is so evident as we fall on our knees and know that it is Christ - "My Lord and My God!"  We join St Thomas as we see his wounds and touch his flesh - in His Body and His Blood! 

Today in the Gospel we continue with Mark 6 just after feeding the 5,000!  Jesus sends them in a boat while he goes to the mountain to pray alone!  The waves are tossing them around, and Jesus is walking across the water - just to get to the other side in the dark.  Those in the boat see him and are terrified by the "ghost."  "He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.  They were completely astounded."  Mark 6  He assumed that after they had witnessed the miracle of feeding the 5,000 that they would not be surprised by any other indications He was God made man/miracles?  Yet, they did not understand and their hearts were hardened!  What can we gather from this?  That we must Trust in HIM no matter what we fear in this life!  I will always remember the first day of our journey with John and we were terrified beyond belief by the thought of our 20 year old son having a tumor in his brain!  We were on our way to Sioux Falls for an MRI, and stopped at home to call our other kids including Susan in France!  We got ahold of her, and she asked me if I remembered the Gospel for that day - Father's Day 2009 -"Yes, it was Jesus calming the storm."  "Mom, this is the storm and Jesus is in control."  Yes!  This was Christ standing up in the tossing boat and commanding the wind to "Be still!!!"  And it was!

On the anniversary of Roe vs Wade on Jan 22nd - an hour of adoration - a mother brought her 4 young daughters to pray and adore and reverence LIFE!  So beautiful!  Daily I found courage and sustenance here during our journey of cancer/healing!

 Jesus, may all see with eyes of Faith that LIFE is a gift to be cherished and protected at all costs!

The tunnels that were lit to show us the path to HIM! 

A book journal I read at this time...  Blessed Charles de Foucauld... Hallel introduced him to me, and described him as the Saint who accomplished nothing!  How humble does that make a man?  It doesn't get much lower than that, and this is what the Lord asks of us in the eyes of the world!  Even Jesus experienced this to the full extent when He although God was tortured, mocked and put on the Cross!  May we also embrace our Most Cherished Cross and find humility as we die to self and find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!

The crucifix from home that had been in the tree at the beginning of the Stations of the Cross which Maria made in our grove when she returned from the monastery after discerning for 5 months! It graced our little yellow house with the reminder of where all LIFE/healing comes!

Jesus, it is so powerful to be reminded of this most powerful time in our lives - fighting John's battle for his LIFE!  How we found COURAGE in the midst of the storm!  Come Our Universal Redeemer Always Giving Everlasting - LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!  How we discovered that YOU are in control and we need have no fear as the "ghost" of what could be fill our hearts, minds, and souls.  May we just recall the Life-giving food of Your Body and Blood that we are given each time we come to the table of Heaven and earth!  That is where we encounter your Real presence along with in your Word each day!  We are blessed and filled with Courage in the face of all!  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

 Bless-bless, Barb
“It is not necessary to teach others, to cure them or to improve them; it is only necessary to live among them, sharing the human condition and being present to them in love.”
― Charles de Foucauld

 

“Father of mine, I abandon myself to you, make of me that which is pleasing to you. Whatever you might do to me, I thank you.”
― Charles de Foucauld

    

“the one thing we owe absolutely to God is never to be afraid of anything. ”
― Charles de Foucauld

John with the armor of God to battle the enemy!!!

Ephesians 6:10-18

New International Version (NIV)

The Armor of God

¹⁰ F"inally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."

You can't get much more humble!

Danielle rose - the Litany of humility

The first time I read this - I thought who could actually pray for this?  Blessed Teresa's order does weekly!  I try to take a deep breath and do it now and then too!  Gulp!

Ooops that wasn't it!  Here we go...

 

Placing my hands and heart in that of my Spiritual Mother in her chapel and every moment of our journey - the rosary beads were my life-line!

 My little lady with her tender LORD and Savior!  Knowing HIM so intimately that it brought tears to my eyes watching her tender touch!

The Path leading to LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT - healing and newfound LIFE and Faith for John!

Casting Crowns - Praise You in the Storm!