Mary and Rose watercoloring together. I am sending a letter with pictures of Dominic and the latest news from the family to Hallel. Mary made a painting for her. She divided it in half and told me that the one side is the parable of the seed on rocks, thistles, and good soil. I shared with her that it had just been the reading the day before, and recently we heard it at mass on Sunday too. She worked long and hard on it, and it was most wonderful. The other side is her aunt, Little Sister Hallel, with Mary sharing the sacraments, and the Lamb, and the JOY represented by lots of flowers. She worked on this for a very long time and it represents lots of thought in her young spiritual LIFE!
I was intrigued to read the drops of rain coming down on the good soil with the healthy green and the beautiful flower... God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit! The rocks have a dead plant on top of them and the thorns have choked out the plants and there is nothing growing there! This is a true work of art for an 8 year old girl to send to her Aunt Susan/Little Sister Hallel, who is a bride of Christ in France!
John is back from his week at the boys camp for our Diocese that took place at Schoenstatt camp on the Lake in Sleepy Eye. We are in the midst of picking up hundreds of bales and so things are busy and hectic around here. John and I squeezed in morning prayer and small window of visiting before we rushed out of here. He gave his talk yesterday morning at camp, and I asked him how that went. It was supposed to focus on chastity... "Did you share about your brain cancer?" "Yes, I spoke about humility so that is largely all tied into that." "I thought you were talking about chastity." "It was pretty well covered by the other talks, but I noticed that some were pretty full of themselves so I thought this was needed." "What do you share about when you talk about your finding humility through brain cancer... How dad used to have to help you walk, and go to the bathroom?" "Yes, but also how before I was so cocky and self-absorbed. I told them that when someone gives you a complement that you should simply say 'thankyou' and not go into a big explanation of why you don't deserve it." "False humility?" "Kind of. I have learned that it is really hard to just say "thankyou.' "
It is the feast of St James today - happy feast day dear brother, James - the Gospel is the story of the mother of James and John coming to Jesus and asking for one to sit on his right and one on his left in Heaven. Talk about pride and selfishness in the face of our Faith... She is told that it is quite the opposite in the walk of our Christian life - "Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus to the mother of two of his apostles in the inner circle and to all those gathered around including the other 10 apostles, who were indignant to the two apostles and their mother for asking for special treatment. What kind of special treatment did they get? Reminded that they will suffer for Christ and give of their lives for him and be looked down upon... yes, the first time I heard the litany of humility, I thought - How can anyone pray for this... it is too hard? Here is Danielle Rose singing it... From her "I Thirst" Album an she shared that the Missionaries of Charities - Blessed Teresa of Calcutta's order - prays this prayer weekly!
Danielle Rose - Litany of Humility
The inside of Mary's card - This is Dominic!
Jesus, We are so often reminded in life as we are served a piece of humble pie to eat that we are nothing without you. May we die to self so that you may live in us and may your Spirit dwell in us! We are reminded often as we embrace our Most Cherished Cross and are surprised by those hard times that this is where LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT is to be found. All we need do is look to You and how we have been given LIFE through your Cross... and the remember that you have told us that we are called to do likewise. May we ask for and embrace the most important virtue of them all... humility! A saint when asked what are the 3 most important virtues - "Humility, humility, and humility." May we welcome this Truth and follow You. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
"Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing."
Psalm 126 - the Psalm from mass today
Lord, driving amid the towering corn and beautiful bean fields as we pick up bales - send us rain, please O Lord, we can really use it after weeks without rain.
A beautiful green ocean with waves!
Danielle Rose - The Saint that is just me
Sainthood is impossible without Christ being our all!
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