"Come after me." Jesus to us

I am a sucker for a white fresh snowy landscape, and a softie for guardian angels - I believe in them and pray to them daily and know that they are watching out for my loved ones and myself, and love Our Lady, Queen of Heaven and earth... I love to gaze upon her silhouette under the tree in the snow in my Mary garden as you enter our farm yard.  I was drawn to the front picture window and truly it is that - it is like a framed picture of our prairie world outside.  I love to watch the seasons come and go and change from one day to the next.  Yesterday it was muddy and brown - today it has a white covering filling me with a sense of peace and calm and wonder at the world I am blessed to live in. 

Today in the Gospel Jesus reminds us that we are called to follow Him in our lives and to ask where he wants us, what he wants us to do, when we should die to self more and more so that He can live in us, how we can serve him more and more without counting the cost - most especially in our domestic Church/family, why we are clinging to sin and death when he has ransomed us from all that clings to us and keeps us from him?  So many swirling questions which we need only Trust and find either the doors opening or closing for us to show us where we are to go, what we are to do, how we are to serve, and when his timing and way and truth and LIFE is going to be revealed to us.  Yes, it is hard and humbling when it is shown to us by doors closing... much like the fishermen leaving their livelihood, nets and family to follow Jesus into the pressing and needy crowds!  Away from the boats and the sea - sitting on the mountainside listening to the mind blowing Gospel/Kingdom of God preached from the lips of a man, who is God... asked to feed the 5,000 there, who are hungry and needy and watching Jesus do this miraculously, being so overwhelmed by the hatred they see in the Pharisees and temple priests for this Man, so amazed by how the sick are healed, the possessed cleansed, the lepers made clean, the blind gain their sight, the lame go leaping and praising God, the dead are raised to new LIFE, listening to Jesus as he tells them to eat his flesh and drink his blood!  It is crazy to put ourselves in their shoes, but we too are asked to leave all and follow him!  Is he asking us to get a great job making lots of money and get that big house filled with stuff and maybe two kids if we get around to it... but no more than that, because then they couldn't have all the stuff we never had as kids (we just had many siblings), and if we had more than two we wouldn't be able to do all that fun stuff for us like vacations and getting a cabin and a boat and this toy or that?  Take a step back and look at this and realize the Truth... this is not what brings us happiness!  Leaving the world behind and placing Jesus and His Bride, The Church, first is, and there we will find happiness by dying to self so that Jesus can live and work and breath and work miracles through us!  Yes, we are still asked to have a family, house, job and all that, but if we place Jesus first in our lives it will all fall into place and be used to His honor and glory!

Jesus, it is a reminder for us to always look to You and care foremost for your call to us in our lives.  Where do we hear this?  Through the words of You in the Word of God to us, in the direction of our spouse/Most Cherished Cross in our lives, in the events that take place with doors opening and closing for us to go through or not, but using the Sacraments often and find you there to love and forgive and feed and heal and nourish and wash clean, and instruct in the Way the Truth and the LIFE, in being open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS by sharing our Faith with great JOY and excitement, but embracing all the dogmas and teachings of the Catholic Church without reservation, by loving and forgiving without counting the cost, by returning the Mercy to those around us- returning the Mercy we have been shown by our loving and forgiving Lord, Jesus Christ, by dying to self - getting all the distractions and sins out of the way so that we may be LIGHTS to all those in our midst... most especially those the closest to us in our domestic Church/family!  How can we not find our path or follow after You when you call us?  There really is no way that we can say we are lost and alone... we are surrounded by a Spiritual Army led by St Michael and Mary, Queen of Heaven and earth!  Jesus, we are yours now and forever!  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

My mentor in my early romantic Catholic days - Venerable Thomas A'Kempis!  If you want direction in the Christian LIFE get a copy of The Imitation of Christ!

So powerfully true!

Third Day - Mountain of God

Danielle Rose - True LOVE - embrace the Cross and find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT

Susan/Hallel listened to this song over and over before she left for the Community of the Lamb... it brings tears to my heart, mind and soul... and eyes too!