Dropping off Rose after picking her up from preschool... Ruth surprised us with lunch all ready to share on a beautiful day! This morning Pat left at 5:45a for his men's gathering. He returned to be relaxed and spend some quality couple time with me including prayer and breakfast. So unexpected and wonderful after day after day of so much on his plate. Usually the unexpected over the last couple months has been that my plans are altered by all the hustle and bustle on the farm. No wonder I love the early winter time when things slow down.
St Catherine of Siena today reminds us of the Gospel message that we need to be good stewards - following the example of the dishonest steward only in the way that we need to pursue relentlessly our arrival in heaven someday by dying to self so that Jesus may live and do His work through us! For you know well that life, health, wealth, honor, status, dominion - none of these belongs to you. If you did, you would own them in your own way. But just when we want to be healthy we are sick; just when we want to be alive we die; just when we want to be rich we are poor; just when we want to have power we are servants. And all this because these things are not ours, and we can keep them only as much and as long as it pleases the one who lent them to us. So it is really foolish to hold as it were our own what belongs to another... That is why I am asking you to act wisely, as a good steward, holding everything as lent to you who have been made God's steward. St Catherine of Siena (1380)
"Nancy, Look I am writing you a letter... aren't you impressed? Well, you better be because both you and I know how often this happens. I am writing to tell you now extremely excited I am about your engagement to Bill. I have to admit, when I got the news I wasn't really shocked but that night as it sunk in during adoration and the next day during mass I was so happy. My heart overflowed with joy for you. How beautiful to know that you have found your... most cherished cross. While I have never had the experience of being married, from what I hear is that he will truly be your cross. But not your cross as human eyes look at it, as a thing to run away from, as a thing of torture but rather as that which is truly the tree of life. It is only when clinging to the cross that one can truly live, it is the source of all life and of all love. Your marriage to Bill will be this, not something to run away from when it gets hard and when it hurts, but something to hold tight to, especially when it hurts because it is in this that you will find life and love. Know that it is through your marriage that Jesus wants to show you his great love for you and also that the best example that you can give to the world of Christ's love is a marriage lived in truth. So, in other words, know that I am so happy for you and that I love you a whole lot. Know that you are in my prayers during this crazy time of wedding planning; that you may not go crazy but rather learn to love each other better and that you may both have great joy and great peace. Remember to pray for me too! God Bless, Your little Sister Hallel "
Each day we know of Hallel's prayers for us. She is now praying for Nancy's 5th child in the womb!
Jesus, may we strive always to come to you! How do we manage that? By not allowing anything to come between us and to know that all is yours not ours! Even our lives and our health and our all! We need to thank you each day and be good stewards of what we have been given to use and care for in this life. Most especially those in our families/domestic Church! No, we do not possess them, but we are called to be open to LIFE and to raise LIGHTS for your kingdom! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
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