Tuesday, November 3, 2015

"Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer." Romans 12:12

Luke is s gem, but aren't they all!  Each morning Pat and I try to share morning prayer and it just feels so good and right to have lifted up each one of our family to Jesus, and Mary, and all the Saints - St Martin de Porres today, and to ask their guardian angel to watch over them.  Pat is very good about naming each one of our family of 22 with one in the womb.  We have found The Magnificat to be a good and easy to follow morning prayer and after the intentions it says - personal intentions - where we each take the time to pray out loud for all the needs. 
 
 I am very excited to have going to Adoration on my schedule (fake plan) this morning and placing each member of our families in the monstrance with Jesus - 106 with 3 new ones in the womb on my side, and almost 90 on Pat's side.  Does it get crowded in there?  Never there is infinite room in His LOVE!  I also name all the losses as they keep my eyes ever on heaven!  It warmed my heart to hear Nancy and Bill pray for their little one by name - Peter- when they shared night prayers with their children. 

 A special gift from Son-in-law Billy... a blessed icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe from her shrine in Mexico, and a special thankyou note from grandson, Patrick.  John and I counted the images of Our Lady and Jesus in our family room/kitchen - over 40 of each!  Not much doubt of our LOVE for Jesus, Mary the Mother of God and The Church!

I am so excited!  I just checked Maria's blog and there are pictures from NC!  Here is a great family picture from a zoo trip recently!  It is so good to see them as I recall this verse from my time with them in El Paso for the birth of Patrick...  Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Romans 12:12  That so spoke to our experience of praying Patrick through his traumatic birth with HOPE...

This painting reminded us of St Paul's words that we were in the midst of living out!  Our prayers were answered for our little Lamb, Patrick!  With each day we are called upon to live out these words in our lives.  There have been many reminders lately to look at all the good in our lives and not dwell on the negative.

Wonderful happy answer to Prayer - Patrick today!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-story-of-little-lamb-grandson.html

One more zoo picture with Patrick's classic squinty smile.  I love it!  If there ever was a role-model for the saying - love hurts...

Such a powerful first reading today from Romans12!  Paul speaks about how we are all One Body in Christ with differing gifts.  I really see this with my kids, and how we each help one another with our gifts.  We are stronger and wiser and kinder and more generous and can teach and can minister with health problems and can pray one for the other and share His Word and His Saints... we are a better whole by sharing our pieces towards the Good! 
Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.  Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer... Bless those that persecute you. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.  Have the same regard for one another do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.
Jesus reminds us in the parable in the Gospel today that we need to not find excuses for coming to Him when he calls us!   Our life is full of good reasons to get busy with ourselves and forget about those in our lives that look to us to join in their weeping and their rejoicing and their praying and their serving without counting the cost and all the ways we are asked to share one with the other in The Body of Christ/The Church most especially in our domestic Church/family!  Stop what we are doing - they are only fake plans after all - and answer "yes" to those that call upon us! 
 
Jesus, may we always look to you in all that we do.  May we turn away from evil and selfishness and come into the LIGHT in our lives.  May we always be hopeful and not become discouraged with those hard things we are called to face each day.  May we endure in affliction and find our way down the narrow path carrying/dragging our Most Cherished Cross and following after you.  How?  By persevering in prayer at all times!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke and Bernadette Anna
Feeling nostalgic today - Thomas A Kempis was huge for me as a new Catholic - my nun years! 
"This is how one loves."  Maria places this beside a crucifix to remind us to LOVE like this... die to self so that LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT may reign in our lives!
Unspoken - Start a fire
Danielle Rose - True LOVE!  The Cross! 
She will be here in concert on Dec 5th!  Can't wait!
Natalie Grant - Burn Bright

Patron Saint of reconciliation!  Come and lay your burdens at the feet of Jesus and find true freedom to love and serve without counting the cost!

No comments:

Post a Comment