Today is the Feast of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross/Edith Stein, who has become very big in my life a lot due to my mother's love for her and looking to her wisdom to inspire her writing. I have also realized that she is a patron Saint of Hallel's Dominican Community of the Lamb, as she powerfully speaks of The Cross and was sacrificed for the Love of Jesus and following in his example of embracing that Cross as she was gassed to death in the concentration camp!
Maria and Joseph fell to their knees when Patrick was born dead and brought back to life almost 5 years ago. Yes, those crosses in our lives bring us to desperate prayer as the control is not in our hands, but those of the Lord. 3 years before we had faced John's brain cancer, and realized that Jesus is in control in the midst of the storms of LIFE!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-story-of-little-lamb-grandson.html
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html
Reading about Edith today... I was struck by this simple experience which was hugely instrumental in her coming to faith from being an atheist! During this period she went to the Frankfort Cathedral and a saw a woman with a shopping basket going in to kneel for a brief prayer: "This was something totally new to me. In the synagogues and Protestant churches I had visited people simply went to the services. Here, however, I saw someone coming straight from the busy marketplace into this empty church, as if she was going to have an intimate conversation. It was something I never forgot."
How l love my time in adoration and also to just stop into the church and gaze upon the tabernacle or pray "intimately" with my Jesus! I would love to sit in by Jesus through Mary with the rosary beads in my hands ( It was thrilling to me to recall that I have St Dominic to thank for The Rosary and how huge that is in allowing me to pray without ceasing through my days!) I can so relate to this woman stopping in for a quick loving embrace from Jesus! As John just reacted to me sharing this - "Yes, Jesus is there in the tabernacle always!"
There are many distractions today... John and I did manage to do the office/morning prayer together in our "prayer corner." I apologize if this is disjointed, but I love the fact that this simple time of love and devotion to Jesus's presence changed Edith into a woman that gave her all for Jesus and brought her into The Church with a powerful "yes" to religious life!
"When night comes, and retrospect shows that everything
was patchwork and much that one had planned left undone,
when so many things rouse shame and regret, then take all as is,
lay it in God's hands, and offer it up to Him.
In this way we will be able to rest in Him, actually to rest
and to begin the new day like a new life." - St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
Love it when I beds are full of grandkids!
Jesus, I love you and long to spend my day with you alone. You are in control! Jesus, we trust in you. Bless-bless, Barb
“To live the Eucharistic life
means to exit the narrowness
of one’s own life...
in order to grow
into the infinity of Christ’s life.”
St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
(Edith Stein)
Germany ~ 1891-1942
Philosopher
Convert from Judaism - Carmelite nun
Martyr at Auschwitz
Patroness of Martyrs
Feast Day - August 9
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