How deeply was I touched after Maria had left to join the Poor Clares on the Feast of The Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God on Jan 1, 2004... I walked into her 12 year old brother's room to find a small sign under the crucifix saying... "This is how one loves" So profound and it hit me deep in my heart as Total Truth!
How amazed I am by the ways that my kids have taken me ever deeper in my faith! Starting with each of the three oldest asking me to make a TEC retreat 17 years ago, until I could no longer say "no." I was forever changed and PRAYER became real and powerful from that time on... This was another moment in which my kids share their deep knowledge and wisdom on what we are called to live out in our faith journey with Jesus. Asking him to bring us into heaven forever with Jesus, Mary and all the amazing Saints! How? By following his extreme example of LOVE - taking up/dragging our Most Cherished Cross and dying to self!
" 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 "
Talk about a Holy Spirit moment from the heart and soul and mind of a daughter, who is a nun and speaks of her Spouse, Jesus, who has truly modeled for her that "This is how one loves" from his cross as she follows him by taking up her Most Cherished Cross!
Waiting for the next load of bales, and then I hope to have the most powerful hour of my week in Adoration with my Jesus. Life is distracting today, and not my own. This is the biggest way I am called upon to die to self... my plans are not my own, and are changed and altered on the fly. Take a big breath, paste a smile on my face, and ask that my heart may be softened with love... not always attained very easily with the impatience that fills me.
Lord, may I find your peace... I do find that if I grab my rosary beads and start praying that as I go along that the peace can come and I can serve without counting the cost! Jesus, I trust in you. Bless-bless, Barb
Before Hallel left to join the Community of the Lamb in France on 9/11/2008... she listened to this over and over in her car. When she left all behind, including her car, I listened to this beautiful song about finding love/the Cross and wept buckets of tears at the beauty of it! "This is how one loves!"
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