Mary appeared in Little Sister habit holding Max surrounded by our boys... now men... as Christopher would be 37 now, Thomas, who died with my sister Mary 32 years ago would be 32, Joseph and Paul, twins would have been 31, and William and Robert, two boys I carried 20 weeks and are buried side by side in the cemetery would be 28 and 26 and finally Mary, whom I had in 1994 would be 24, and was my last pregnancy. How I prayed that I could have one more to show the world without words that I hadn't quit when I finally had my boy! But not to be...Then Maria's two losses would be 6 and 7 and Nancy's Peter would be about 3 years old and Max, a newborn. Pat reminded me that maybe they don't age in heaven, but I guess we will see the answer to that...
Today being Good Friday and looking to our suffering Lord on the Cross which... he was obedient onto Death... brutal death on the Cross!
When Maria left to join the convent of the Poor Clares on New Years Day 2004/Mary the Mother of God... she left this small note under John's crucifix in his room. I discovered it a few days later when I was up there to make the beds and pick up, and the tears rolled at the power and majesty of these 5 words!
Just back from adoring the Cross and listening to and taking part in his passion... by laying my sins on his shoulders and adding to the weight of the Cross and pain of his suffering by my sins, and also in chiming in the words; "Crucify him!"
The amazing words beginning mass; "The Cross has become truly the Tree of LIFE!" Yes!!!
... So also the Lourdes candle on this special day of remembrance of my Most Cherished Cross, John' cross of brain cancer/healing, the cross of grandson, Patrick, the crosses I share with 2 of my daughters of loss through miscarriage and still birth... Through all of these we find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT and the Cross truly blossoms as the tree of LIFE!
Truly the words are the meaning of The Cross and suffering and death of the innocent perfect Lamb without blemish...
This is How One LOVES!
The tree silhouettes are such a thing of beauty this time of year with the sky lights, clouds, sun rising and setting through the branches!!! The snow laden fields of this late fall weather also a memory for Easter 2018! I couldn't resist using a John and Bobbi silhouette in front of the stain glass in Ghent church... it just fits and them swinging on the branches of the Cross, too! Needless to say John and Bobbi are a huge theme for us this Easter year ahead and past! Also a note of Thanksgiving for the gift of having Hallel here for the year in KC!
"Though he was harshly treated, he submitted
and opened not his mouth;
like a lamb led to the slaughter
or a sheep before the shearers,
he was silent and opened not his mouth.
Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away," Isaiah 52 the first amazing reading read all through the world at every Catholic Church- so powerful as we all fall on our knees this day!
GOOD FRIDAY
"His side was pierced as Adam's was; yet there came forth not a
woman who, being beguiled, was to be a death-bearer, but a
fountain of life that regenerates the world by its two streams:
the one to renew us in the baptismal font and clothe us with the
garment of immortality, the other to feed us, the reborn, at the
table of God, just as babes are nourished with milk."
Bishop Theodore of Cyr (15th century)
From the treatise: On the Incarnation of the Lord
Souls have all the same price,
which is that of the Precious Blood of Jesus."
Blessed Charles de Foucauld
"When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home." John 18-19
Yes, we are to bring her into our homes and she will help us have more peace, love, joy, kindness... in our families as she bears Christ to us!
Nancy shared a sweet story with me about Hallel's wedding day coming up on the Feast of Mary's Assumption to heaven/August 15th in France. Hallel had asked her to get her two pairs of sandals, and she has no idea what size she wears in American sizes.
Nancy said that for Nancy's birthday present(April 2nd), she wants to some day pick her up and take her to the mall shopping to pick out her sandals personally, and then go out for a hamburger together. "Well, I don't know about that." she said kiddingly "Susan you need to keep one of those sandals nice for your wedding day." "Yes, I had already thought that I needed to do that." "Mom, I can tell that she is happy and excited to be having her wedding to her LOVE, Jesus Christ!" So sweet!!!
My hero for LIFE and family!!!
On the Friday of the Lord's Passion (Good Friday) the Church commemorates the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross for the sins of all mankind, at the same time the Passover lamb was being killed and prepared for consumption among the Jewish people. On this day the Church does not celebrate Mass. The main altar remains completely bare, and the Tablernacle is empty. It is at the 3 o'clock hour on Good Friday that Jesus expired on the Cross, His Divine Mercy being poured out on the whole world. At this hour the Christian faithful should observe a solemn and prayerful silence in memory of the hour in which our salvation was won at so great a price.
"Do grant, oh my God,
that when my lips approach Yours to kiss You,
I may taste the gall that was given to You;
when my shoulders lean against Yours,
make me feel Your scourging;
when my flesh is united with Yours, in the Holy Eucharist,
make me feel Your passion;
when my head comes near Yours,
make me feel Your thorns;
when my heart is close to Yours,
when my heart is close to Yours,
make me feel Your spear."
St. Gemma Galgani
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