John and Bobbi Verly just shortly after they received the Sacrament of Matrimony almost 8 weeks ago now.
The swing has become a special place for them to radiate Joy! They sat there for their engagement pictures and they were so special and instead of going bar hopping between the wedding and reception they spent some time at a park just a few blocks from the church. Along with the pitchfork tradition this one will have echoes through the years!
Married life has its ups and downs much like a swing... if it weren't for the hard times the good would not be nearly as wonderful!
This is the feast of the Apostle James! The readings are powerful and I just groaned as I read them with Pat this morning after morning prayer! This especially struck home from I Corinthians!
"Brothers and sisters:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh."
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh."
How about that last part about constantly being given up to death... so that Jesus can live in us! How I pray for that humility to allow me to die to self so that The Holy Spirit can live and work and be in charge of us! I want so badly to give over total control and Trust!
Another tradition has been set in place for this new beginning...
We are heading quickly towards the next huge family occasion of Hallel's wedding/final vows in France on August 15th/the feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven! I have prayed that decade/#4 of the Glorious for Susan/Little Sister Hallel twice a week for most of her 32 years of life, so when I realized that a few months back... it felt so amazing and personal and powerful! So right that this feast day will be where she receives her Lamb (a wooden lamb which hangs around her neck in place of the cross she has worn since entering 10 years ago),and becomes the Faithful spouse of Jesus!
With our own trip ever getting so close that I can see it on the horizon... my anxiety is rising and all the little details are looming ahead of me. I continually tell myself to Trust in His Plan, and I have no doubt that it will be wonderful in every way, but I find myself longing to be through the trip and the car rental and getting to our home away from home, and having Euros and credit cards ready, and finding food to feed 18 for 3 meals a day, and to be there sitting peacefully joyfully at the final vow ceremony of our daughter, and eating our feast on the hillside in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains in Southern France... then I will relax and know that we have done all that we needed to and if we forget a detail... it still will be wonderful in every way! Jesus, I trust in you!
I have been to town with hubby while we did some details for our trip on line. Check, check, double check. The lists are being made and crossed off. The weather we can do nothing about, but pray. Prayer is huge for bringing those waves of peace flowing in and through me. My rosary beads and prayers without ceasing allow me to let go and let God!
Jesus, today you remind us of how we are to be servants to one another...
"Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20
May we die to self so that you may be in control of our lives in the midst of the storms of life! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
“A life not lived for others is not a life.” — St. Teresa of Calcutta
“Christians need to learn to forgive. How do we learn to forgive? By knowing that we too need to be forgiven. If we admit that we are sinners and we need forgiveness, then it will be very easy for us to forgive others. But if we don’t admit this, it will be very hard for us to say ‘I forgive you,’ no matter who comes to us.” — St. Teresa of Calcutta
“I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us and we change things.” — St. Teresa of Calcutta
Galatians 2:19b-20
I have been crucified with Christ, and the life I live now is not my own; Christ is living in me. I still live my human life, but it is a life of faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
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