Hallel shows Dominic Patrick his namesake - St Dominic icon which graces every chapel of The Community of the Lamb!!! Why? Because they are Dominicans at their roots!
Today is the feast of St Dominic! A week from today we will be celebrating with Little Sister Hallel as she has her Big Day/wedding day/final vows in France! In France we are 7 hours ahead so right now it will be 3pm next Wednesday and all 22 of us will be sitting around some tables on the hillside by the Green Cathedral eating pizza, cucumbers, tomatoes, bread, cheese, garden vegetables and the pastries that groups of children bring down the hills with streamers, and smiles and songs! We will be circling and celebrating the LOVE of our Hallel for her Jesus, and she will know our love and joy at her saying "Yes!"
Arm yourself with prayer rather than a sword;
wear humility rather than fine clothes." - St Dominic
wear humility rather than fine clothes." - St Dominic
"We must sow the seed, not hoard it." - St Dominic
"St Dominic responded when ... He heard his Master call ... And truly lived a pious life ... With charity to all ... The holiest of friars who ... Were living in his time ... He fought against the ravages ... Of heresy and crime ... He founded the Dominicans ... And taught them prayer and fasting ... And that humility which leads ... To glory everlasting ... One day when he was rapt in prayer ... And dwelt on God’s commands ... Our Lady came to him and placed ... The Rosary in his hands ... And so today each bead we say ... For all the poor and sick ... Should be in loving memory ... Of good St Dominic.
"St Dominic responded when ... He heard his Master call ... And truly lived a pious life ... With charity to all ... The holiest of friars who ... Were living in his time ... He fought against the ravages ... Of heresy and crime ... He founded the Dominicans ... And taught them prayer and fasting ... And that humility which leads ... To glory everlasting ... One day when he was rapt in prayer ... And dwelt on God’s commands ... Our Lady came to him and placed ... The Rosary in his hands ... And so today each bead we say ... For all the poor and sick ... Should be in loving memory ... Of good St Dominic.
Oh, St Dominic I love my rosary beads so much... thank you from the bottom of my heart for being open to the Spirit!
Hallel with her Spouse on the altar in Kansas City! How we hope and pray that she will be able to be close by in the U.S, next year, too! Time will tell, and in the meantime the mountain will be coming to her!
Living in KC close to Nancy and her family has been a blessing for both of my girls! Hallel has been able to spend time each week - Nancy has an hour of Adoration at Lumen Christi Monastery/Light of Christ and brings her kids to join in. "Susan shows up to see the kids. She really thinks that Dommo is a stinker in a good way." "My kids is a magnet for her attention."
How I have loved to be able to bring down our meat and our canning knowing that our daughter, who has been gone for 10 years is now able to enjoy a taste of home! And to have her sister so close, and able to share in the day to day life of Nancy... how I have had a sadness that Hallel was missing out on our family life, and suddenly she is gifted with a year of being here and close! Those 7 hours were traveled many times over this past year.
Hallel was able to visit Nancy in the hospital when we knew that Maximilian had died in the womb on Thanksgiving and give her sympathy and prayer support at that difficult time! How special for the two of them to share that deep grief.
At a wedding 2 years ago... Mary with her great-grandmother, Anna Verly. Mary loved her dearly and prayed for her daily! About 4 months later she passed away peacefully surrounded by her 5 daughters.
Pat's mother is very much with us still! She was so much a part of the lives of us living on the farm! She taught me all I know about being a farm wife, and being a city girl that took a lot! She was so willing to help out when we gardened and canned, and always willing to go and do things like for the kids at The Catholic School, and even went to France with us in 2011 for Hallel's first vows in France! She is making this trip possible for the 18 that are going! All we all needed to fly and stay there came to us in the last year from an inheritance from her estate! There is no doubt that she is smiling and rejoicing and nodding at us from heaven! It just felt so right to know that we can all be there for Hallel thanks to her. Such a touch of divine providence indeed!
Therese with her wonderful Great-grandma with candy. Therese just turned 10 and is God-daughter with Hallel... she is so excited for our time in France with Hallel and then will be going to Rome for some days after with her family and with Ruth's family. She studied ancient Rome this year in homeschool, so timing is perfect for her to visit Rome and see it all first hand! Wow!
It has been such a gift to get hugs and smiles from our daughter! We trust in Him and his plan for her, but are thankful and hopeful for what is to come. She is His shining LIGHT! She has shared that her love for Jesus in His Word brought her to see that she was called to The Community of the Lamb, just as they opened up their first foundation in Kansas City! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for inviting them to come into the heart of our country. Their prayer and life of poverty, chastity and obedience are so needed to heal our culture of death!
Soon Mary and David will see France for the first time and join in the JOY of Hallel's big day!
Speaking of the Gospel/Word/Jesus for this day... such a powerful reading it is indeed! To me reflecting on the poverty of The Community of the Lamb and how they beg from the poor.. these words spring to LIFE!
She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters."
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
"O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish."
And her daughter was healed from that hour. Matthew 15:27-28
that fall from the table of their masters."
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
"O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish."
And her daughter was healed from that hour. Matthew 15:27-28
Little Sister Marie, who is the founder of The Community, went back to the Dominican roots and hence was led to "beg from the poor for their food." How can this be? She was led to I Kings 17 - Elijah and the widow! "Make a loaf for me and your flour and oil will never run dry." Yes!
Hallel and her Dominic!
Those crumbs that fall off the table are enough for these men and women that are poor! How beautiful is their faith for all those around them to see and encounter! "A lighthouse on the hill." said a man from the poor neighborhood in the heart of KC. He has always carried a knife to protect himself, until they came and he found peace.
First John's wedding and now Hallel's... Our 40th year of marriage has been out of this world!
Jesus, how we love you and long to give you our all! Even the scraps that we receive from your table are life itself! May we die to self so that no matter how little we are or how hard it is that we will persevere! Reminded of the motto of The Community of the Lamb... "Wounded I will not cease to love!" Remembering the Lamb slain for me, and how no matter the pain and suffering and death to self... The Lamb bore it! May I carry/drag my most Cherished Cross and find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
Thank you dear, Janelle! You are the wind beneath my wings! The county fair is here and soon we will be on the plane to France and will carry in our hearts all those that are with us on this journey of Faith/Family/Farm! Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke
Fine Arts is my cup of tea... after so many years of bringing pictures. This year I have none here, and it just feels right.
Soon the 5 will be together in France!!!
St Dominic has become very huge for me, and The Community is having a huge celebration today, I know!
Mt 15: 21-28
At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
"Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon."
But he did not say a word in answer to her.
His disciples came and asked him,
"Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us."
He said in reply,
"I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
But the woman came and did him homage, saying, "Lord, help me."
He said in reply,
"It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs."
She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters."
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
"O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish."
And her daughter was healed from that hour.
At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
"Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon."
But he did not say a word in answer to her.
His disciples came and asked him,
"Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us."
He said in reply,
"I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
But the woman came and did him homage, saying, "Lord, help me."
He said in reply,
"It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs."
She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters."
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
"O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish."
And her daughter was healed from that hour.
"The nothingness of me is strangely loved; Sustaining ever -- The all of love, my need, is strangely here -- Departing never."
-St. Therese of Lisieux
-St. Therese of Lisieux
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