5 year old Luke and another great-grandson touch this "grandma"... she suffered from memory loss at the end, but found comfort in babies! She had 13 of her own, and to see the ripple effect of her strong faith passing on to generations to come. The final song sung by a son-in-law, "Well Done!" certainly spoke of her legacy!
Her JOY! Yes, it is little Joy almost a year and a half ago meeting great-grandma Mary. What a beautiful witness to her love of LIFE and her Jesus! Ruth added the verse, which is so appropriate to this woman of Faith/Family/Farm!
I have come to realize that this is my role model for this life lived with strong faith and convictions passed on with a gentle humble loving attitude to her domestic church/family and beyond. Ruth shared that there were many of the generations of grandkids and great-grandkids, who are strong in their faith and on the altar serving for this special mass which she gave firm direction.
Father Mark reading the Gospel today with Mary as a server. The Gospel her namesake, Great Grandma Mary Lanoue chose for her Gospel at her funeral... John 6!
53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me."
Wow!!! She is ministering to her family and all those gathered - sharing The Truth that will fill us with LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! I am in awe of her legacy of Faith and how I pray for this next generation of our soon to be 18 grandchildren to join Grandpa and Grandma, our 5 children with their spouses, and Hallel with her Community of the Lamb... "Bring the children unto me and do not prevent them!" Yes, Lord, hear my prayer!
Paul reading the first reading from Eclesiastes.. a time for every season under heaven... Mary watching her faithful dad... 3 and 4 generations of faithfilled Catholics thanks to the example and prayers of a wonderful woman of Faith!
Mary Lanoue impressed and moved me to tears when she gifted to Ruth at her first baby shower for Simon, who is now 14... the statue of the Holy Family that had been in an alcove in their home and represented that Faith shared in the family on the Farm! So humbling and such a statement of recognizing a couple open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS! LOVE!
Simon, Mary and Paul in the choir at the prayer service... very moving when they sang - We Believe by Newsboys
We Believe - Newsboys
I had the most marvelous conversation with 14 year old Simon at the luncheon after the funeral. He shared some of the insights he has gained in working on a paper on Autism, of which he is in the spectrum. He shared some of the things he sees in himself in his study.. "I can focus on things that don't make me uncomfortable and not on things that do. I can get over stimulated and have a melt down. I am not athletic and so in gym class it can be hard because I am picked last. I am good at other things. I think people pick on others because they are jealous of them... like if someone is taller or smarter than them." My Heart broke a little and swelled with love a lot to see how he has been called to suffer and yet has come out with such a good attitude of what makes him tic! He promised to let me read his final masterpiece! Such a wise decision to delve deep and grow in respect and knowledge of this specialness he has been called to carry forth into his life!
Her family shared their being ministered to by the Mary being on Hospice for her last couple months of her life, and her final two weeks in the new hospice house in town. How I love to hear families share how the hospice nurses, deacon Ken, and all the staff helped them to walk into the sunset of their mother's life with peace and comfort for her and for them! How I love hospice, and I think they can understand the great satisfaction that can be found by us, who can help their loved ones find a peaceful death with them at their sides. They especially loved the spiritual side of her being met fully and richly!
"She poured over pictures of Hector... I think she misses the s."
Jesus, all I long for is to be forever with you in heaven with your mom and dad and all the Angels and Saints! Your Church is foremost lived out in our domestic Church/family. May we love and serve you in one another without counting the cost! You in The Word today/Gospel according to St Matthew 20..."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." May we take up our Cross and follow you down the narrow path, Jesus! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
https://www.lifenews.com/2016/03/16/remembering-when-mother-teresa-left-hillary-clinton-in-stunned-silence-on-abortion/?fbclid=IwAR2R2LyzQ6ie0370I8bqvd0E385sRO3z8WtZxxHyOBD9Zbj0FLHM3QYyVBU
The speech St Mother Teresa gave at the prayer breakfast in front of Hillary and Bill!!!! The Best!!!
“Our lives must be woven around the Eucharist...
fix your eyes on Him Who is the light;
bring your hearts close to His Divine Heart;
ask Him to grant you the grace of knowing Him,
the love of loving Him, the courage to serve Him.
Seek Him fervently.”
St Mother Teresa of Calcutta
(Quote chosen to honor St Photina)
Her second reading... 2 Corinthians 5
Wow!
Ruth had me take some notes for my own parents funerals, which are on the horizon as they are 94 and soon to be 90... the final song would be suitable for both of them and sung by my gifted siblings with their beautiful voices..."Well Done!"
The Afters - Well Done!
Her second reading... 2 Corinthians 5
Awaiting the New Body
1
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
2
Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,
3
because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.
4
For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
5
Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
6
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.
7
For we live by faith, not by sight.
8
We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
9
So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.
10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Wow!
Ruth had me take some notes for my own parents funerals, which are on the horizon as they are 94 and soon to be 90... the final song would be suitable for both of them and sung by my gifted siblings with their beautiful voices..."Well Done!"
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