It is the will of God, your Holiness... acquire a wife for himself in holiness and honor/Mom and Dad 70 years!

Mom and dad on the vigil of their 70th Anniversary.  I was soon to head down the road for home, so they gifted me with a picture just before supper!

The first reading from Thessalonians today gave me a smile as they have 70 years of married life behind them.  How we are blessed to have the two of them together for this occasion in their own home with my brother, Dan.
I Thessalonians 4
This is the will of God, your holiness:
that you refrain from immorality,
that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself
in holiness and honor...
For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.
Therefore, whoever disregards this,
disregards not a human being but God,
who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.

This took the whole day to get, and it very precious to our family!  A month ago we had a party scheduled at the park in their town - for mom's 90th birthday and their 70th wedding anniversary.  It turned out that dad was in the hospital very sick over the time of the party so it was canceled.

Today dad wants to take mom out, but she is the one who is not up to it.  We still have hope that they can manage to get some celebration time in maybe this evening when mom seems to have her best part of the day.

We are so happy at how dad has bounced back and his glowing good health we are holding onto with a vengeance!  So much hard work on his part getting back his strength and on his feet.  Now our prayers and concern are focusing on our mother!

Reading I Thessalonians today speaks so much of my parents, who based their marriage on shared Faith.  The Holy Spirit spoke to them along the way and led all 13 of us into The Church 48 years ago!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html

My mother's diamond ring is now over 70 years old - probably 70 1\2 years with their engagement being about 6 months.  The original band is still there, but a new setting!  We were comparing wedding rings while we waited for her CT scan of her lungs in radiology yesterday.  "I have never lost my diamond."  I am on my 3rd having lost the first two out of my settings.

The ring on her other hand is the birth stones of her 12 children. Talk about saying "yes" to life and being open to children.  Being the oldest... I think you can begin to guess that I am approaching that 70 mark.  I will be 68 in about 5 weeks!

Nose to nose they have faced so very much in their 70 years!

I love to share their ministry of prayer for our very large family!  We are approaching 140 strong with 3 new little ones in the womb.  Mom and dad pray for them starting in the womb and dad amazes the grandkids and great-grands by calling them by first and middle names!

Receiving Eucharist in France a year ago for Hallel's final vows under the cross on the hill!  They take the host and dip it in the blood and then place it on our tongue.  I have held onto the specialness of receiving Jesus in this way by continuing to receive on the tongue.

I am thinking of Hallel today also as the Gospel is the 10 virgins with their lamps lit. Often we see the Little sisters with their lamp lit for their Bridegroom during these special times!
‘Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!’
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. ..
the bridegroom came
and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.
Then the door was locked...
‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Matthew 25:1-13

Hallel receiving her lamp lit for her Spouse, Jesus Christ!

The Community certainly spends each day ready for their Bridegroom as they are contemplative and spend their days in prayer and dishes!

Jesus how we long to see you face to face at the end of this journey.  On the way we need to be ready at all times as we know not when. We thank you for the 70 years with our parents.  Bless them this day and forward down the narrow path carrying/dragging the Most Cherished Cross - one another.  Jesus, we trust in you.  bless-bless, Barb