"When you leave this world you can take nothing you have receieved, but only what you have given:..." St Francis

 First Friday with Jesus!  Pat and I headed in about 5:45a for his attending This Man is You with John, and I had the hour before mass to pray for Fr Todd with 7 Sisters.

I entered the church to find a dear TEC friend singing to the Holy Spirit alone in the church.  United in prayer is the most special place to be!

Father spoke of the special attention we pay to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus today on First Friday.  Sharing the Sorrowful mysteries before mass, and for Fr Todd and the difficult profession he has as a servant/priest.

A very amazing feast day today!  St Francis is celebrated to the highest heaven by Hallel's Community of the Lamb.  Their spiritual director is Fr Jean Claude and is a Franciscan, and so St Francis is one of their patron saints.  I imagine they are having plenty of chocolate and cola today.  Maybe not meat, but lots of celebrating!

Doesn't this just say it all?
"...What you have given: a heart full, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice, and courage."

I, of course, am thinking a lot about my parents today, who are leaving their home of 9 years and moving an hour away to New Hope!  I called and my mother sounded resigned and worried, both are understandable.  "It is going to be a huge change."  I assured her that I would be holding them up in prayer for the day and beyond, and have fake plans to come up there in a few days to help them adjust I any ways I can.

I see how my parents are leaving with hearts full of honest service, love, sacrifice, and courage!  Their worldly possessions will be very much minimized and after all they can't take a house full with them to a small apartment in Assisted Living.

 Heaven coming down to earth!

So wonderful to share mass with my husband and son in the dark early hour of the day.  A blessed start to the day ahead.

 After mass Father Mark does morning prayer from the prayer of the Church with about 20 people!  Very powerful and special to pray joined to the many priests, religious, and deacons and their wives, like my father and mother, around the world!  How I love to pray the office and do the office of readings when I pray for Fr Todd as I know that he prayed it that day, too, and we are united in prayer!

A stand filled with about 50 prayer books !

 So powerful to pray with my Deacon father and mom each morning for the 3 days I am with them for the last 8 weeks!  My heart soars to the highest heights!

These words from St Francis today in the office of Readings;
"O how happy and blessed are those who love the Lord and do as the Lord himself said in the gospel: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and your whole soul; and your neighbor as yourself. Therefore, let us love God and adore him with pure heart and mind. This is his particular desire when he says: True worshippers adore the Father in spirit and truth. For all who adore him must do so in the spirit of truth. Let us also direct to him our praises and prayers saying: Our Father, who art in heaven, since we must always pray and never grow slack."

How I see this and share in this with my parents!  Truly they direct to Jesus and Mary their praises and their prayers!  While I was there this time a sister of one of my son-in-laws was very sick.  We never grew slack in our prayers for her!  I know that they continue and how our family depends and finds hope and courage in those prayers!

 Dad's chair will be moved into their new dwelling, and I yearn to continue our prayer there!

 Mother reading Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI... we are given so much with each new day in The Church!

I am smiling in my heart about a young man, who was in John's Farmhouse Fraternity and was on fire for The Lord.  "Wouldn't it be amazing if we could go to church every day of the week?"  John and his friend, Brad Lanoue, looked at each other with a smile.."In the Catholic Church there is a place where you can go to mass everyday and meet Jesus in his Body, Blood and Word there every day!"  Yes, the Catholic Church has it all and is The Church!!!  LOVE!

 These two led us into The Church 48 years ago!  I can become so emotional and beyond grateful for how the Holy Spirit directed them and they listened and answered with a profound "Yes!"
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html

Every day since has been a blessing to me and I love, love, love The Church and am united with my parents as we together share our Faith with great JOY and Truth!

The relic of Blessed Solanus Casey that was used to pray over John when his cancer grew back through the chemo!  I have a wish to get it to Amy, who is needing healing and our prayers!

Jesus, how we can see you lived out in the life of St Francis, who left worldly possessions behind and followed you into poverty, chastity and obedience!  May we look to your Saints and ask them to assist us as we want to be yours now and forever.  Dying to self so that you may live in us!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

 My dad doing well and leading the way after much prayer to The Lodge in New Hope... so many prayers!

 I am so blessed to have them still together!  I love my time spent with them!

Into their 71st year, and with huge changes happening starting today.  Jesus, hold them close to your heart burning with love for them!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barb



Happy Feast Day
Saint Francis of Assisi
1181-1226
Feast day: October 4
Patronage: animals, the environment, Italy, merchants, stowaways
Francis was born into the privileged life of a nobleman. Eventually, by the grace of God, the worldly desires no longer satisfied him; he desired a simpler life with his love for poverty, nature, and simplicity. Eventually, he founded the religious order of Franciscans, whose brothers preached the gospel, made poverty holy, and worked hard to bring the word of God to the world that desperately needed it. He is known as the first person to receive the stigmata. 

Casting Crowns - Praise Him in the storm

Danielle Rose - If I touch him

Danielle Rose - nothing compares to you

"May the burning and most sweet power of Your love, 

O Lord Jesus Christ, I beseech You, absorb my mind that I 

may die through love of Your love, Who were graciously 

pleased to die through love of my love." - St. Francis

Meditation of St. Francis of Assisi

Let everyone be struck with fear,

the whole world tremble, and the heavens exult 

when Christ, the Son of the living God,

is present on the altar in the hands of a priest!

O wonderful loftiness
and stupendous dignity!
O sublime humility!
O humble sublimity!
The Lord of the universe,
God and the Son of God,
so humbles Himself
that He hides Himself
for our salvation
under an ordinary piece of bread!

See the humility of God, brothers,
and pour out your hearts before Him!

Humble yourselves that you may be exalted by Him!

Hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves,
that He Who gives Himself totally to you
may receive you totally!

St Francis of Assisi

Deacon, Founder, Stigmatist

a.k.a. - "the little beggar"

Italy ~ 1181 - 1226

Founder: Friars Minor (Franciscans)

Co-founder w/St Clare: Order of Poor Ladies (Poor Clares)

Founder :  Third Order of Penance (for laity)

Started Eucharistic Adoration in Italy

Feast Day - October 4