We are gathered close to baby Jesus in the manger filled with soft hay thanks to the good deeds and sacrifices that the kids all made to fill his manger and make a bed for him to lay upon. We gathered around the manger each morning and night to pray and to give gifts one to the other. How I loved the night time new laying on of hands and calling upon the Holy Spirit to dwell upon a child each night. In our 4 nights we prayed over Patrick, Romeo, Evangeline, and Hector.
Therese wearing a new scarf she opened on Epiphany gift exchange, and Evangeline dressed in the dress T made for her out of one of her mother's bridesmaid dresses - the one returned to her from Aunt Little Sister Hallel when she entered The Community of the Lamb! Hallel happens to be "T's" Godmother, too!
Then Evie would come and stand while I would do her hair each morning and sometimes over again during the day. We all agreed that my final do was the hit... a pull back on top for all that hair that falls into her face, braid it and then pull the bottom hair back with it into a pony that was then braided! After 4 girls in a row in my nest years - this is my total JOY! I bring my own brush and rubber bands along to be able to do the girl's hair. Therese did not ask for help with her's.
The feeding of the 5,000 from Mark 6 was read afterwards... these words from the disciples to Christ about sending them out to buy food from surrounding farms and villages struck me as our own farm was just a few short hours away! How would it feel to have so many hungry men coming to ask for food from our farm? Yet, in fact we feed the world with our cattle and crops!
Praying over Patrick our first night.
The miracle of the loaves and the fish today truly is a time of great recognizing Jesus as the Son of God... He went from healing them in his love for them and sharing the Truth with them to feeding them miraculous food!
Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples
to set before the people;
he also divided the two fish among them all.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments
and what was left of the fish.
Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men...
Mark 6
“Look then on Jesus, the author and preserver of faith:
in complete sinlessness He suffered, and at the hands of those
who were His own, and was numbered among the wicked.
As you drink the cup of the Lord Jesus (how glorious it is!),
give thanks to the Lord, the giver of all blessings."
From a letter of
St. Raymond of Peñafort
nee Spain~ 1175-1275
, Dominican (contemporary of St Thomas Aquinas)
Wise and holy Confessor
Founder - Order of Our Lady of Ransom
Compiled Church's legal documents into one source (Canon Law)
Patron of s and Canon s
Feast Day - January 7
Canon Francis J. Ripley(1998) wrote this today in the meditation, Food to Satisfy;
Jesus Christ is truly present as Man and as God in the Holy Eucharist, consecrated during every Mass and reserved in the tabernacles of the Catholic Churches. His Body is there, His soul is there, His Godhead is there - the God who lived in endless ages alone before every creature was made, the God who created the angels, men, and all the material universe... He, that same God, is present with his human nature, really, truly, substantially under the appearance of bread and wine.
For the Verlys this is a wonderful family name as Pat's mother's father bore that name - their grandfather, Hector Louwagie, came over from Belgium as an immigrant and met his wife, Ida, here and married her and they had 10 children... Ida was also an immigrant from Belgium. Talk about divine providence in coming all the way across the ocean to meet your spouse here in this frontier of Minnesota! Love to ponder the Lord's plan and the resulting 10 kids - my mother-in-law, Anna, a middle child, then her 10 children and my husband, Patrick, her middle child! So many prayers and blessings if only we look to Him and give Him the control as we are nothing without Jesus!
Jesus, how we are grateful for time with family and time shared praying and sharing on our trip of 23 hours each way. We are home safe filled with you in Word, Body, Blood, the angels and Saints, and our constant companion, your glorious Mother Mary, Queen of heaven and earth. Our greatest blessing is sharing our Faith as a family united in the Truth! Jesus, we long to share that Truth and to die to self so that you may live in us. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
"May the God of love and peace set your hearts at rest and speed you on
your journey; may He meanwhile shelter you from disturbance of others
in the hidden recesses of His love, until He brings you at last into that place
of complete plenitude where you will repose for ever in the vision of peace,
in the security of trust, and in the restful enjoyment of His riches. "
- St Raymond of Peñafort
St Penafort, pray for us on this your feast day.
St. Andre is an amazing example of how being faithful and doing the small things with love can make us great saints. He had a deep devotion to St. Joseph and did everything through St. Joseph's intercession. He spent his life opening the door for everyone he met, physically and spiritually. St. Andre, pray for us!
From Nancy today;
Anyone else starting again today? Trying to get off screens, back into good habits, and all that? Us too... and frankly it’s been a little rough. Getting back into uniforms and backpacks packed was painful this morning, but we are trying!!
We had a wonderful break, but I was craving routine. Anyone else? Catholic sprouts is all new this week and I’m determined to spend more time snuggling with this one. I worry she falls through the cracks sometimes.
#newyear #sameme
The podcast is BACK! This week we are tackling BAPTISM! WHOOOT!
https://
https://aleteia.org/2017/10/03/young-nuns-have-some-advice-for-their-millennial-peers
Article from nuns to millennials!
Many prayers on our trip for LIFE to be protected and cherished from conception to natural death! Heartsick to hear that a celebrity praised her ability to kill her baby through abortion in order to get her Golden globe. Nothing is worth that! So sick and sad!
No comments:
Post a Comment