Half way through Lent/Making the most of our farewell to mom/"I was blind but now I see" John 9

A family photo for the last time with our mother here on earth!  3 Siblings missing - 2 due to isolation due to exposure or illness and one arrived after this.

The shaft of heavenly rainbow light - the sun shining on us gave us some warmth and added to the winter beauty of this tiny cemetery in the hillside by Taylors Falls.  It did not even reach freezing but we had thought ahead and brought heater, blanket, stocking cap, gloves and jacket for dad, and he reported after an hour or more next to mom that he had no cold feet or hands or anything.  His love kept him warm and some effort of his large family!

 Father could only come and perform his priestly prayers with a small group of dad and siblings - no more than 10.  Mom looked so beautiful and as Nancy said, her wrinkles vanished - she looked so angelic and young!  Dad greeting his loving wife of 70 1/2 years for the last time in the flesh.

 "Hello, Nanc, you look beautiful and I love you."

 Some said that they had not seen an open casket in the cemetery, but these are times like none other we have experienced!  There was no funeral mass in The Church at this time, due to the Corona Virus.

So we needed to bury her and not wait indefinitely for that.  But it was important that we see her again before she was place in the ground.  Hence, we had her there with us at the gravesite for prayers with Father and immediate family, and then the visitation for half an hour and finally a service that Father had prepared with the scripture and songs my mother requested which will appear again in her funeral mass led by my brother, Jim!

 Holy water blessing... there were a few drops of holy water on the collar of my mother's jacket, and it spoke of the tears of my father shed for his loss of the LOVE of his life!

 Dad sharing the verses from the mass and from St John Henry Neumann that has been giving him strength these days since her short suffering and death.

 Dad had us give mom a hand of applause for her gift to us of LIFE and of FAMILY!

 Mom putting up with Barbara's many pictures!  This one with 2 of my brothers, Dan and Phil.

Pat fell in love with mom's casket made by Trappist Monks.  As Ruth pointed out... if it had the usual big lid that hinged up it would have blocked many from freely gathering around her to pray and touch and tearfully wish her farewell.

Me with my "doodle" in my hair.

Yes, this cemetery in the woods overlooking the St Croix River was very reminiscent of the woods in upper Michigan around the Big Lake! 

My sister, Mary, died in 1986 and left her farmer husband and 20 month old daughter, Audrey.  Eventually my mother played match maker and introduced Jerry to Cathy, a widow, who had lost her husband to drowning.  Yesterday  they arrived with Audrey and firstly shared that "Nancy got the two of us together."  Cathy, who brought my sister there for me by coming... is a hairdresser and named my topknot a "doodle!"  So it has now officially become forever a "doodle", which will be in my hair to the grave!

 The sun I thought interfered with a wonderful keepsake, but today we focus on the LIGHT in all the readings, and the Gospel is so amazing of Jesus from John 9 where he heals the man born blind from birth... eventually his Words to those who question if this was a good man, Jesus, who healed him.
"I was blind but now I see."
So a second time they called the man who had been blind
and said to him, “Give God the praise!
We know that this man is a sinner.”
He replied,
“If he is a sinner, I do not know.
One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.”
So they said to him,
“What did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes?”
He answered them,
“I told you already and you did not listen.
Why do you want to hear it again?

Do you want to become his disciples, too?”

I love this man!!!  How he stands up for the man that just miraculously healed him and gave him LIGHT and Sight after a lifetime of darkness and stumbling!

 Never too many is my motto.

Very much missing the other 3 and of course now the real loss of my mother here with us on this journey of Faith and Family.

When I see how much my parents planned their funeral, casket, tombstone, service from pallbearers, scripture and songs....This is an amazing verse to evangelize from the grave!  How I pray that Jesus came close to mom and embraced her and welcomed her to eternal LIGHT where she met her many children, grand-children, and great grandchildren!  A huge family there all around her and down here about 50 of us braved the cold and many watched on line - totally our huge family of 140+

T.S. Eliot asked, "What life have you if you have not life together?" I wonder what the modern reply would be. Being together is certainly a messy business. In these last few weeks, it has become a dangerous business. But whether it is messy or dangerous is not the heart of the matter - it is a necessary business. Being together is necessary. I witnessed this today as I watched a streamed funeral of my wife's grandmother, Nancy Cross, from half-a-country away. Funerals are not meant to be streamed. We are supposed to be at them with others, saturated tangibly in the grief and sorrow, putting a hand a shoulder here, offering a hug there. Still, I am grateful to have witnessed the event in a limited capacity. I watched one of the most incredible things: an ordinary family mourn together in the Minnesota cold. Nothing fancy. Nothing dramatic. Simple. True. Full of hope for a far-distant reunion - together.

 My brother, Dan, who has done so much for my parents but mom did much of her own service and had her casket ready to come.  Dad's will be coming from the Trappist monks too.  Pat will be sure to contact them also. "This is my casket!" Pat

 Making the best of this crazy world we find ourselves in these days!  Kind of beautiful and special!

 Mom we know of your prayers for your family each day here on earth, and how we depended on them and will continue.  We were told that some of the close friends and family has begun to pray to her in heaven for her intercession, and we can have no doubt that she will be continuing to pray without ceasing!

 Social distancing yet still showing our united support and love.  Granddaughter, Sophia, and her grandpa!

 My brother, Bruce, and wife, Julie, keeping their distance to keep dad safe.  Bruce missed the family picture, so I am adding him here.  8 of the 10, including Jerry, Kathy and Audrey bringing my sister, Mary, in spirit to be with us.  She is now united with her mother...

 Also my brother, Phil, represents his twin brother, Lincoln, who only lived for 3 days after their birth.  Lincoln was my mother's only loss during her childbirth years and he is buried in New Hampshire where my dad was serving as a Baptist minister.

As mom was dying and all were calling in to say their goodbyes... we reminded Phil that Lincoln would be meeting his mom soon.  "He will really like her, she is a great lady." Talk about a river of tears!

 Dad and I wanted to drive by their home in St Croix Falls as we were just across the river at the cemetery.  Mom's garden as they left it, still the porch furniture on the porch, mom's flower pots on either side of the front steps.  Dad left there on October 5th and did not return until now.  Emotional indeed was this day for us!

It was wonderful to drive dad back to his assisted living for an hour, and have him to ourselves for a nice visit.  It was our son-in-law, Bill's birthday along with my brother, Bruce.  Dad recalled that we officially adopted the 4 kids on Bruce's birthday a year after they came into our family after the loss of their parents in a car accident... all 4 kids were in the car and survived!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html

 Dropping off Nancy, who joined us to the send off... we were lucky to share a birthday dinner with Bill the birthday boy.  It was special that they were able to watch the live-stream from the cemetery and unite our family even though we are separated by this crazy situation in the world or distance.

George is a snuggler!  John just called to invite us to Jude's first birthday this week.  Jude is the final of the 3 to turn one.  George was first 6 weeks ago, then Hector, 3 weeks later, and now Jude on March 26.

 Brother, Jim, officiating at the gravesite!  Thanks, Jim!

Dad did not leave mom's side! Now he will go forth with the assistance of his sharp mind and filling it with Jesus in His Word, daily prayer, and The Sacraments as he can receive them. Also love and support from his huge family, who so look up to, love and respect this man of faith and prayer! Deacon Robert Cross!

 Pictures off the screen today as we are to fast from mass... Pink for the midway place in Lent!

Laetare Sunday (/leɪˈtɑːri/) is the fourth Sunday in the season of Lent, in the Western Christian liturgical calendar. Traditionally, this Sunday has been a day of celebration, within the austere period of Lent. This Sunday gets its name from the first few words (incipit) of the traditional Latin entrance (Introit) for the Mass of the day.

 So grateful to watch the mass - thank you, Father.  As Ruth said it was good to watch the mass that we would normally be sitting at 8a in church.  Now in our homes!

His homily today was amazing - sharing the story from Matthew Kelly about the boy, who could save the world from a world wide epidemic, but they had to sacrifice their son as they needed to take all his blood!  Later the world healed by his sacrifice forgot about him and what he had done for them.  Father reminds us that Jesus was God and did this for us, and we must not forget that and recognize Him in reality and Truth in Word, Body and Blood!

 Ruth teaching her kids to crochet after sharing our usual Sunday breakfast...  It felt more like sharing our Faith as a family to share breakfast together.

 Pat is a Eucharistic minister and brought Jesus to Ruth's family!

Rose is due to receive her First Communion on May 6th if we get through this fast time... making us hunger more for Jesus in The Eucharist!

Joy will be 3 on March 31st and came up for grandpa to bless her...

Jesus, we hunger and thirst for your Body and Blood.  Such a powerful and hard week this has been with another new week lying ahead for us.  Be with my dad alone now, and fill his days with your LOVE/LIFE/LIGHT!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen

Ruth has made so many beautiful afghans since her Grandma Ann taught her while she was in high school. Her kids have seen her using her free time to create from yarn, so now they are longing to learn from her. This time of being homebound is that opportunity! Bless-bless, Barb

O God, Beyond all praising
We sang this amazing hymn at mom's graveside yesterday. The Cross family loves to sing and Ruth said that we sounded like angels. Our Protestant roots have been passed down to my kids, who always sang out and filled me with JOY! Now grandkids!

Simon sang along and his voice is his instrument!

Morning has broken by Cat Stevens
This is the hymn we opened mom's service with!

Lætare Sunday is also called Mothering Sunday in Europe, which is similar to the celebration of Mother's Day in the United States. The name Mothering Sunday came about after the Epistle of the day from Galatians 4:26, which states, "But Jerusalem which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all." The Epistle calls Jerusalem the mother of us all and this Sunday all mothers, the Blessed Virgin Mary and especially “mother church” are honored. People frequently try to attend Mass at the nearest cathedral, their mother church.

Tradition also holds that on Lætare Sunday, English children who lived away from home returned to visit the church in which they were baptized or raised. Children also visited their mothers, bringing flowers or a type of fruit cake. The occasion led to the old saying, "He who goes a-mothering finds violets in the lane."