Ask and receive to be more like Christ!

My day is gone!  Love this from the other night when John and Bobbi spoiled me with a birthday cake and some sweet words of LOVE from my son, John, as we shared family prayer, and I was able to have my two youngest grandchildren give me some sweet snuggles!

The Gospel today is about seeking, asking and knocking  and the Meditation for today is titled - Counting on the Holy Spirit by Fr Jacques Philippe

LOVE this!!!

Because of the closeness of life in families, we see and experience limitations, both our own and those of others.  Take my case, for example.  I have lived in a religious community for 40 years, and a religious community is a little bit like a family.   Before entering, I was convinced that I was very patient, and after 15 days I was convinced that my patience wasn't worth very much.

7 years ago- Nancy here for harvest with Gus and Berna!  She has added 3 more here with her and 3 in heaven!  How I prayed that my girls would not have to suffer the losses as I did, but the Lord had other plans for them to share in His suffering of loss!

https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html  

3 year old Joy and 8 year old Rose are sisters that share a room... enough said!

Fr Philippe continues...

This kind of self knowledge is one of the graces of family life.  We see our limits, our lack of patience, the difficulty we sometimes have in loving and forgiving.  We see our weaknesses and our faults.  In our relationships with others, these weaknesses and faults often come to light.  Sometimes there is one child who really pushes me to the limit.  Or makes me so angry so that I see my failures and how much I need mercy and forgiveness for my lack of love.  I realize how much I need God's help because alone, I am not able to love.  I am not able to count on my own strength. I have to count on the grace of God, on the Holy Spirit who comes to aid my weakness.

They are learning to love and forgive and assist one another.

When we take family life seriously, when we really want to love those around us, very often we are obliged to ask for this grace from God.  We say, "Lord, you see my limits, my hardness of heart, and only you can help me.  Only you can heal me and give me the love I need to love others, the love I need to love my wife, husband, or my children."   Your heart is limited, but thankfully God's is overabundant.  He is rich in mercy, and if we ask for this grace, he will help us little by little to truly love.

Such a beautiful answer to my burning question of why we treat those the closest to us the worst!!!  So that we can see how much we need His Mercy and LOVE and then return it to them with the help of the Holy Spirit!  Bless-bless, Barbara

My Domestic Church!  31of us!  

A picture of LIFE with my most Cherished Cross - Patrick!