Mary's co-suffering - "a sword shall pierce you, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed"/"everyone comes through the Mother to the Lord"

Oh my!!!  This is our live nativity from 6 years ago with 3 month old Romeo as baby Jesus with Simon as and Mary as her namesake.  We have fake plans to have a live nativity this year at our first ever Verly Christmas Camp in January!  The excitement is building with the plans flying left and right!  Our youngest member this year is Birdie Barbara, who is 7 months and crawling so we will see if she will be peaceful as sweet baby Romeo was for us.

I borrowed this from Fr Shawn in New Ulm of the Handmaids of Jesus.  Susan discerned with them in St Paul before she left for France to join The Community of the Lamb.  They have a special place in our hearts.  I love that they have put straw on the floor of their chapel - as though they are truly in the presence of the baby Jesus in the stable.  So powerful!!!  We will need to find some in our live Nativity this year.  It will be in the heated shop at the farm and a few real farm animals might have to be part of it... like one of Mary's goats, and new puppy, named Teddy and some kittens and chickens!  LOVE!

The shepherds are now 6 years older... Big Dave, Gus, Rose and Bernadette.  

Singing to Baby Jesus and he looks at him in LOVE!... such a special gift to have the kids live out the miraculous coming of Jesus into the world and that he is in the midst of our families giving us healing and peace!

These words today from Servant of God Adrienne von Speyr referring to the words of Simeon to Mary, and Jesus in the Gospel today from Luke 1

Because the Son suffers for everyone and because Mary's co-suffering- the physical as well as the spiritual- is part of the Son's suffering, her suffering is accomplished for everyone and is usable by everyone.  In her maternal way, she takes part in the universality of her Son's crucifixion.  Into the space between herself and the Son, she admits everyone for whom he will suffer, everyone for whom she already now receives the sword of the Son.  And because everyone is admitted here, everyone comes through the Mother to the Lord.

Romeo was such a peaceful gentle baby Jesus!  

The grandkids adoring Jesus in the nativity which was adored by their grandfather and his siblings and also their mothers and their siblings.  

Joy visited baby Jesus in the Nativity on Sunday - Holy Family mass!

Jesus comes to dwell in our families and allow us to be more holy, if we die to self and allow his Spirit to work in us and our families!

Wise and "helping us drag our Cross" from a person, who is going through chemo and the harsh side effects... from dad and his man, Brother Victor- Antione...

Yes, we have celebrated the coming of Jesus with Christmas, but we still need to ask him to be with us with each new day and all that we face.  Come without delay, Lord!

We always hold within us the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ - the paschal mystery that fills us with healing and truth and LIGHT/LOVE/LIFE if only we embrace our Most Cherished Cross and die to self so that the Holy Spirit can use us to be the hands and feet and voice of Christ to the world of darkness.

Somebody got a Verly's bakery apron and the promise of being a great cook like his mommy and his Uncles!  

He loves to bake and cook!

So true mom and dad... still being blessed each day with almost too much to read and take to heart.  All the prayers I know that are surrounding our family here on this journey is so comforting and allows me to trust in Jesus at work in our lives.  

From St Thomas Beckett, whose feast day is today from dad and he... assuring us of the True Church, which dad led us into 49 years ago!  We are entering our 50th year now, and each day has been a total gift!

Found in dad's Advent/Christmas prayer book this morning for the feast of St Thomas Beckett, who was a martyr of The Church.  Yes, the Church/ship has been tossed by many storms, but Jesus will not abandon his ship and He is on board!

More special pictures of the handmaids thanks to Fr Shawn.  

Choir in the Cathedral of New Ulm...

It allows me to see in my heart the Holy Christmas of my nun in France.  So close to her spouse, Jesus Christ!  Each day they receive Jesus in his Body, Blood and Word of God!  They also adore Jesus on the altar in Adoration twice a day.  So deeply in love are they and led so very deep in prayer and Community of the Lamb!

Jesus, we are yours and we are so blessed by your gift of your Mother to us at the foot of the Cross.  How we are held close to your heart burning with love for us by her motherly arms around us and sharing in our daily journey and sufferings.  May we give without counting the cost.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Yes, our families/domestic Church is where faith is taught and the seeds are planted to be nurtured by our mother and father trusting in our Lord and sharing with us each week at Mass.  Bless-bless, Barbara

O EUCHARISTIC JESUS, my Lord, my God, as the closing of this year is at hand, I turn to you because I need help. I long to be free enough to trust that I can lean on You. But I become afraid. Help me to trust in You, Lord. Your strength and power are a gentle place of protection. Be a safe refuge when I am being trampled. I long for Your help, your protecting care this coming New Year. Help to deliver me from the cold loneliness of these dark nights, in Your most holy Name, Amen

Happy Feast Day
Saint Thomas Becket
1118 - 1170
Feast day: December 29
Patronage: secular clergy; Portsmouth, England; Exeter College, Oxford, England
Thomas Becket, also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, was Archbishop of Canterbury, from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He engaged in conflict with Henry II of England over the rights and privileges of the Church and was murdered by followers of the king who split his skull with their swords as he knelt before the altar at Canterbury Cathedral.

Danielle Rose - all amazing and very Catholic!

 “Remember then how our fathers worked out their salvation;

remember the sufferings through which the Church has grown,

and the storms the ship of Peter has weathered

because it has Christ on board. Remember how the crown was attained

by those whose sufferings gave new radiance to their faith. 

The whole company of saints bear witness to the

unfailing truth that without real effort no one wins the crown.”

– St Thomas Becket

 

"A martyr, a saint, is always made by

the design of God, for His love of men,

to warn them and to lead them,

to bring them back to His ways.”

 

~ St. Thomas Becket, homily excerpt,

Christmas morning Mass (1170),
four days before he was martyred

 

St. Thomas Becket

Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr*

England  ~ 1118-1170

Feast Day - December 29

 

*On December 29th, 1170, four knights from the court of King Henry II burst into Canterbury Cathedral as the Archbishop was on his way to Vespers. Just inside the cloister door, they murdered Thomas Becket, whose defense of the rights of the Church had angered the King. His last words were: 'I accept death for the name of Jesus and for the Church.'

The murder shocked the conscience of all Europe; miracles were announced immediately; the archbishop was canonized as a martyr by Alexander III in 1173; the king did public penance at his tomb, and much of what St Thomas had worked for all his life was accomplished by his death.

 

 

 

Thomas said this to a friend on his way to Ordination:

 

"Hereafter, I want you to tell me, candidly and in secret,

what people are saying about me. And if you see anything in me

that you regard as a fault, feel free to tell me in private.

For from now on, people will talk about me, but not to me.

It is dangerous for men in power

if no one dares to tell them when they go wrong."

Gregorian chants for Christmas