Not division but united in The Church/my Church Fathers prayed for each day on 3rd Luminous - Proclamation of The Kingdom

2 years ago our grandson, George, was baptized in Kansas City by Archbishop Joseph Naumann!  Archbishop let it be known that he would personally baptize those little ones coming from big families.  His way of encouraging those that follow the Church teachings in regards to being open to life and having siblings rather than things.  The only family member that was able to attend was our nun, Hallel, who was living with her Community of the Lamb there in the heart of KC!  What an amazing blessing for Hallel to be able to share in this holy family moment of George coming into The Church!

Archbishop Naumann is one of my heroes in The Church that I pray for every day on an added decade of my rosary - The Proclamation of The Kingdom - the 3rd Luminous, where I pray for all from the Pope and those special men which are important to my journey in The Church.  Archbishop is not only the head of the Pro Life for the Bishops, but he brought Hallel's Community into the United States 12 years ago - their first and so far only foundation here, and only 7 hours from our door to theirs!

Love this of my father reading the daily meditation from his man, Brother Victor Antione!  Each day dad is with me as I pray and read the wonderful marked pages from Brother Victor and in his Prayer Books!  After 44 years as a Permanent Deacon in The Church - there is much to lift me up with his sharing of The Faith!

Today Brother Victor shared about a sweet French woman - how I love to realize that Brother Victor is from the same area where Hallel is this year - Saint Pierre in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains close to Lourdes.  His words and sharings allow me to feel closer to my Hallel in France.  

We will soon have baby goats, which can resemble these lambs... it was special to see dad's underline here and speaks to me of our Mother Mary, and how she holds us close to her Immaculate Heart wounded so that we can find refuge there!

Psalm 95 today

Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
    let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R.    If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
    let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
    and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R.    If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Psalm 79 in morning prayer today - His name is LOVE!  

How I would love to sit at the feet of my father and have him share with me!  There was nothing concerning our shared faith and LOVE for The Church that we did not see eye to eye on.  

Now I find myself sitting in the chairs from their office, where mom and I shared our hearts on most visits to SCF, and reading from these amazing books that they both have left for me to be lifted up with each new day!  Brother Victor, The Prayer of The Church which mom and dad prayed together each day as Deacon and wife, A daily meditation by Pope Benedict XVI which mom read daily for 10 years... my cup overflows!

Praying the office with dad was my delight!  Morning and evening after breakfast and supper.  He came here shortly after Easter last year, so we had many weeks of Easter Joy to share in the midst of the pandemic and the loss of my mom on March 16th just as Lent began and the shutdown of our country!  I recall now what was so significant about the 10th of March - it was when we shutdown last year!

Our prayer space most days while we did the rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.  Dad watched an entire season on the farm from planting to harvesting.  He took great interest in it all.

I loved how he could be involved and get to know my family so much more living there.  He always had licorice to share with the hard working farm kids.

Late summer flowers and prayer time to begin and end our days together.  Sharing our Faith was our greatest JOY!

The Gospel today speaks of there can not be division in The Church.  Being divided against itself is a sign that someone is being misled.  This was a much often prayed about need that dad was aware of in the family.  "Get out of the pew... Jesus isn't there." wounded us deeply and could not be entertained.  Mom would ask dad with her dementia making her forget - "Robert, where is that reading about Jesus never abandoning his Church?"  "Nancy, that is Matthew 16."

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 

18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 

19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16

No, dad is not with me in person, but he has left me with so much to bring back his support and wisdom to keep me dragging my Cross and staggering down the narrow path with him and mom waving at me and encouraging me from heaven! 

 I am coming dad... I know it isn't pretty but I am inching there.

How dad loved to reconnect with Hallel face to face in July when she came from a surprise home visit!  He had not seen her for 12 years since the summer before she went to France for the first time to join The Community of the Lamb!  Sharing prayer and dad loved to hear her sing The Angelus... one of his favorite prayers!

The Angelus sung...

LOVE to see them together!  It was truly miraculous that she came!  

Thanks to my brother, Jim, and his wife, who allowed us to get away for the weekend and go to KC to visit Hallel and our family of The Lamb!  While there for our weekend, it came to their superior, Little Sister Judith, that we could bring Hallel home for a visit on the farm.  So we returned home with our nun for her first home visit in 3 years! The Holy Spirit opened the door for a most amazing time with family!  All could see her except for Maria in Washington and her family.

With the shutdown - dad coming here allowed family to come and spend time with him, which would not have happened in his Assisted Living!  My brother, Dan, and his wife visiting while George was with us - Nancy and Bill were in the midst of their competition with Our Sunday Visitor, which they eventually won!  Domestic Church project!

Dad prayed with Dan and Angela when they came - they also are with us united with Jesus, Mary and The Church!  How LOVE to share our Faith!

George got to know great-grandpa well as he stayed with us and would be there while we prayed together.  Such a gift to me that all of my grandkids and kids did get to see and spend time with my dad for the final months of his life.  Dad was so sharp until the end!  The day before he died we shared morning prayer together and the following morning he peacefully took his last breath while Pat and I prayed with him!  

Dad's statues have moved closer to dad so that cow TV can be in our bedroom to allow us to watch for calving during the night.  With the storm we had 2 calves overnight.  Pat saw one born backwards just as he was getting up for his hour of Adoration at 4a.  Thankfully mother cow and calf are doing well!

I got a card from Bishop LeVoir, who is another one of my special Church Fathers that I pray for along with many others, including Archbishop Naumann, Bishop Niensted, Pope Francis, Fr Denny, Fr Craig, Fr Todd, Fr Paul, Fr Custodio... many wonderful priests that are important to my journey and The Church.

Bishop had put a simple cross on the front of a white card... inside he spoke of Hallel and my dad.  So special to hear from him as he is in my thoughts and prayers.  He has been so important to us with Hallel's journey as a nun, and John's cancer journey - when we were terrified by the cancer's return - he wrote to us these words; "When in times to distress repeat these words; 'Jesus, I trust in you.' "  So true and took away our fear and once allowed us to Trust!

From the office of readings today - beautiful sharing on prayer by St Tertullian 

Powerful important work of prayer!

The angels wings form a Cross!  When we hear "shelter of your wings" it is referring to the Cross!  Yes, we are called to embrace our Most Cherished Cross and find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!

Baby Augustine 9 years ago.  The other day Nancy asked about how many calves we have so far.  I am sure that we will see her soon to share in this time of LIFE on the farm - calving!

Lord, we are given so many blessings with each new day from you, O Lord, and your Bride, The Church.  There is no greater joy than to share our Faith in our domestic Church/family!  May we die to self so that your Holy Spirit may dwell in us and bring us The Truth in which we give our entire Trust and share with all we come in contact with the same unconditional love and forgiveness that you give to us.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen

Walking peacefully into the sunset of our lives - how I love that dad could share in that with me here for 6 months on hospice modeling dying naturally.  Bless-bless, Barbara

Friends, in today’s Gospel, we learn of a person possessed by a demon. Jesus meets the man and drives out the demon, but then he is immediately accused of being in league with Satan. Some of the witnesses said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.”

Jesus’ response is wonderful in its logic and laconicism: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?”
The demonic power is always one of scattering. It breaks up communion. But Jesus, as always, is the voice of “communio,” of one bringing things back together.

Think back to Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand. Facing a large, hungry crowd, his disciples beg him to “dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus answers, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.”

Whatever drives the Church apart is an echo of this “dismiss the crowds” impulse, and a reminder of the demonic tendency to divide. In times of trial and threat, this is a very common instinct. We blame, attack, break up, and disperse. But Jesus is right: “There is no need for them to go away.”

Bishop Barron

O God beyond all praising - St Michaels Church - Stillwater

Morning has broken - Cat Stevens - we sang this at mom's farewell at the graveside and her mass!

Time with mom and dad on Dads' birthday on Saturday...

Danielle Rose shows her love for Jesus, Mary and The Church - take your pick!