2 weddings - 14 and 3 years ago!/"this gift of life can only be justified if I can give the new one more than mere biological life." Pope Benedict XVI

 

So precious from a year ago on Pentecost Sunday - my father holding 3 week old Birdie Barbara in her white Baptismal garment over her lovely white dress made from a blessed surplice.  She appears to be smiling at her great-grandfather, who wanted to come to mass on this great day and share in taking that important step in her life - Baptism into The Catholic Church!

The little family a year ago!  Today marks that 3rd anniversary of John and Bobbi as well as the 14th anniversary of Maria and Joseph!

We are filled with so much JOY and LOVE for these wonderful couples and the beautiful example of living out the Sacrament of Marriage as Jesus joins them.  We all know that marriage is the "biggest Cross" and we must have Jesus and His Bride, The Church, there to guide and help us with each day!

My father baptized all 5 of my children!  It was very powerful for me to have him here a year ago with 3 of those 5, who have taken to heart and forth their Faith instilled in them from their Baptism on!

John and Bobbi newly married 3 years ago in St Eloi Catholic Church in Ghent, MN!  They had their wedding at 4p and instead of picking out their own readings - they had Corpus Christi Mass!  "Unless you eat my Body and drink my Blood, you will have no life in you."  John 6

"We don't want anyone to sin - thinking that they went to our wedding on Saturday, so they can miss mass on Sunday." reported John about this unusual choice that they made, yet so amazing and wonderful and powerful!

Brother Victor speaking about the beauty of peonies and how they are known as "Pentecost roses"

I found this so close to my heart at this joyful day as St Therese is Bobbi's patron saint, and she sent her roses over the years of her trusting silently that John was to be her husband and here she unknowingly was sent "Pentecost roses" in her beautiful bouquet!

Cousin, Ida, with the bride's bouquet - ALL roses... Pentecost roses and roses!  

John and Bobbi with a bouquet of roses and a bouquet of Godchildren...5!  How they love and honor LIFE and sharing in raising LIGHTS as Godparents!

Maria and Joseph at St Mark's 14 years ago!  They had 4 priests concelebrating, my dad as deacon, who read the Gospel, and a church full of young vibrant Catholics from St Thomas, who voiced loudly and with compassion a large a amount of Latin in their Nuptial Mass!

This from Pope Benedict XVI today blew my socks off!  This was left for me by my mother, Nancy, who had read it daily for 10 years!  Rarely does she write any notes in it, but today she notated that it was John and Bobbi's wedding in 2018.  They had planned to be here, but mother took a fall in their home and was unable to make it.  I was sad that they had to miss...

How I love every word of this today, and I would hope that you would take the time to read it.  For me it is a new way of answering the question I asked Pat at our engagement weekend...  We had shared with the other couples that we wanted to have 12 kids!  Every last other couple told us that with the mess the world was in - they would only have at most 2 kids or none at all!  This shocked me and made me wonder out loud if we were being selfish to have a large family.  Pat's immediate response to me; "The world needs LIGHTS!"  

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: Our marriage stories - "The world needs LIGHTS!"

In an age like today, when the future looks dark, the question can arise of whether it is moral at all to bring someone into the world and thus perhaps to impose upon him a future in which is it no longer possible to be truly human.  And indeed, if we no longer know if it makes sense to be human, than this gift of life can only be justified if I can give the new person more than mere biological life...

Birdie and dad keeping covid distance is so cute!  She sure was wide awake for this huge day in her life!  Entering her fellowship with Jesus in the heart of His Church!

If I can give her/him, along with it, a meaning that I know to be stronger than all the darkness of history.  That is what baptism is, which takes him into fellowship with Christ.  In that sense, infant baptism is clearly justified... Baptism is, in fact, much more than a ritual conferring membership in a community, as many people conceive now a days.  It is a process of birth, through which a new dimension of life opens out.    Pope Benedict XVI

I am so blessed to have had my dad here to meet Birdie Barbara, pray for her, join in her day of starting her journey down the narrow path with Jesus helped by his Bride, The Church!  I was the lucky one to have him here for the last 6 months of his life with the help of hospice!  Truly he walked peacefully and comfortably into the sunset of his life!

Out with hubby to fix fence - this bunch watching Pat intently and mooing that they would like some fresh grass please...

Eyes on the master as he figures out the puzzle of a fence where deer like to run through.

The creek zigs and zags and halts the 4 wheeler so walking is the way to go.

Can't quite get rid of the flag that flew for the 6 months my father sat here and prayed and watched the prairie winds blow... love and miss our prayer each day, dad!  Thanks for praying more perfectly for us now with mom.  You just added great-grandchild #59 - Magdalene Rose to your litany of first and middle names each Monday!

A great one of Joseph and Maria taken after our family Christmas in January.  Captain Joseph is now deployed to Afghanistan and has yet to hold his new daughter, Maggie Rose, who is 3 weeks old today!

Maria holding down the fort with the 7!  Baptism will happen when Joseph returns.

John and Bobbi at Easter - a picture of LIFE is the best!  They have been so amazed at their answer for having children in the face of odds against them.  The answer - Yes!!!  Thank you, Lord!

Added Hallel to make it complete, and already outdated with our newest member, Maggie Rose!  Also 2 more to be added before the New Year!  Each new life brings more LOVE!  

Jesus, we are so in love with you, and so grateful for your unconditional love and forgiveness.  May we then return that to all around us - most especially those the closest to us in our domestic Church/family.  Bless all marriages and may we all embrace our Most Cherished Cross where we find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Good and upright is the LORD;
    thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
    he teaches the humble his way. 
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.  Psalm 25 

This was lived out today in the first reading - where Sarah was about to take her own life, but realized that this was not what the Lord wanted - rather she turned to God!

At that time, then, she spread out her hands,
and facing the window, poured out her prayer:

    “Blessed are you, O Lord, merciful God,
    and blessed is your holy and honorable name.
    Blessed are you in all your works for ever!”

At that very time, 
the prayer of these two suppliants
was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God.
So Raphael was sent to heal them both:
to remove the cataracts from Tobit’s eyes,
so that he might again see God’s sunlight;
and to marry Raguel’s daughter Sarah to Tobit’s son Tobiah... Tobit 3

Yes, we need to give control over to the Lord in the storms of life!  Bless-bless, Barbara and family - our house serves The Lord and His Church!  Thanks, Dad for bringing all 13 into The Church 50 years ago!  

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: The amazing story of the 13 becoming Catholic!

New Catholics at the farm 50 years ago!

"Our duty as Catholics
is to know the truth,
to live the truth,
to defend the truth,
to share the truth with others,
and to suffer for the truth."

– Servant of God, Fr. John Hardon, S.J.

John's story continues with now wife and children!  He heads back to Rochester tomorrow for the return of his double vision and is asking for prayers again.  

Praise you in the storm - Casting Crowns

Natalie grant