"In life he performed wonders, and after death, marvelous deeds." Sirach 48/"Give us our bread..."

 

Love this from 2 years ago - many gathered around 4 week old Birdie Barbara in adoration of her sweetness and the wonder of new LIFE coming more and more aware of her world around her.  

Birdie looking around all the adoring faces of her Aunt Nancy and cousins, and her brother, Jude.  I am going to be dwelling back 2 years ago today with these precious memories.  My dad was in the midst of his 6 months living with me in our "farm monastery."

George touching his baby cousin, Birdie, 2 years ago.  George is now a big brother to Regina Maria, who is 6 months today!  

Pat out cutting the hay along our ditches as our hay season is getting under weigh!  It is a summer long project for Pat, Paul and all those called upon to bring the hay home on tractors and pickups with trailers.  Lord, keep all of us safe and sane.

Dad and Birdie 2 years ago - giving her a blessing.

The First reading today at mass is very much reminding me of my wonderful Father and his work as he listened to the Holy Spirit directing his life as well as all of ours!  

In life he performed wonders,
and after death, marvelous deeds.  Sirach 48:14  This is describing Elisha, but it just reminded me of my father so much!  He always listened to the Holy Spirit and truly performed wonders in bringing all 13 of us into The Catholic Church when there was a huge tide of many leaving The Church after Vatican 2!  He also said "Yes" to bringing 4 siblings into our family of 9, when the Spirit spoke to him that he and mom should do that when they were too many for family to take and keep together.

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

Baby lover Big Dave with Gus looking over his shoulder as they hold Birdie 2 years ago.  Not only does Gus have a 6 month baby sister, but David has a 7 month baby brother, Thomas Robert.  LIFE is the greatest of gifts there is!  Our motto as domestic Church/family is Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!

Mass this morning to start my day - the first reading from Sirach reminded me that my father and mother are united with me in the Eucharist and Jesus in The Word!  I am so sure that they both are praying more perfectly and without ceasing from heaven and the words from Sirach - after death, marvelous deeds.  I am convinced that they are assisting us on our journey and that of our extended family of over 140+

The Gospel today is Jesus teaching us the Lord's prayer from Matthew 6!  I love this from Raissa Maritain speaking about our Bread being the Word and The Eucharist!  Starting a new daily routine of mass - I am overwhelmed by His LOVE and spend time just soaking in Jesus!  I love how she uses The Word from John 6 - Jesus tells us straight out that we are to eat his Body for LIFE!

Today the Gospel rings in my heart - Jesus calling us to take his Body/Bread each day if possible.  The Church allows us this in most places around the world!  

“This is how you are to pray:

‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us... "  Matthew 6

And to bless me further - Pope Benedict XVI and mom today blessing me with these words from those gathered to share Jesus in The Eucharist - "He is the one same Christ who is present in the Eucharistic Bread of every place on earth..."

Beautiful weather for these last few days for weeding and all work outside - soon the heat is coming - 100 on Sunday!  I had the joy of finding these roses!

A gift to the one toiling under the sun with the wonderful breezes blowing...

I had to take a picture of the 3 blossoms I found that gave me so much JOY!

I am concentrating on Jesus coming to dwell in me in his Body.  Pure LOVE!  

Yes, why hide our sin and our wounds - he sees them anyways.  Lay them at his feet and be set free and cleansed!  Jesus, we need you and we are weak so we turn to you.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

According to the Liturgical Calendar it is today!  

O my Jesus!  I long to serve you better and to love and serve those the closest to me without counting the cost.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 51 - 34 here and 17 in heaven including our parents.  

Saint of the Day! June 15

St. Germaine Cousin

Patron: Victims of; abuse and child abuse, of abandoned people, people with disabilities, against poverty, illness and loss of parents. She is also the patron of girls from rural areas.

Saint Germaine Cousin was born in 1579 in Pibrac, a small village not far from Toulouse, France. From her earliest years she was a frail, sickly child, and throughout her life was afflicted with scrofula, a tubercular condition affecting particularly the glands of the neck. In addition, her right arm and hand were deformed and partially paralyzed. In spite of her many afflictions, the emaciated child possessed a charming, sweet disposition. Germaine endured not only bodily sufferings, but harsh, cruel treatment from her stepmother, who had a deep aversion for the little girl. The child was almost starved to death and obliged to sleep in the barn on a pile of leaves and twigs under the stairway. At break of day, summer and winter, she would drive the sheep into the fields to graze, then watch them until evening. She had to spin during this time, and if the allotted wool was not spun, she was severely punished.

The village children, not sharing the hostility of the adults toward this forlorn child, loved to listen to her speak about the goodness and love of God while she guarded her flock. The only instruction Germaine ever received was the catechism taught after Sunday Mass in the village church, which she attended with joy. During the long hours of solitude she spent in the fields and in the stable at night, she remained in sweet communion with God, and never complained of her hard life.

Every morning she was at Mass, and afterwards went to kneel before Our Lady’s shrine. To reach the church she had to cross what was ordinarily a small stream; but after a heavy rain it would become a raging torrent. Several times at those moments, the villagers were amazed to see the rushing waters separate when Germaine approached, and then to watch her cross on dry land. When she left her sheep to go to church, she would place her staff upright in the ground, and the sheep never went far from it. One day the stepmother was seen pursuing Germaine as she drove the sheep down the road. She was accusing the girl of having stolen some bread and concealing it in her apron. When Germaine unfolded her apron, fragrant flowers, foreign to that region, fell to the ground.

Germaine died one night in the year 1601, at the age of twenty-one, and was buried as was the custom in those days, in the village church. Forty-three years later, when a relative was to be buried near her and the stones were removed, the grave-digger found to his amazement, the body of a beautiful young girl in a state of perfect preservation. His pick had struck her nose, and the wound was bleeding. Some of the older residents identified the girl as Germaine Cousin. Miracle after miracle occurred, and in 1867 the neglected little waif of Pibrac was inscribed in the list of Saints by Pope Pius IX. Annually thousands of pilgrims visit the church of Pibrac, where the relics of Saint Germaine are enshrined.

—Excerpted from Heavenly Friends: a Saint for each Day, by Rosalie Marie Levy

I found this special after we had just celebrated the life of Germain Louwagie on Monday.

Motherhood was all I ever wanted as the most important calling I could answer in my lifetime!  

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

Sunday will be my second Father's Day with my dad not here with me, yet I know that he continues to be with me spiritually with all his teachings and sharing each day in his Prayer of The Church, and with the wisdom of his man, Brother Victor-Antoine.  I also am aware of his prayers with and for me and my domestic Church/family!  He is rejoicing in heaven at the arrival of 3 going on 4 since he passed!  Dad loves LIFE and is hard at work protecting ALL LIFE!  

"Love tends upward;

it will not be held down by anything low."

Thomas a Kempis in Imitation of Christ

"If we but paused for a moment

to consider attentively
what takes place in this Sacrament,
I am sure that the thought of Christ's love for us

would transform the coldness of our hearts

into a fire of love and gratitude."

St. Angela of Foligno

Danielle Rose

Tauren Wells