Friday, September 23, 2022

"It is under the cross that one learns to love." St Pio/Praying in the dark - vigil light reveals Jesus

Time on the porch with Tom and my dad's Army WW2 hat which is now on a shelf collecting dust.  your great-grandpa served our country at a difficult time.  
Your future lies ahead of you Thomas Robert as you carry forth your great-grandfather's name.  It would probably be right for you to inherit his hat someday.  
He liked grandma's pink socks and the feet that wore them.  Lots of time with this sweet boy in my future.  I am lucky!  
6a found me alone in the dark church to pray my hour for Fr Denny with 7 Sisters.  Pat was at This Man is You, so I tag along to do my prayer before mass.  
I was able to pray the Office of Readings and Morning prayer on my phone in the dark.  

iBreviary  

A great appropriate reading about priests as that is what St Pio was a priest!

SECOND READING

From the Decree on the Life and Ministry of Priests of the Second Vatican Council
(Presbyterorum Ordinis 3, 12)

The vocation of priests to the life of perfection

Priests are made in the likeness of Christ the Priest by the Sacrament of Orders, so that they may, in collaboration with their bishops, work for the building up and care of the Church which is the whole Body of Christ, acting as ministers of him who is the Head. Like all other Christians they have received in the sacrament of Baptism the symbol and gift of such a calling and such grace that even in human weakness they can and must seek for perfection, according to the exhortation of Christ: Be you therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Priests are bound, however, to acquire that perfection in special fashion. They have been consecrated by God in a new manner at their ordination and made living instruments of Christ the Eternal Priest that they may be able to carry on in time his marvelous work whereby the entire family of man is again made whole by power from above. Since, therefore, every priest in his own fashion acts in place of Christ himself, he is enriched by a special grace, so that, as he serves the flock committed to him and the entire People of God, he may the better grow in the grace of him whose tasks he performs, because to the weakness of our flesh there is brought the holiness of him who for us was made a High Priest holy, guiltless, undefiled not reckoned among us sinners.

Christ, whom the Father sanctified, consecrated and sent into the world, gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and cleanse for himself an acceptable people, pursuing good works, and thus through suffering entered into his glory. In like fashion, priests consecrated by the anointing of the Holy Spirit and sent by Christ must mortify the works of the flesh in themselves and give themselves entirely to the service of men. It is in this way that they can go forward in that holiness with which Christ endows them to perfect man.

Hence, those who exercise the ministry of the spirit and of justice will be confirmed in the life of the spirit, so long as they are open to the Spirit of Christ, who gives them life and direction. By the sacred actions which are theirs daily as well as by their entire ministry which they share with the bishop and their fellow priests, they are directed to perfection in their lives. Holiness does much for priests in carrying on a fruitful ministry. Although divine grace could use unworthy ministers to effect the work of salvation, yet for the most part God chooses, to show forth his wonders, those who are more open to the power and direction of the Holy Spirit, and who can by reason of their close union with Christ and their holiness of life say with Saint Paul: And yet I am alive; or rather, not I; it is Christ that lives in me.

The tabernacle glowing in the dark faintly - the red glowing vigil light shows us the Truth that Jesus is there in the tabernacle and we are very close to Him!  How Jesus loves for us to come and worship and adore Him!  

R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
my mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust.  Psalm 144 from mass today says it all so powerfully!  

Fr Denny at the foot of the Cross lifting up Jesus - Body and Blood at the Memorial Mass for St Pio this morning. "Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, for ever and ever.'

A quote from St Pio today is really touching my heart knowing the suffering that he endured with the stigmata for 50 years!  "It is under the cross that one learns to love."  We join Our Lady there as she suffered with her Son of God as he died for our sins.  St Pio also had a very deep love for Mary and her rosary prayer!  Jesus gives us Mary as our Mother at the foot of the Cross and we bring her into our home to bring the fruits of the Spirit - Peace, JOY, LOVE, gentleness, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control!

I feel the peace flow in and around me as I take up my beads of rosary prayer each day!  
Grandma always puts the table scraps out for my kitties and the kids like to watch them become the kitties' food.
A sad day for 3 year old Hector and their family as their beloved dog, Princess, was hit by a car and is gone.  Even Maria, who seemed not care much for her is shedding tears since.  

5  year old Evangaline feeling sad.  A dog truly becomes a member of the family after years of caring for her and taking her for walks on their military base a few times a day.  Princess you were a sweetheart and you are definitely missed by your family.

John home from seminary 10 years ago - tilling the field for his dad.  He did not continue to become a priest and is now married with children!  His wife, Bobbi, prayed for John through brain cancer, seminary, and girl friends as she was told when they were both seniors that she would marry John Verly.

Here is her amazing story!  She shared this with all those gathered at their wedding reception and all were amazed! 

After being classmates for all 13 years for them to come together 10 years after graduating is kind of special.  She shared to the 300 family and friends gathered at the reception in her sweet humble way about how John Verly popped into her head and heart when they were seniors in HS as her future husband.  Time and time again the same answer came to her through prayer and roses from St Therese and opening her eyes to see him right in front of her at WYD in Australia... When we consider what John experienced over those 10 years... brain cancer, seminary, girl friends, ups and downs and how disheartening it probably was and how powerful her prayers were for him!!!!  Amazing!!!   And how patient and trusting and prayerful and waiting and praying for John, this sweet girl was!

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A St Pio pearl of great price!  
Tom sure loves his wonderful grandpa!  My champion of LIFE and of family!  
Tom cried when grandpa left.  Pat shared that last evening he was going to scrape the yards with his beloved pay loader.  "I took Tom and Joy and Tom just squealed with delight!  When I honked the horn to get the cows to move., he thought that was super exciting, too!"  No wonder he makes the "brumm-brumm" sound when he is in grandpa's arms!  Lucky farm kid for sure!  Lord, keep him safe!  
8 years ago - sweet baby 8 days old Romeo gazing with LOVE at his pretty pretty mommy!  Just 2 years before I had been with Maria for the traumatic birth of Patrick, who was born dead and brought back to life while his dad was deployed to Afghanistan.

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: The story of little Lamb - grandson Patrick 

It looks like the first day of fall in Manistique, MI where we had our family cabin for about 15+ years!  I sure do miss the Big Lake! 

How he joined the Lord's suffering in such a personal way and for 50 years!  Father Denny told us that he was a healer, could read people's hearts in the confessional, and could bi locate.  
Novena of St Therese as we approach her Feast day in the beginning of October!  The Saints are certainly so wonderful to me as they help me on the narrow path!  

A great sharing on Matrimony today from Pope Benedict XVI!  Self-giving love one to the other!  
The Bell ringing has returned to our mass here in Marshall!  LOVE!
Dad's man, Brother Victor, today is sweet and beautiful!  "He is here!  Get ready for him."
Now my 23 grandkids and kids in law, too!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 54- 34 here and 20 in heaven.  Tom is wanting to get up from his nap, so this is ending for today!
Missing dad - 2 years ago when Hallel came for a visit to the farm - she had not seen my dad since she left for France 12 years before!  What JOY to share in the religious LIFE of my dad - a permanent Deacon for 44 years and daughter, a fully professed nun!  LOVE!
Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: The amazing story of the 13 becoming Catholic! 




Casting Crowns
"Prayer is the oxygen of the soul." - St Padre Pio
 
 
"Kneel down and render the tribute
of your presence and devotion to Jesus
in the Blessed Sacrament.
Confide all your needs to Him,
along with those of others.
Speak to Him with filial abandonment,
give free rein to your heart,
and give Him complete freedom
to work in you as He thinks best."
 
St Padre Pio of Pietrelcino
Priest, Stigmatist, Mystic
Italy ~ 1887-1968
Patron of Eucharistic Adorers
Feast Day - Sept 23
 
 
"When I am close to Jesus
in the Blessed Sacrament,
I feel as if my heart
is bursting out of my chest."
 St Padre Pio
___________________________
 
O Blessed Rosary of Mary,
sweet Chain which binds us to God,
Bond of love which unites us to the Angels,
Tower of salvation against the assualts of hell,
safe Haven in the universal shipwreck,
we shall never abandon you.
 
 Petition to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii,
often recited by Padre Pio
__________________________________________________
 
 


 

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