Lucy at mass at 4 days!/"Go to the surrounding towns... take nothing for the journey" The Gospel comes to life!/"Behold, the Lamb of God" +JMJ+

Lucy Marie peacefully in her mom's arms this morning at the 8a mass - attending mass for the first time on this side of the womb and all 9 months before every Sunday.  It was a big effort on John and Bobbi's part to get the 3 ready and to mass on time.  Pat and I arrived late due to the snow that blew all over the place overnight with the south wind!  

How I recall attending mass with newborns as hubby was always very strong on attending mass as a family and never in shifts so that the little ones could be at home.  I so agree that attending mass as a family is right and important to share our Faith as a family!

I recently shared this on FB...

Bring them to church. Saturate their lives with the love of God. Even if they lay on the floor. Even if they need 437 goldfish and a sucker to be quiet. Even if you stand in the back swaying back and forth holding them. Even when it’s hard. Even when your pew looks like a hurricane just came through.

Bring them to church. Let them see you worship. Let them see you pray. Let them see you working at addressing your faults and leaning on our Lord when things are hard because if they don’t see and learn these things from you, who are they going to learn them from?

The world will teach them faithfulness is not a priority. The world will teach them that what they want is more important than what God wants for them. The world will direct them so far off course, confuse them, and misinform them that just being “good” is enough. The world won’t teach them about Jesus. That’s our job.

Bring them to church.

“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.” —Matthew 18:5-6

Teaching kids is a huge responsibility. We must take it seriously and do it well. Prepare well, speak truth, and remember they are God’s children first. Fr Brad Pelzel

Grandpa was thrilled that Birdie sat in his lap and was content for all the mass today!  "Best Mass ever!"  Yes, she lost her shoes and socks somehow, but...

She put them back on so that we could go to the Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast in the church basement!  

Yes, Lucy slept through her first pancake breakfast at 4 days old.

Grandma got to hold her so that mommy could eat, and it was special time - just Lucy, grandma and her camera.

Our precious gift of LIFE - 23rd grandchild, Lucy Marie Verly with her wonderful grandpa Farmer Pat.  He is the champion of LIFE and family - our motto since our Engagment weekend - "Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!"

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

Another amazing priest on FB

I had the father of a large family ask me how he should respond when people are critical of him having so many kids. I said: “It’s simple. What does the world need the most right now? I think it’s pretty clear: We need good people. Holy people. People of integrity and high moral character. People who are joyful, and hopeful, and courageous. And we don’t just need a few of these people- we need a lot of them. So, have a bunch of kids, and raise them to be good, and holy, and joyful, and courageous people, who will one day become the husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, Priests and Sisters that our world so desperately needs. Have a bunch of kids, and raise them to be good, and you’ll have made the world a better place.” FrDavid Michael Moses

I read this to Pat recently and we were both blown away by this wisdom and Truth which started with my wonderful husband 45 years ago!

Adding the new member of our family #34 led me to update our entire family wall!  That is my obsession and great JOY to see my family all around me - my domestic Church/family consumes my mind, heart and soul with prayers without ceasing for each one!  Sharing our Faith as a family is my greatest JOY and job!  

Maria's family in Charlottesville in mid November, Nancy's at Thanksgiving in Delano, Ruth's at CCC in Amery, WI the weekend before Christmas - each with babies in the last year it is important to update them.

Then the most recent family picture is already outdated even though it was taken after mass at St Joseph's in Amery at the end of CCC on Dec 18.  How could it be outdated?  We welcomed our 23rd grandchild 4 days ago!  Oh well, I guess I need a new family picture with everyone!  Hallel is there in picture form...

Baby Lucy on the wall already - picture taken just hours after she was born here in Marshall!  As I say... I love to have my family all around me - my greatest JOY other than my LOVE for Jesus, Mary and The Church!  The watercolor on the bottom is of all the losses in heaven - mine and my children's a total of 13!  So it truly is my entire family here and in heaven!  

Welcome Lucy - your name means LIGHT and so you are!  

Maria's update taken mid November in front of the doors of their Church in Charlottesville, VA.  

Nancy's in Delano on Thanksgiving.

I should add this, too.  The Little Sisters that are now living in KCK at Lumen Christi/LIGHT of Christ!  

Now the Little Brothers that live down the hill in KCK in Light of Mary the Mother of God Monastery!  I am burning to share with you the amazing newsletter they shared at Christmas - talk about the Gospel coming to LIFE!  

The two girls after mass - Lucy smiling for her big sister, Birdie Barbara.

Now with her sweet daddy.  It looks like she is finding her thumb like her big brother and sister!  I had 4 thumb suckers in a row!  LOVE how content they are.

Barcelona, Spain!  Amazing!  

Benedict XVI today - thanks mom for this gift each day!  

 "When Catholics are asked,

'Do you have a personal relationship

with Jesus Christ?'

they should answer a resounding YES!

 

 

 

There is no closer union with Jesus than when

you receive Him in the Eucharist.

You too can say with St Paul,

"...and the life I now live is not my own,

CHRIST IS LIVING IN ME." (Galatians 2:20)

 

Rev Msgr Richard L Carroll, V.F.

Yes! I have a personal relationship to Jesus Christ!  

Now dad's man, Brother Victor, with his sweet wisdom shared on the Baptism of Jesus and ours!  

The newsletter for Christmas from the Little Brothers filled me with such deep feelings of how when Jesus tells his disciples to go forth - he is speaking to them in this day and time!    "Go to the surrounding towns and villages proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is at hand.  Take nothing for the journey, no silver nor gold, but go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."  Yes, they hitchhike to encounter people as they truly take nothing for the journey but Jesus in The Word of God in their hearts and souls!  They go out into poor neighborhoods to beg for their food and a place to stay the night or get out of the weather!  

Another story from their "missions"   "We must let ourselves be evangelized by the poor ... We are called to find Christ in them..."  Pope Francis

Imagine them walking down the street and what a message they give as His Disciples proclaiming the Gospel!  

Such a sweet story shared of meeting a woman of humble and beautiful Faith!  "she expressed how meaningful our visit was. 'It is the Lord who has come!' "

Their message to us - "to find the hidden presence of God" 

The Gospel from John today speaks of the Lamb of God!

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.'  John 1:29-34

"Oh Jesus, I also want to love the Word of God like him, and through it, live with you..."  I see how they go forth and spread the Gospel, the Good News!  Hallel loves Jesus in The Word and she found her place here in her beloved Community of the Lamb!  We are so grateful that she lives close by in Kansas City, KS this year!  We have fake plans to go there in 2 weeks for a parent's weekend with our daughter and the others!  So excited and blessed!  

Thank you, Jesus for allowing me to come to know you in Word and Sacrament.  I love and adore you and long to be your hands and feet and voice of Truth!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and our 54 - 34 here and 20 in heaven keeping our eyes on heaven forever as we stagger down the narrow path carrying/dragging our Most Cherished Cross.  

Lauren Daigle LIGHT of the world

Toby Mac - help is on the way

Zach Williams