Therese is 15 - such a model of humble love - Take the last place and you will be alone... "Be merciful to me a sinner." - +JMJ+

Sweet Therese is 15 today!  She is such a good friend to her younger cousins, Rose and Bernadette.   That says a lot of her not having airs about her and how she can just plain be accepting and kind to all.  

I begin to see that they have truly shared some big experiences together like going to France for Hallel's final vows.  As it is - before Susan/Hallel joined The Community of the Lamb - Maria asked her to be Godmother to Therese along with a priest friend.  So Therese has a priest and a nun for her Godparents - amazing!  

9 week old Lucy today wishing her big cousin, who loves all babies, a "happy cute adorable" birthday!  

If there is a baby - Therese will be holding and loving them!  Here she is with Regina Maria at our Cross Christmas Camp in December.

Of course, with sweet Tom!  

The Pledge that is signed by Therese for her Catholic High School on line.  Living out strong morals and values in her life.  

With her own baby sister - the two bookends with 5 between them.  Therese and Magdalene Rose are very loving to each other.  Therese has been known to change more of the baby's diapers than her mom.  She loves the little ones and shows her love with how she cares for them and loves them.  

Therese is 15 today and Maggie will be 2 in May.

The big blue house they bought sight unseen and discovered that it is on the wrong side of the tracks.  They are kind to their neighbors, yet they pray for safety for the kids and keep them safely in their yard or home.  Our Lady is there to protect and reach out to those in need and comfort them in their struggles.

As a little girl Therese had a heart for the poor.  She would color a piece of construction paper and put a few dollars inside and tape them shut.  Her mom would pull up next to homeless person begging in the street of El Paso, and Therese would hand out her gift with her small 4 year old voice - "God bless you."  

4 years ago in the hospital holding her new baby brother, Hector, who was 4 on March 8th along wtih her sister, Evangeline, who was 6 on November 1st.  They have since added #7 Magdalene to give love and care for.

Yes, Maria made this for Therese when she was 6 in 2014!  Her father in -law made the Cross for her and her doll, Anna, and a wooden rosary for Therese to wear just like her Godmother, Little Sister Hallel.  

Our family only missing Hallel at CCC in December.  Maria and Major Joseph had been unable to join us for the last few years, so we were overjoyed to have them there with us.  We have since added grandchild #23 - Lucy Marie on January 11th!  

Dad's man, Brother Victor today blew my socks off!!!  

Take the last place - "very few aspire to such a position.  In choosing to always be last, we are left alone with God, and no one can disturb this intimate communion."  

So fitting with the Gospel today of the Pharisee and the tax collector!

But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Luke 18

Talk about being alone with the Lord - I traveled on terrible roads with snow blowing so bad to make visibility bad to spend my hour in the empty church for Fr Denny with 7 Sisters.  Such a blessing and gift.

All is bare for Lent with no flowers - "Jesus, be merciful to me a sinner."  

A memory for 3 years ago just 2 days after mom passed away in a day after a fall.  Dad told me that he would soon follow mother.  Yes, he came to live with me a month later and was put on hospice that day.  He lived here in my "Farm Monastery" for 6 months and peacefully died to join mom.  They reached 70 years of marriage and were only apart for 7 months!  Such a blessing and a gift.

St Mother Teresa of Calcutta today - so true!  Lent was especially a time of family prayer in our home with the kids.  How they would love to hear about the lives of the Saints!  

Venerable Fulton Sheen - she is our Mother too!  How I love to have her with me on my journey taking my needs to her son.  "You can never love Mary more than Jesus does." St Maximilian Kolbe

Mom's daily meditations of Pope Benedict XVI allow me to share with her each day as she read this 10 years in a row and this is now my 3rd!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and 34

"Since Christ Himself said in reference to the bread:

"This is My Body," who will dare remain hesitant?

And since with equal clarity He asserted:

"This is My Blood," who will dare entertain any doubt

and say that this is not His Blood?" - St Cyril of Jerusalem

 

 

"Do not, then, regard the Eucharistic

elements as ordinary bread and wine: 

they are in fact that Body and Blood of the Lord,

as He Himself has declared. 

Whatever your senses may tell you,

be strong in faith.

 

You have been taught and you are firmly convinced

that what looks and tastes like bread and wine is not

bread and wine but the Body and Blood of Christ. 

You know also how David referred to this long ago,

when he sang:  Bread gives strength to man's heart

and makes his face shine with the oil of gladness. 

 

Strengthen your heart, then, by receiving

this bread as spiritual bread, and bring joy

to the face of your soul. May purity of conscience

remove the veil from the face of your soul so that by contemplating the glory of the Lord, as in a mirror,

you may transformed from glory to glory

in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

To Him be glory for ever and ever.  Amen."

 

   An except from

The Bread of Heaven and the Cup of Salvation,

   St Cyril of Jerusalem, Early Church Father

 

St Cyril of Jerusalem
313-386

Bishop of Jerusalem

Scripture scholar, Catechist par excellence
Doctor of the Church, Early Church Father

Feast Day - March 18

 

St Cyril admonished catechumens surrounded by heresy:

 "Make your fold with the sheep;

flee from the wolves:

depart not from the Church."

Click here: St. Cyril of Jerusalem - YouTube (2 mins)

 

St Cyril of Jerusalem, pray for us!

Danielle Rose - the Litany of Humility - Each week The Missionaries of Charity pray asking for this prayer to take place in them.  So hard yet we are to do this!  

Danielle Rose

Will Morrison

Will Morrison - Reckless love