We were missing only Maria and Joseph and their 6 kids from Washington. I was just talking to Maria on the phone, and we were sharing the work of her siblings in this world - starting with the amazing job Ruth did for me in getting ready for her Goddaughter's Baptism..."Ruth is amazing at building the world!" shared Maria with awe.
I get pretty emotional realizing that my father came to our Marshall church 5 times to Baptize all of my children! So blessed!
After fearing with his brain cancer 11 years ago that he would not be able to have children... an answer from Heaven with Jesus and Our Lady smiling on them!
This feast filled me with such JOY to discover today, the day after Pentecost... The Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of The Church! How we love Mary, the Mother of God and of The Church! "There is a mother better than you, mom." John since falling in Love with Mary at Lourdes 11 years ago during his brain cancer battle!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html
As we were driving home after my father joined us for mass and the Baptism... I couldn't contain my gratitude for my father's leading our family of 13 into The Catholic Church 49 years ago, becoming a Deacon with the first class in the Archdiocese, and then marrying me and baptizing my children... now to have them all carrying forth in powerful ways their total LOVE and embracing ALL the Truth that the Church holds out to us in it's wisdom! What a legacy!!! Thanks, my wonderful father - the King of our family of 140+!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
Today dad and I started praying prayer from Ordinary time - no more "Alleluias!" How I love to have him in my home praying without ceasing morning prayer, rosary and chaplet at 3p, and evening prayer! On Monday he does the litany prayer for the family first and middle names of all 58 great-grands!
As Maria just marveled about her oldest sister..."Ruth is building the world." How? She does the work and has the vision to make all around her beautiful and right!
How? They are having such an amazing answer to their prayer for family with 2 beautiful children in 13 months! Also John burns to share his finding Faith through brain cancer with all - "I want to return the love and healing I have been given through prayer with all that I encounter!"
The celebrant first blesses the mother, who holds the child in her arms, then the father, and lastly the entire assembly:
A. Celebrant: God the Father, through his Son, the Virgin Mary's child, has brought joy to all Christian mothers, as they see the hope of eternal life shine on their children. May he bless the mother of this child. She now thanks God for the gift of her child. May she be one with him (her) in thanking him for ever in heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All: Amen.
Celebrant: God is the giver of all life, human and divine. May he bless the father of this child. He and his wife will be the first teachers of their child in the ways of faith. May they be also the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All: Amen.
Celebrant: By God's gift, through water and the Holy Spirit, we are reborn to everlasting life. In his goodness, may he continue to pour out his blessings upon these sons and daughters of his. May he make them always, wherever they may be, faithful members of his holy people. May he send his peace upon all who are gathered here, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All: Amen.
It was sweet to see him focused on the Consecration.
Dad just had his weekly nurse visit and it all went smoothly! Thank you, Lord, for this good day and we take it one day at a time. We are rejoicing at the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Church! How we love and cling to the Truth that you gave your mother to us as ours at the foot of the Cross and she blesses our homes with peace and comfort when we bring her into our homes!
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
John 19 - the Gospel for today!
We are needing to sit out on this 90 degree day and pray on the porch soon. So I will end this long sharing today! So much JOY is filling my heart, mind and soul! How I love to have my father here to pray with me without ceasing and lift up our huge family together. A lot of sadness over the situation of violence going on in our state... close to some of our family.
Lord, protect our loved ones and end this horrible violence that is all around us. As dad said today we need to begin with forgiveness as those family members did when that white young man went into the church and shot those attending a service there. "Forgiveness stopped the violence." Yes, Lord, help your Spirit to bring Peace and LOVE into this mess of a world! Bless-bless, Barbara
Hector on his first birthday - March 8
A quote from Maria today...
"Ruth is building the world.
Nancy is converting the world.
Hallel is changing the world
John is growing the world.
I am blogging for the first time in months.." "You are raising saints - starting with Therese on down to Hector." me
The Holy Spirit felt very real this morning with huge winds!
Mary, Mother of the Church
Feast Day: Monday after Pentecost
“She who is recognized as mother of salvation, life and grace, mother of the saved and mother of the living, is rightly proclaimed Mother of the Church ~St. JPII
on to the rosary with dad
