24 hours with our nun at Lumen Christi- 2nd Sunday of Easter-Divine Mercy/Thomas' unbelief brings us to firm faith - +JMJ+

With our 4th daughter, Little Sister Hallel, in Lumen Christi/Light of Christ Chapel after morning prayer and adoration in the heart of the poor in Kansas City, Kansas.  

I wept with tears of great gratitude and thanksgiving when I witnessed her great JOY and LOVE for her spouse, Jesus.  She read these words with the Bible in her lap as they were finding echoes to the Gospel of doubting Thomas.  "When I saw him whom my soul loved.  I would not let him go."  

The Trinity behind us and the icon of Mary beside us.  I am holding a lilac from the bush behind the Monastery that hubby picked for me!  They have spring there while here we got another 3 inches of snow overnight making getting to mass on Sunday for our farm family difficult.

We were up by 3:30 and on the road by 4:30a so that we could arrive in time for Open Table at the Little Brothers!  Pat made a 21 pound turkey which was so moist and wonderful!

Little Brother Louis Marie draining the rice which looked like incense.  "Cooking is a testament."

Hallel with pies made by her old mom- when your daughter only can come home for a visit every 3 years - you bring a bit of home cooking to spoil her along.  We fed all of them, and it was so fun for me.  We also brought along our canned food and meat that we share with our 6 families.  When Hallel is here in KCK - it makes it all that much more special to include her and her family of the Lamb 

We love sharing Open Table with the Little Brothers at the bottom of the hill.  We go around and share our Easter JOY from those that are homeless and one whose mother is having her 104th birthday!  A now blind former trucker shared his amazing conversion story!  

The Little Brothers' heavenly chapel - the LIGHT of Mary the Mother of God.  The bright amazing green outside the windows of the green grass and leaves we found after driving 7 hours South.  Better than stain glass!

The Franciscan crucifix as one of their founders is Jean Claude - a Franciscan priest!  

The amazing American Little Brother, David, who is from St Louis close by and is blind.  Such a shining LIGHT he is!  

They were mowing the grass when we arrived and leaves on the trees!  

Spring 7 hours South from our wintry scene after 3 inches of snow overnight in Marshall, MN.

We arrived for Mendicating/chewing on the Gospel before supper as we share Evening prayer and then repeating the Gospel each line 3 times and then chanting it to allow it to speak to us.  I found the time that Thomas did this - put his hand in the wound of his side- was where the Holy Spirit spoke clearly to me of the Blood and Water that came forth to bring us to Faith through Baptism and Feed us his Body and Blood in the Eucharist!  Divine Mercy Sunday is when we recall this Mercy coming to us!!  

The icon of Thomas - how I was filled with great happiness when they shared the Homily of St Gregory the Great!  

"Thomas' unbelief was of more advantage to our faith than the faith of the believing disciples , because when he was led back to faith by touching Jesus, our minds were relieved of all doubt and made firm in faith.  The disciple who doubted and touched became a witness to the truth of the resurrection."  St Gregory the Great

I was blown away by this as I have witnessed this with 2 of my children that were struggling to believe in Jesus and The Church!  Son, John, who had no faith and half-heartedly prayed for faith and through brain cancer found his Faith. And daughter, Maria, who went off to college with every intention to leave the Catholic Church. Instead after talking to a seminarian - she "not only did not miss a Sunday mass but am going to daily mass.  Your prayers for my Faith have certainly been answered!"  Yes, these 2 "became a witness to the Truth of the resurrection" for me and our domestic Church/family!

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: John's cancer stories 

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: Now the stories of John's 4 sisters...Ruth, Nancy, Maria, and Susan/Little Sister Hallel! 

My Most Cherished Cross and the lilacs he gifted me always close by!  He is my champion for LIFE and for marriage as the motto our family lives by is "Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!"  I had fake plans to go to Kansas City for the Easter Triduum with our daughter, Nancy and her family of 8, but Pat said we could go together the next weekend, and it was like being together in heaven!  So many blessings with our daughter and her family of the Lamb!  

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

Borrowing Hallel's blue apron to help with dishes and make a salad for lunch.  Always with my lilacs not too far away!  

Pat washing dishes... Hallel describes her life as that "of prayer and dishes."  When you live with 8 women - the meals and clean up is constant.

My canning jars neatly put away with the blue aprons hanging.  Little Sister Marie, who started their order as an offshoot of Dominicans - made her first habit from blue jeans in the 60s and so they look as though they are blue jeans - "the color of the sky and the shape of the Cross."

Prayer begins in the dark chapel and the LIGHT is shared - with their candles lit and the voices of angels singing of their LOVE and adoration for Jesus, Mary and our beloved Church!  

Lilacs with Hallel and Postulant, Collette and lilacs in one of our canning jars!  The smell was heavenly along with all the rest!  

Hallel showing us the Easter candle that they made in a PVC pipe and painted by Judith!  

The monstrance where Jesus was a short time ago.

Little Sister Stella will be heading to France tomorrow.  

Pat finishing up our salad for the final lunch before we head back to snowy Minnesota.  We have found that arriving for Open Table, and sharing in their life for about 24 hours is just perfect for us.  We are blessed to be able to sleep there in the Monastery in the "family room."  So wonderful to be able to share in their lives of prayer and dishes!  

It just so happens that a TEC friend found this poster in the gathering space at Pine River - our Lady of Lourdes, and shared it with us while we were in KCK with our nun!  I am amazed at how the Holy Spirit works and LOVE what she said here, but mostly what I witness with my own eyes and heart.

Easter water blessing us to begin Mass.

Jesus is The Word brought forth by Little Brother Isaac - bowing to Our Lord and Savior!  

As St Thomas spoke this Truth - "My Lord and My God!"  

Bringing forth the Bread and the Wine to become His Body and Blood! 

Now the cup.  I wept after receiving the Body and Blood as Fr dipped the host into the blood!  It has been since the beginning of Covid that I have been able to taste the Blood of Christ!  What an amazing blessing and gift!  

David!  I was sharing with him our JOY of having our military family moving there in mid July.  Yes, two of our daughters will be just 40 minutes apart for a year!  So many fake plans to get down there often and share time with the two of them!  Maria and Major Joseph have 7 children that will now be at home in Lunen Christi!  

David with those kneeling before the empty tomb!  

I shared that I can see Maria's youngest, soon to be 2 year old Magdalene, getting so happy to be in this beautiful place on earth - a small slice of heaven- that she will run up to her Aunt Hallel and hug her skirts and play with her rosary beads and fall in love with Hallel and her Community of the Lamb!  I have no doubt that this will become a most loved place for all of them!  I am so grateful to Our Lord and Lady allowing this blessing to happen to our family!  

Wonderful Louis Marie!  He is such a gifted musician and plays the violin beautifully along with his voice.  He spent the night on our farm the weekend before Thanksgiving as they had put on a mission in The Twin Cities.  He and I shared my hour of Adoration in the middle of the night as it was his dad's birthday that day!  A deeply special time to share with Our Lord and Lady!  

The Little Brothers heading out on Mission after mass yesterday!  They go begging for their food as they knock on the doors of the poor.  

Pat saying goodbye to David and Jean Marie.  They truly are part of our family of the Lamb.  Our daughter being a nun and taking a vow of celibacy has not deprived us of more family- rather she has added to us hundreds of amazing Little Sisters and Little Brothers!  

The Easter Candle with the Victorious Lamb of God!  

Night prayer at the Grotto of the Nativity of Mary the Mother of God for night prayer.  They sang Hail Holy Queen/Salve Regina - as they do each night before going to bed.  It is truly heavenly!

I have found these Dominican Salve Regina so you can share in the beauty of this goodnight to Mary.

Hubby Pat saying "goodnight" to Mary!  I love that cow looking over baby Jesus in the manger - so perfect for farmer hubby, who has 180+ cows and soon they will all be calved out.  3 calves were born while we were away.  He felt bad because son in law Paul had snow to deal with.  

We are grateful to our young farm family- Ruth and Paul and their 7 children making it possible for us to get away even for just 24 hours!  

My bowl of coffee and wonderful eggs and my lilacs for breakfast with daughter, Hallel, across the way!  How we loved to share deeply of how we were touched by the Gospel of doubting Thomas!  

Yesterday, the 16th was the 3rd Anniversary of my bringing my dad to live his last 6 months of life at my "Farm Monastery."  So appropriate that I could share that with them!  The Lord so spoils me.  I am feeling especially joyful for that time as my dad was on the same hospice I worked for 15 years as a nurse.  I LOVE hospice so much and to share that with my dad was a gift!  

The other Postulant - Abbey from Michigan.  It is wonderful to share with her mom and other moms of the American Little Brothers and Sisters!  With Hallel now in for 15 years and fully professed we can be helpful to them as they begin to experience this wonderful vocation.  Nothing better than giving your LIFE to Jesus!  

We certainly celebrated Easter!  

Hubby with his big hands compared to Dorotha!  They are truly more daughters to us!  

A picture that I sent to her mom in Michigan so that they can see her JOY!  Postulant Abbey from Michigan!

Now Collette from Georgia!  Her mom was grateful to see her.  She is the second of 8 siblings and they are appreciating her good cooking.  How we love to see Americans coming to see the beauty of this life!  

Vincent Van Goh just because...

We did about 10 lessons of Catechism in a Year by Fr Mike Schmitz!  I am so in love with Jesus and the Holy Spirit right now as a result of the beauty of it all!  The Church is truly the Bride of Christ!  

As we neared KC!  Fr Mike spoke about how the day of LIFE in Mary's womb was truly LIFE and God - He shared The Holy Spirit with St John in the womb!  There is no way this is not a LIFE and must be protected and cherished from conception to natural death!  

The pink trees of spring as we got nearer to Kansas City!  

Kansas

Minnesota this morning - the leaves are from my Easter Tree inside my house since Palm Sunday.  

I have truly poured my heart out  here today.  So much more to share but I must end this!  Jesus, I love you and am so grateful at how you spoil me with your LOVE and Your Mercy!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah!  

The farm family hard at work while we were gone.  Thank you!!!  

We had thunder storms with hail in KC.  See the flowers and the grass.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 34.

"We should consider those moments spent

before the Blessed Sacrament

as the happiest of our lives." - St John Vianney

 

 

"Go to Jesus. 

He loves you  and is waiting for you

to give you many graces.

 

He is on the altar

surrounded by angels

adoring and praying.

Let them make some room for you

and join them in doing what they do"

 

St Mary Joseph Rosello (+1888)

Foundress: Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy

 

Allelujah!

Ben Fuller - Who I am 

listening to Christian Music on our trip!

Oceans - where feet may fail

 

To KCK with a turkey. chicken feed, homemade canning and our meat/ "only name under heaven...by which we are to be saved." - +JMJ+

Yes, this guy spent the day with grandma and all I can keep saying to him over and over is that he is such a sweet boy!  He loves to be outside now and brings grandma her shoes.  The patio door was open and he and the cat would go out and come back in.  He would shut the door and then want grandma to open it for them.  Oh, and he would come with his mouth open for some of grandma's cereal as part of the circle.  

He thought the red gate by the barn was a picture frame, or so it seemed to camera happy grandma.

He rarely is unhappy with grandma and takes a wonderful nap and eats his food so well, and is such a fun happy boy for his old grandma.  He knows me very well and is very loving towards me.  I am very humbled by is love.

He just left with his hard working mom and I need to go and pray for Fr Denny with 7 Sisters.  I said goodbye to Tom till next week since I won't see him until Monday with our crazy trip to see our Nun in KCK - leaving at 5a and probably getting back close to midnight on Sunday.

I am happy that my cat, Iggy, is getting to be a friend to Tom.  Tom is pretty gentle with his petting of Iggy.

Tom following him around the yard.  While we waited for mom to come - Tom helped me pick up branches off the yard.

Reaching through.  I tried to help him climb the fence, but that wasn't happening today. 

Such a happy boy, who loves to be outside.  It is going to be cooler and rainy, but I suspect that KCK will be warmer usually by about 20 degrees or so.  

We are taking along feed for the chickens that they have for eggs, a fully cooked and deboned turkey for Open Table when we arrive there, some of our homemade canning of Tomato soup and spaghetti sauce, and applesauce.  Also some of our own meat - they like hamburger.  It is so wonderful to be able to bring our food to all of our kids now that Hallel is living here these last few years just 7 hours away in Kansas City!  We do the work for 6 families!  

He loves to play with the gate on our porch.

Look at me grandma!  Oh, Tom!  You are so precious!  

A French priest wrote the meditation today about St John, who was always close to the heart of Jesus!  

"the more he knew him he leaned upon his heart and the more he leaned upon his heart he knew him..."  Today the Gospel is John recognizing Jesus first when he was standing on the shore and told them to lower the nets for a huge catch...

So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord."
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea...  John 21

I had to send this to my daughter, Nancy, who along with hubby and their 6 kids consecrated their family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Close to His heart - they will always recognize Jesus! 

Consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus!!!  LOVE for sure!
 

A picture of The Community in Kansas City today inviting all to attend a mass with The Archbishop tonight.  Sorry we will just miss him!  

I love the Holy Spirit speaking through Peter today in Acts 4! It so brings me to recall my wonderful father, Deacon Robert Cross, who had a huge devotion to The Name - Jesus!  His prayer books are full of him circling each time he finds it!  It just makes me smile with great JOY!

Today from Acts 4...Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them,
"Leaders of the people and elders:
If we are being examined today
about a good deed done to a cripple,
namely, by what means he was saved,
then all of you and all the people of Israel should know
that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;
in his name this man stands before you healed.
He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,
which has become the cornerstone.
There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven
given to the human race by which we are to be saved."  Acts 4

There it all is!!! No other Name by which we are to be saved! Jesus, we love you and trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

10 years ago for Hallel's home visit - arriving in a huge snow storm.  A few days later it was warm and windy ,but the snow is still there behind us.  We had just shared mass together - Pat's mom joined us  - we have now grown to 34 over those 10 years!  Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 34

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

"We know that God makes all things work together

for the good of those who love him, who have been

called according to his decree." - Romans 8:28

 

"By a beautiful paradox of Divine love,

God makes His Cross the very means of our salvation and our life.

We have slain Him; we have nailed Him there and crucified Him;

but the Love in His eternal heart could not be extinguished.

He willed to give us the very life we slew;

to give us the very Food we destroyed;

to nourish us with the very Bread we buried,

and the very Blood we poured forth.

He made our very crime into a happy fault;

He turned a Crucifixion into a Redemption;

a Consecration into a Communion;

a death into Life Everlasting."

Ven Fulton J Sheen

 

Divine Mercy Novena Day #8
Click here: DIVINE MERCY NOVENA PRAYERS

Will Morrison

 

More beauty across from our Church/Remembering dad coming to the farm monastery - "by faith in his name..." - +JMJ+

My Easter Tree on this Thursday in the Octave of Easter with leaves and some lilacs are starting to bud.  

My Most Cherished Cross is the Tree of LIFE with fruit and flowers and gives us LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!  

The Easter after John's battle with brain cancer 14 years ago!  New grandson, David, was born and John was reborn into LIFE after facing death. He found his Faith through his battle after he half-heartedly prayed for Faith!  

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: John's cancer stories  

John's Spirit Juice Video 

The huge snowdrift in front of the house has gone!  I guess 80 degrees and wind will do that in short order!  Nice to see patchs of green grass as soon as the snow leaves.

10 years ago at this time John was in seminary and he served Fr Kutchera at mass in Ghent - the same church where he was married to Bobbi soon to be 5 years ago.  The Lord showed him that he was not called to be a priest, but rather a husband and father, who loves Jesus, Mary and The Church.

Hallel home for a home visit in the midst of a huge snow storm.  At the time 10 years ago we had 9 grandchildren, and now we just welcomed our 23rd grandchild.  Ruth has added 3 since then, Nancy has added 4, and Maria has added 4, and John has had 3.  Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS is our motto in our domestic Church/family!  

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

The Cross I made Easter after dad had lived with me for the last 6 months of his life here in my farm monastery.  He arrived during the week of the Octave of Easter in 2020 on April 16th - a month after mom had died in day after falling and breaking her hip in the morning.  Dad's prophecy that if anything happened to mom that he would come and live with me happened!  I had covid to thank, and was thrilled that dad was admitted to the same hospice I had worked for the day he arrived here! 

There is so much these days of Easter Octave about the power of The Name of Jesus!  Today as St Peter preaches to those gathered around seeing the man that has just been healed as they say the Name of Jesus Christ over him.  You denied the Holy and Righteous One

and asked that a murderer be released to you.
The author of life you put to death,
but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.
And by faith in his name,
this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong,
and the faith that comes through it
has given him this perfect health,

in the presence of all of you...  Acts 3 

I have to smile as I read dad's prayer books and Bible - every time he sees "Name" he underlines it or circles it.  It has caused me to discover just how important it truly is!  In the Name of Jesus!   

Every day dad and I would sit on my porch at 3p and say our rosary and chaplet of Divine Mercy together!  My father was a Permanent Deacon in The Catholic Church for 44 years after he and mom brought our family of 13 into The Church 51 years ago!  Each day since has been a gift to me!

Dad loved to watch the "white trucks" off in the distance of Hwy 59!  Dad and I also watched an entire growing season together on that porch!  We saw the ground worked, the seed planted, the corn grow each day till it was over our heads, harvested and the ground worked again, and we even saw the first snow before he passed away on October 23rd. 2020.  

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

Sunrise this wonderful spring day.  It looks like it will be the last hot day with cooler weather ahead.  

A look ahead to this Sunday - Divine Mercy Sunday.  Pat and I will share mass with The Little Sisters and Little Brothers in Kansas City, Kansas at Lumen Christi Monastery.  

Working on a new roof early this morning when I came out of mass - Each improvement on this old brick apartment building seems to pay respect to the wonderful churches across the street.  This apartment was just allowed to go to pot, and now it is being given new LIFE and LOVE from Ruth and Paul and their vision and willingness to do a lot of work themselves along with Melvin Welu's crew.  So exciting!  

My dad was a Deaon in Colman, SD for 3 years - only 90 minutes from my door to theirs!  It was such a gift to me!  My parents are both city people and to live in a farming community for those years allowed them to see farm life and appreciate how peaceful and close to nature it is on the farm.  St Jopseh's Church in Colman, SD.  

Thank you, Lord, for the wonderful journey that we are blessed with in The Church with each new day!  Today in the Gospel you appear to the apostles - "Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have."
And as he said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed.  Luke 24  Yes, Lord!  We are amazed to have you continue to be with us as your Holy Spirit dwells within us and we are given you  each day in Word, Body and Blood!  May we die to self so that we may be your hands and feet and voice of Truth in the world of darkness. As Fr Tony said today- "Go forth and make a difference."  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah!

Dad baptizing my 2nd daughter, Nancy Anna in 1982 Easter time as she was born April 2rnd.  My sister, Mary, was her Godmother.  Mary died at age 28 from lymphoma leaving behind her farmer husband, Gerry, and a 20 month old daughter, Audrey.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 34 

 

 ...it is I myself. 

Touch me and see... Luke 24:39a

 

 

"Those who are called to recognize the risen Jesus

do so by following the same two-pronged path: 

by the sacrament of Jesus' Body

and that of His Word, touching Jesus'

Body and understanding the Scriptures.  

These two sacraments, in a mysterious way,

contain the risen One and at the same time in every

Eucharist make Him present to all who believe.

 

 

How could we ever believe if Jesus Himself

did not take the initiative to make it happen?

How would we recognize Jesus

in the sacrament of His Body and Blood

if He Himself did not invite us to do this and if He did not

tenderly wound our heart at the moment we receive Him?

How would we find the risen One in His Word

if He Himself did not open our mind and set our heart on fire

every time He spoke to us through Scriptures?

 

In our own heart, which leaps up with joy,

we recognize Jesus, the Jesus Who is risen

and still lives, even in our midst."

 

Dom Andre Louf (+2010)

Abbot - 35 years  - Cistercian monastery

of Mont-des-Cats, France

Tauren Wells