Wait for The Lord.🌹

Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength’. (Isaiah 40:31)

My sister Agnes had asked if we could swop hair appointments. Could I take her 10.45AM and she would take my 2PM. Of course I agreed but I was sad to be missing Holy Mass, and most especially Holy Eucharist. However, I am well aware that Holy Eucharist is my Sacred and Blessed privilege, my sublime gift from God, most definitely not my entitlement. 

Oftentimes I shared with folk on the ‘Struggle Bus’ right now, Bible verse I love dearly; ‘Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the Lord’. (Psalm 27:14). Soothing verse, much needed in this our day and time. Good idea to stick it on the fridge or somewhere pivotal reminding ourselves that we are always under the watchful eye of our wonderful Father God, all of the time.

After my hair appointment I entered Church with my new improved tresses expecting Holy Mass to be over and beautiful Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament taking place. Instead, to my splendid surprise, Father, in Persona Christi, was distributing Holy Communion, Jesus waiting for me, right inside the door. I received our Lord Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in Holy Eucharist, my heart dancing with joy and gratitude.

Everything worked out perfectly. Agnes got the appointment she needed, I received Holy Eucharist and my appointment too. Symphony of beauty, bond of charity, reminding me yet again that while I am oftentimes impatiently waiting for my Lord, He is right there by my side. 

Whenever I fall behind, He waits patiently for me to catch up, I am never alone.

‘It is only God who creates. Man merely rearranges’. (St. Thomas Aquinas)

‘Patience, Prayer and Silence - these are what give strength to the soul’. (St. Faustina/944)

Once upon a day.🌹

‘Consider the lilies of the field whose bloom is brief: We are as they; Like them we fade away, as doth a leaf’. (Christina Rossetti)

Affable  bus driver greeted me cheerily; ‘Good morning. We are not charging today, the machine is broken’. His welcoming attitude every bit as elevating as my free trip to Kilarney, and I told him so. My gift to him - my prayer, which he joyfully accepted.

I strolled through Killarney before 10AM Holy Mass in the Friary. I could not help noticing a little girl with her Nan, super excited, pointing up at the Christmas street lights and decorations even though they are not yet lit up. She could not stand still as she danced with glee. Well aware in her guileless childlike spirit that something wonderful is about to take place, something out of this world. 

Made me ponder a Bible verse I love; ‘Jesus said; “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven”. ( Matthew 18:3).

Helen happily accepted my prayer enquiring if I was a Jehovah Witness. When I replied ‘No, I am Catholic’, she seemed pleased but tad surprised, strengthening my resolve to keep on keeping on. Always little nudges, little signs, urging me on, when I least expect them.

Pat sat alone in deep sadness. He has already endured a lot in his life, he told me and now his health is really suffering. He will say my prayer every morning, right now in dire need of spiritual consolation. After our chat he seemed a little more upbeat. 

There is an urgency in our world right now, presumably more than any other day and time, for all of us to reach out and share our gifts with one another, hopelessness hangs heavy in the air. One thing for sure and certain! We cannot in all honesty justify doing nothing. Mother Teresa said; ‘I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things’.

Elderly Priest’s homily at Holy Mass in Friary insightful and uplifting. Afterwards, as I offered a very pleasant lady my prayer, she told me about a soothing prayer she says every day and now she too will copy, laminate and distribute it, as I do with mine. As we parted she said; ‘I was meant to meet you today’. Great oaks from little acorns grow.

Bus trip to Cork city delectable, falling leaves, awesome autumnal colours, clear skies. Enjoying the solitude, reminding me of myriad bus trips we enjoyed, my boys and me on days like this, once upon a time. Joyful journeys tucked safely in my heart for posterity making it easy for me to enjoy my solo voyages now.  

I reached my destination, tired and content, my delightful grandchildren, Saoirse, Aoife and Cillian balm to my spirit. As I sit in my bed writing this, I hear them laughing with their parents. Saoirse knocks on my door; ‘You’re welcome to join us for movie night Nan’, she says. When I thank her for her warm invite, but that I will stay put, she beams broadly; ‘So glad you are here Nan’. Pure unadulterated honesty from her deepest beautiful heart. 

So much to be thankful to God for, what a Mighty God we serve. 

‘Christ is our Light. His presence comforts and assures us like a blazing fireplace welcomes and settles those who sit by it’. (Joyce Rupp)

‘I ask you to consider that our Lord Jesus Christ is your true head and that you are a member of His Body. He belongs to you as the head belongs to the body. All that is His is yours; breath, heart, body, soul and all His faculties. All of these you must use as if they belonged to you, so that in serving Him you may give Him praise, love and glory’. (St. John Eudes) 

Invitation from Jesus.🌠

‘I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the Truth’. (John 6:38:39)

Outside Church today, as I was about to offer my prayer to three visiting ladies, beautiful words on the placard; ‘Invitation from Jesus’, caught my eye like never before, like I was seeing them for the first time. 

Lightbulb moment, Jesus inviting me to be His Hands and Feet in a newer deeper way, placing HIS noble desires for my life in my deepest heart, inviting me to enter into partnership with Him in the work of salvation. 

Visiting ladies not alone accepted gratefully, they were overjoyed and told me so.

That moment of luminosity started off a chain of events that blew me away. All afternoon, amazing prayer encounters occurring seamlessly like I had never before witnessed. Lady in queue just ahead of me, young boy in wheelchair. Elderly American lady who on reading the prayer beamed; ‘Perfect prayer’😀. 

Young guy who happened to be moving away from home tomorrow for the first time, he was really chuffed. Guy who would never entertain prayer, stopping for a chat and now my prayer is in his car. 

My only task hand it out, God’s amazing Grace bringing all to fruition. 

Now I know for sure that gifting my prayer to others is my invitation from Jesus, discerning that changes everything. Yes, my nerves will act up at times, discomfort will make itself felt, I will probably fell stupid and ridiculous many times, but that is part and parcel of my superb bidding.

To consent to be a fool for Jesus, but who better to be a fool for, and maybe even in time embrace it.

I am a prayer sharer, it is official. My chat up line: ‘Would you like a Prayer that I love to say and share? I am not preaching, I am simply sharing what is in my heart?’. Sometimes when the person is not familiar at all with prayer, I offer: ‘Place it on your nightstand, say it first thing each morning and then get on with your day’. 

Folk do not feel hemmed in then, they relax, unaware that every time we pray, we are allowing Jesus to swoop into our hearts with His Gladsome Healing Light, bringing order into chaos, exchanging darkness for light. Nothing to lose, everything to gain.

‘Dear lay faithful, as witnesses to Christ, you are especially called to bring the Light of the Gospel to the vital nerve centres of society. You are called to be prophets of Christian hope and apostles of the One; “Who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty “. (Rev1:8/St. John Paul II)

‘Again Jesus spoke to them saying;  “I am  the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”. (John 8:12)

November Sunday. 🍁

‘Give me Faith, Lord, and let me help others to find it’. (Leo Tolstoy)

Holy Spirit promptings insightful and precious never cease to amaze and delight, what Holy Spirit wants known will be revealed. Young couple, sitting in the pew right behind me at Holy Mass readily accepted my prayer. Later, outdoors, while the rain and leaves fell, we enjoyed a most wonderful joy-filled sharing. Definitely orchestrated from on High, all the hallmarks.

 ‘Jesus is the silent listener in every conversation’.  (St. Mother Teresa)

When I got home, eventually, two famished feline friends fed kindly and respectfully from the same bowl, savouring every morsel. Got me to thinking 🧐 Prayers, glad tidings and food, all shared freely, rendering this damp November Sunday morning marvellously meaningful.

Marina in happy mood when I visited with her in the afternoon. She loves Lesley, he brings her so much joy. Marina is not lonely any more. Impossible to articulate how happy that makes me.💃

Joan on her way from SuperValu. A tad reclusive, I was ecstatic when she said: ‘We will have a meal in December’. I was not expecting that. To win the trust of another😀 That’s big.

I visited John and we took a leisurely stroll. John is as tall as I am small. Wasting time in his calm presence balm to my soul, all is right with the world for a time. 

Almost home, young guy bearing a vacuum cleaner almost knocked me over, frightening the life out of me. My scream scared him too! Prime opportunity to offer my prayer which was warmly received with the words: ‘My girlfriend will be delighted’. 

Bloom where I’m planted. Everything comes from the Hands of our Creator, all of us are called to be warriors of Light. 

‘Our happiness consists in fulfilling the purpose of our being’. (Venerable Fulton Sheen)

                                                                   Sharing is caring.🐈

                                                           Love is a many splendored thing..... 

                  ‘What you do matters, but not much. Who you are before God matters tremendously’.                            (Catherine Doherty/Madonna House Foundress)

                                                                        ☀️☀️☀️

                                                     Joan, Sheila and I in Kells/ 12/3/2022

           

                               ‘The whole of my life has been God’s gift’. (St. Josephine Bakhta)

Darragh 🛳

I might never have met this genial young man had I not heeded Holy Spirit’s prompting to go have coffee with Ann after Holy Mass this morning. Normally I remain in Church for one Holy hour, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament - radiation therapy of the highest order. This morning, after our coffee, I returned to Church, much later than my usual time and as I sat in that sacred sacrosanct space in prayer and silence, Darragh walked through the door.  

I offered him my prayer, he accepted joyfully, like most young folk do, and there ensued our wonderful sharing. Darragh Carroll set sail from the coast of Norway in November 2019, completing an epic solo journey that brought him around Scotland and home to Dublin, carrying a flame the entire way to the hill of uisneach in Ireland’s midlands. Darragh’s adventure is well worth reading about, his tale of survival mind blowing. Tommy Tiernan spoke with him on his television programme. Ryan Tubridy too, on his radio programme. 

Today, what do you know, little old Kerry grandmother, me, had the sublime privilege of his peaceable presence in the greatest studio of all. ⛪️ No need for camera and lights, the awesome Light of Christ beamed on us both, reminding me of John 8:12 - ‘Jesus spoke to them saying: “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life”.

As we parted company, I asked Darragh if he would keep me in his prayers. ‘I will pray for you Bridget’. he replied, earnestly. My heart danced.💃 What a gift, pure prayer, like a shower of soft snow shielding me from all harm. Not much in this world brings me more happiness than the prayers of our beautiful young folk. 

God Bless and mind you Darragh as you continue on your way, I am so glad you dropped by. You are now in my heart and prayers forevermore. Thank you from my deepest heart for rendering my day even more pleasant than it already was. 

‘When a great moment knocks on the door of your life, it is often no louder than the beating of your heart, and it is very easy to miss it’. (Boris Pasternak)

The Race is on.💡

‘I believe that life should be a continual preparation for the next life, because one doesn’t know the day nor the hour of our passing’. (Blessed Giorgio Frassati)

My plump folder of poor decisions and my lean one of righteous decisions ever before the eyes of my soul. Not to intimidate or shame me, not at all. They propel me forward, beckoning me on to higher ground. Reminding me of my Mom’s adage: ‘While there’s life, there’s hope’. Time on my hands still to make amends, tip the balance. Allelulia.

Each new day is a blessed opportunity from Father God to bear fruit for Eternity. To avail of any and every opportunity for good, thus topping up my righteous lean folder all the time. Meanwhile, bulky folder of poor decisions defunct and dust ridden, all growth cut off at the root. 

Ohhh 🥳 To stand before God on that fateful day, bearing myriad good folders and just one dusty bad one 😀 Now that’s a cause definitely worth living and dying for.

Let me waste not a moment, dear God of SECOND CHANCES. Free me from the tyranny of my own desires. 

‘The night is far spent, the day is at hand: Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light’. (Romans 13:12)

‘No moment can be wasted, no opportunity missed, since each has a purpose in man’s life, each has a purpose in God’s plan. Think of your day, today or yesterday. Think of the work you did, the people you met, moment by moment. What did it mean to you - What might it have meant to God?’

(Fr. Ciszek spent 23 years in Soviet prisons)