Humility🕯

‘Find new ways to spread the word of God to every corner of the world’. (Pope Frances)

My beloved prayer is making it’s way to prison I am glad to say. Here’s how it came to be.

Today praying 3PM live-streamed Holy Rosary when a little lady came into Church. She strolled about the place reverently and then sat down in a pew near Holy Alter where I stood in prayer. Afterwards we chatted and she told me that although she is now retired from Legion of Mary, she still sends prayers and magazine to prisons. Like myself, she just wants to be of service somehow in some way.

‘For the Son of man did not come to served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many’.     (Mark 11:45)

Wow! The thought had never once crossed my mind. Lady read my prayer and happily took all I had in my bag. To think that some poor incarcerated soul will be praying my prayer - even one person - that all of Heaven will be minding that person or persons, fills my heart to overflowing with gratitude to our wonderful God. 

She told me too that when sending prayers to prison always address my prayers to the Chaplain or they might well be binned. 

‘Live everyday as if it’s your last and one day you will be right’, she said laughingly as we parted company. 

Sunshine walked beside my surprise visitor, no doubt about that, on this wet cold January afternoon in deepest Kerry. Last night I doubted myself severely having shared my prayer with a lady who probably did not want it. O Lord it’s so hard to be humble!! Feeling ridiculous, even for you my beautiful Father God, still stings. 

Then today a wonderful opportunity presents itself from Your Holy Hands.

‘The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility for as he does not know at all how to employ it - neither does he know how to defend himself from it’. (St. Vincent de Paul)

‘He is a planner and he knows everything for a reason’, uttered my gentle friend from India this morning as she signalled to beautiful Jesus in Holy Tabernacle.🕯🙏🏻

Today🙏🏻☀️

‘To be possessed by God, to surrender to Him utterly, completely, so that even before death one may say with St. Paul. “I live now, not I, but Christ lives in me”. To do this because one’s soul is filled with but one desire - to make Him loved and known by others - that, to me, is LIFE’. (Catherine Doherty)

Back home once again after spending most wonderful week in the bosom of my loving family, saying goodbye never easy. 

Young catering assistant who served my breakfast in Heuston Station told me: ‘Every morning when I pray your prayer I will think of you’. Beautiful blessing🌠

Ticket lady on train asked to see my ‘Travel Pass’. I thanked her for the compliment! At that exact moment an anxious young guy (Sleep deprived new Dad 😴) was explaining on his phone for all of us to hear, reasons why his parents would not be minding baby: ‘They are old now. Pensioners you know’. Oh my dear young man, I wanted to holler - All of us must age but we must NEVER grow old!🥳

I offered my prayer to the young lady sitting on the seat next to me and turns out she had just this week qualified after five gruelling years in college and will begin her new career very soon. She was genuinely overjoyed with her ‘well timed’ new prayer. 

On the next train as I contemplated somehow placing my heavy case in the overhead compartment, another young lady stopped in her tracks offering to do it for me. She too was delighted and surprised with her new prayer.

I am constantly amazed at our beautiful young folk’s reaction to my prayer. They are totally open to our muck or diamonds! When and how did I begin to share beautiful Holy Spirit’s ‘Diamond’, I really have no idea but I am so grateful for the divine privilege.

Ever since my dear Katy passed from this life there is a deeper urgency in my heart to make every moment of my life meaningful. Right now I can pray and offer a prayer, there is still time. However, when my life here is over, when my work here is done, I will be solely depending on others to pray for my soul. To pray one beautiful Hail Mary will be completely beyond my reach!

Life is short - Eternity is forever! Sobering thought!!

‘The doings of this life carry on into eternity’. (Frank Duff)

                                                           Jim 🐈 happy I’m home😹

“M.Le Cure”, his missionary said to him one day, “if God were to give you your choice of going directly to Heaven, or remaining on earth to labour for the conversion of sinners, what would you do.”

“I think I would remain here”.

“Oh! M. le Cure, is it possible? The Saints are so happy in Heaven!”

“That is true, but they can no longer glorify God, as we can, by sacrifices for the salvation of souls”.

(Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars)

Alive by the Grace of God.☀️

Tea and wordle in Costa this morning, after Holy Mass and Holy Rosary of course. I got it (wordle) in five. Tricky today! As I pondered whether or not I would offer the lovely young assistant my prayer, I read the following;

‘Relax, My child, I’m in control. Let these words wash over you repeatedly, like soothing waves on a beautiful beach, assuring you of My endless Love. You waste a lot of time and energy trying to figure out things before their time has come’. (Jesus calling/Sarah Young)

Wow!! Exceedingly wonderful welcome words gifted to me at any time but most especially this very minute! As it turns out I did not get to offer that young girl my prayer - she was too busy with customers - but the young girl in Dunnes was greatly appreciative of my words : ‘I’m a grandmother who wishes all you young folk would know how precious you are to God’, as she happily accepted my prayer.

On my way home a couple with their Labrador passed me by. After a few minutes beautiful Labrador turned back around and sat there gazing on me kindly, in no hurry to get going again. At that moment I was feeling particularly tired. ‘Something beautiful for my heart right now’, I told her proud owners. Amazing☀️

Got me thinking - Everywhere I turn, folk young, old and everywhere in between staring at screens, epidemic proportions!! Kindly Labrador on the other hand fully alive in the moment with plenty of time to sit awhile. 😁

‘The glory of God is a person fully alive but the life of a person is the vision of God’. (St. Ireneaus)

Sean was already in Church when I arrived for Adoration of the most Blessed Sacrament this afternoon. I offered him my prayer and what a sharing we had. He studies Theology so it was no surprise then that Thomas Merton, C.S. Lewis and St.Teresa of Avila all emerged in our riveting conversation. ‘I will certainly pray your prayer every morning’, Sean told me as we parted company.

When Adoration was over I spoke with Grace from the United States, Theology student also. Yes, she already has a morning prayer but it is very short so mine is perfect, she told me.

On days like today, I have not one scintilla of a doubt that my prayer-sharing vocation is most definitely what Father God is asking of me right here, right now......and to think I almost stayed home this afternoon.....😀

‘You, dear young people, be brave and free! Do not let yourselves be taken in by the deceptive mirages of an easy happiness. Follow the way of Christ: He is demanding, certainly, but He alone can help you to savour the full meaning of life and enjoy peace of heart’. (Saint Pope John Paul)

Daily round☀️

‘Let us hold fast the confession of our Hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful’. 

(Hebrews 10:23)

Workmen pointed me in the wrong direction through no fault of their own and so my pleasant encounter with Lynn this morning. She went completely out of her way to help me in the pouring rain and for her trouble and generosity of spirit, Lynn received my beautiful morning prayer. Both of us happy to have met, win/win situation.

Back on the right road, praying the Joyful mysteries as I ambled along, my heart overflowing with gratitude to God for Holy Mass and Holy Eucharist - my sublime privilege every morning. Quite extraordinary!! Father Frank played ‘This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine..’ after Holy Mass. Poignant!

Stopped to chat with lovely young couple and their brand new twin boys, fresh from God. Readily accepting my prayer, I told them I felt honoured to have made their acquaintance. Truly I did!

Wonderful Holy Spirit is guiding my prayer to where it needs to be, no doubt at all in my mind as I go about my daily round. No plan in place, I merely the humble instrument in God’s Holy Hands. All the work of wonderful Holy Spirit, reminding me of Rudyard Kipling’s (poorly paraphrasing!) wise words: ‘Praise and blame - I treat those two imposters the same’.

Wonderful breakfast and wordle in local cafe. I got it in four. Not bad!!

On my way home I sat on a bench in this awesome College campus and recorded ‘Roses’ (song by Tommy Sands) on my phone for Donal, (Katy’s heartbroken husband). He weeps every time he listens but strangely it brings him comfort too, intermingling of darkness and light. Joy and sorrow can undoubtedly exist simultaneously in the human heart.

Dear Joan is in A&E awaiting a bed. Wonderful news thanks be to God, Joan badly in need of care and attention, comfort and warmth. Our Church community greatly relieved, Joan has been on the struggle bus for quite some time now.

I will miss spending time with her but to know that she is finally being cared for is all that really matters right now. Joan, powerful lady of prayer and even though her surroundings now are strange, she is really where she has always been - in Gods Good Hands.🙏🏻

‘O dear Saint Joseph, I place myself, then, with full confidence under your protection. Teach me to live as you did, in faith and abandonment to God; teach me to live solely for Him, by consecrating myself entirely to His service’. (Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen/1953)

A change is as good as a rest.☀️

‘Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me bless His Holy Name’. (Psalm 103:1)

Change of scenery this week, time out with Ruairi and family. Rest and renewal after dear Katy’s Months-mind Holy Mass yesterday. I sang at Holy Mass (sublime privilege) and at our family get-together afterwards I sang ‘Roses’ written by Tommy Sands. Beautiful moving song about two young guys (rip) senselessly murdered in Northern Ireland. I remember seeing their pictures in the evening paper at the time so this song is really special to me. I would often sing it for Katy and now all three are in my heart and prayer.❤️🙏🏻

After Holy Mass this morning, tea and wordle in cozy cafe.  I got it in five - should have done better!!

Young girl serving my tea taken totally aback by my prayer offering. Speechless for a moment she surprised herself saying: ‘Yes, I will take it’. ‘I’m a grandmother’, I told her, ‘I would never offer bad advice. Pray it every morning and all of Heaven will mind you’. Visibly happier, her countenance transformed before my eyes.

Young girl in pharmacy positively giddy accepting my prayer. ‘You will love it’, I said and laughing she uttered: ‘I know I will’. Her Nan lives in Limerick, she proudly declared when I told her my homeland is the kingdom of Kerry.

Completely lost on my way home, young guy kindly gave me directions and accepted my prayer too. Final year in college, Computer Science, prayer to him not a foreign concept.

Mary walking slowly with the aid of a cane uttered: ‘There is nothing wrong with a prayer’, as she accepted mine, a tad shocked but happy too.

Young shop assistant who told me: ‘This is fab’, as she read my prayer. ‘I’m just working here for now, I might go to College next year’, she added almost downcast. I suggested she not use the word ‘just’ - it renders her service paltry and worthless and nothing could be further from the truth. ‘Thank you, I totally get that’, she replied smiling sweetly.

I had no intention of sharing my prayer today. Tired and emotional, sleep having eluded me last night. God had another plan though, no doubt about it, anything can happen when we ‘Let go and let God’

‘We are fragile beings, but we know how to pray: this is our greatest dignity and it is also our strength. Have courage. Pray in every moment, in every situation because the Lord is near us. When a prayer is said according to Jesus’ heart, it obtains miracles’. (Pope Francis)

                                                                             

Katy❤️🌺

‘Though we need to weep your loss, you dwell in that safe place in our hearts where no storm or night or pain can reach you’. (John O’Donohue/Benedictus)

We hadn’t met in the longest time, my sister Katy and I. One day on the phone I told her I really wished we could meet up somewhere one more time before we die. Katy’s reply was not at all what I expected: ‘Me too. I will keep that in mind’. She wasn’t shocked in the slightest by my rather bizarre request. Strange that!!

How delighted I am now that we did meet up, totally unplanned, last May. She came walking towards me and I will never forget my joy and utter excitement in that moment. ‘Let’s have a selfie’, I said. ‘No photo please’, Katy replied.

Looking into her gentle kind eyes I uttered: ‘Katy, you are beautiful’. ‘Ok then’, she replied, relaxed and smiling and so our treasured selfie came to be. Thank God.

This morning I took ‘Divine Beauty’ by John o’ Donoghue from my bookcase and began reading page fifteen for no reason at all. My heart missed a beat....

‘When we say from our heart to someone: “You are beautiful”, it is more than a statement or platitude, it is a recognition and invocation of the dignity, grandeur and grace of their spirit’.

Katy and I got our longed-for meeting, I got to tell Katy she was beautiful, what more could I ask for! Thank you Father God from my deepest heart.

It is not possibly to be grateful and unhappy at the same time, I tell myself, as I wade knee deep through this dirt-track of searing grief and confusion.

May the Lord have mercy on your gentle soul my beautiful Katy.

‘To enter each day with a generous heart. To serve the call of courage and love until we see your beautiful face again in that land where there is no more separation. Where all tears will be wiped from our mind and where we will never lose you again’. (John O’Donohue /Benedictus)

We miss you Katy.😌❤️ 

Derm’s text this to Katy’s heartbroken husband Donal today:

‘It is so hard Donal. Just keep praying and keep putting one foot in front of the other. You should be very proud of yourself that you made it this far’. 💎

(Proud mother me.)☀️

                                                   My dream 💤 last night/28/6/2023.🙏🏻☀️

To do Your will is my desire.🙏🏻☀️

          ‘I know that my Redeemer lives and at last He will stand upon the earth’. (Job: 19:25)

My mountain in all it’s glory, amazingly awesome as I dashed to get my bloods done this morning. Maybe nicest photo ever!!

Ukrainian visitors move around our town quietly gently, linking arms. Deep in conversation, mostly solemn but oftentimes erupting into glorious laughter too. When I complimented young pleasant Ukrainian shop assistant today on her warm smile she replied: ‘Thank you but sometimes it is really hard’. I could empathise, my heart aching since my dear Katy’s passing, and I suggested that perhaps our smiles in times of trial are our ‘best smiles’. She nodded gratefully.

I will never stop thanking Father God for allowing me do some small thing in these terrible times. Countless prayers shared today, unbelievable. Guy in cafe before Holy Mass, lady in Blessed Sacrament Chapel, young boy in Hairdressers, young girl who replied: ‘I am very grateful’. One time I was probably viewed as somewhat ‘weird’ but nowadays it is mostly accepted that this is what I do - I offer a prayer!!

Sitting with Joan as she waited for Docter to examine her poor leg, black and blue from a fall she cannot recall. Dainty lady in early Alzheimer’s joined us and what an interesting conversation came to pass. Not much to laugh about but everything to enjoy!!

Yes indeed, being about my Father’s business is the greatest grief buster of all. We need to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Life is not about me, it’s about loving God by laying down my life in the service of others. We glorify God by accomplishing the work He has given us to do.

On my way home I sat awhile and prayed Holy Rosary with beautiful Holy Family. Praying was always more important than breathing but most especially now in this our day and time.

‘The life of the body is the soul; the life of the soul is God’. (St. Anthony of Padua)

                                                     My mountain still beautiful this evening💎

‘Anything to declare besides your greatness’, I asked John this morning. ‘Nothing but my emptiness - divine emptiness filled with the God’, replied John.☀️

                                         ‘The just man’s mouth utters wisdom’. (Psalm 37:30)

The Gift.🎁

My day began as it always does: Holy Mass, Holy Eucharist, Adoration of the most Blessed Sacrament. Beauty extraordinaire!! My grateful to God heart can find no words.🎆

Jennifer accepted my prayer, I admired her magnificent locks. ‘I did not admire your hair so I could offer you a prayer’, I told her and we both laughed. Poetry! Walking home more laughter when Nora told me earnestly: ‘He is sooo good to us. EXCELLENT!’ before walking on. I loved how she had no doubt whatsoever I would totally get who she was referring to.😂 

Snow on mountain, sheep grazing happily, sun shining brightly. Breathtakingly radiant.☀️

Delightful afternoon Holy Rosary in St. Anne’s as we sat together in cozy circle of prayer and song. Motley crew.❤️ Kitty prayed her decade even though she is completely deaf. Bridie, blind and deaf, cocooned in silence. Katy, over ninety years of age, prayed her decade ‘as Gaeilge’, every syllable perfect. Dan, blind, smiling as he prayed his decade.

Oh how my heart dances in their midst, all of us transported to a higher plane, ‘Prayer’ definitely does exactly what it says on the tin! 

‘Rising up long before daybreak, Jesus went and departed into a desert place and there He prayed’.(Mark1:35)

Bridie called out St.Teresa of Avila prayer as our beautiful Holy Rosary drew to a close just as she used to do before Lockdowns called a halt to our ‘Holy Huddle’. Beautiful Bridie unable to see or hear us remembering every word. Sublime moment in time. Many people now refer to this as ‘Bridie’s prayer’.🌺

Kind oil delivery guy gifted me a calendar for my beautiful Marina as he does every year without fail. Marina over the moon, enduring power of kindness!!

I never leave St. Anne’s without pep in my step, that is the law of the gift. When we give ourselves to others in concrete daily ways something very joyful comes into our life. We receive so much more too than we could ever hope to give and that is totally true.

‘The human person can only fully find himself through the sincere gift of himself’. (Fr. Tim Gallagher)

When I complimented Katy on her decade ‘as gaeilge’, she replied: ‘It’s a small enough return to the Lord who does so much for us all the time’. ☀️🙏🏻

                                I was asked to write a piece on St. Anne’s Holy Rosary.🙏🏻❤️

Forever young☀️

‘Free people make the world nervous’. (Fr. Dave Pivonka)

Joan’s birthday had completely skipped her mind and when I jogged her memory after Holy Mass this morning, she was ecstatic. Today she is seventy six years on God’s green earth, but no way will she even consider, let alone accept, that fact! ‘I’m fifty nine’ she announces happily, adding: ‘I may be a little more or a little less’. Joan is as young as she wants to be.☀️

She loves her birthday card, I dearly treasure our friendship. Joan wears the world lightly, her amazing authentic self in vivid display at all times. 

Be yourself! Everybody else is taken.🌺

‘I asked an old lady her secret, for she looked so young to me:

“Can you tell me how you do it, give me your recipe?”

“Well dear, I really can’t tell you, old age doesn’t bother me,

So perhaps THAT is my secret.

We’re as young as we want to be!”

(Phyllis Ellison)

‘All people are born as originals but many die photocopies’. (Blessed Carlo Acutis)

‘He that is down needs fear no fall,

He that is low no pride;

He that is humble ever shall

have God to be his guide’. (The Pilgrim’s Progress/John Bunyan)

 

Mother Mary.😍

When my artist friend Magella took charge of this beautiful Mother Mary statue a few months ago, it bore no resemblance to what stands before you now. Grey, punched through with tiny holes, drowned wet, downright hopeless and at least one hundred years old. I rescued it from the ruined remaines of Joan’s ancient cottage, with Joan’s permission of course!

As I went to collect it in Church this evening, young man sat outside on cold wet ground enjoying a packet of crisps. Tad inebriated! On my way out again he was just about to leave unsteady on his feet. ‘Would you like a prayer I love to say and share’, I asked. ‘I would’, he replied -‘What do you want? I will give you something’.  ‘No thank you’, I replied - ‘Just pray it every morning, all of Heaven will mind you and you will be happy’. ‘I will’  he replied like he meant it.

Thing is, up to that point my day had been down and lonely. Then, in one fell swoop Dear Mother Mary shifted my gaze away from little old me, elevating my aching heart in the process. 

My nephew Aonghus and his sweetheart Louise who were wed a few months ago will be the beneficiaries of this beautiful Mother Mary statue. Unique wedding gift in this our day and time to be sure. Not often included in ‘wish-lists’ I imagine.😃

‘Dearest Mother Mary Queen of peace, keep our troubled minds at ease. Amen

Splendid Sunday.🌺

 ‘We must have one desire - to become little ones; to allow ourselves to be used by God as He wishes, no matter what cost to us’. (Catherine Doherty)

Killarney Station to pick up Derm after Holy Mass this morning. Delighted dropping many books I have accrued into Station waiting-room, almost always folk avail of them. Sneakily positioned prayer in each one, no opportunity missed. Highly tactical with strategic value! 

Two young people waiting on a train gladly accepted my prayer. When I told them I was sharing - not preaching- the young guy said: ‘You can preach if you want’.😀 Young girl kneeling in prayer at Friary Crib accepted my prayer too. Overjoyed she uttered: ‘I love prayers’. Oh how I yearn to share my prayer with our beautiful young people in this our day and time. Pure privilege for me.💎

Lunch in Scott’s Hotel before visiting dear Mary in her Care Centre. I bring her cigarettes. She wishes I could stay longer but then she sees my boys waiting in the car and understands, smiling like a thousand suns. Being around Mary inspires and fills my heart.🌺

Onwards, grateful Mother and sons along sublime winding road to Gap of Dunloe. Beauty is a great reflection of God Himself - no other explanation.🤩

‘Beauty is the heart’s encounter with the living God’. (Bill Donaghy)

                                                  Relaxing in Murts after a perfect day. ☀️🙏🏻 

My Grace is sufficient for you.🎆🙏🏻

‘’We are placed in our different ranks and stations, not to get what we can out of them for ourselves, but to labour in them for Him. As Christ has His work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice in ours also’. (St. John Neumann)

Tough ‘Katy’ day today, I returned home from Holy Mass planning to hibernate until my flagging spirits would soar once more. However, after a short time it dawned on me that Joan did not show up for Holy Mass this morning. I rang Centra Foodstore and the staff there had not seen her either. To rest easy I would go check on her, Joan seems even more fragile of late 

Sticking two prayers in my coat pocket - Holy Spirit prompt as always - I headed out my door. Earlier I had been seriously contemplating suspending all prayer-sharing until my battered heart heals a little. 

Young guy stopped to chat, his brother died tragically a few years ago. Wonderful open honest grief sharing, both of us lighter as we continued on our separate ways. Problem shared a problem halved!!

Somehow the two prayers I had no intention of sharing are now in the hands of a lovely couple who are staying over night in our town, their boat docked in the Marina. How that came to pass is beyond me, definitely wonderful Holy Spirit, my only task do what I was asked to do, have my prayers at the ready. Quite extraordinary!!

Smashing Dinner delivered to my door from Mary when I returned home! She had cooked too much. Happy mistake! 

Best of all, Joan in top form and heading to bed when I knocked on her door. Turns out I could have stayed home alone nursing my battered heart all afternoon. How glad I am that wonderful Holy Spirt had another far more elaborate plan in mind!!

Sure I’m weak and feeling desperately depleted right now but this I know without a shadow of a doubt!! My Jesus is strong enough for the both of us.

‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’. (2Corinthians:12)

Three prayers🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

‘If we do not risk anything for God we will never do anything great for Him’. (St. Louis De Montfort)

                 Prayer (No.3)🙏🏻 I received from my wonderful friends in Madonna House, Vancouver.

I offered the above beautiful prayer (No.3) to ‘Window guy’ Mick this morning on my way to Holy Mass, now he possesses all three, complete set!! Some years ago he received my prayer (No.1) when he changed my door locks. Then, a few months ago my doors needed tweaking and Mick received my prayer (No.2).

Last week as Mick replaced windows in our Church he didn’t recognise me dolled up to the nines for my old friend Sheila’s daughter’s wedding. Catriona and Killian getting wed, I honoured with sublime task of singing Offertory Hymn. This morning Mick had no difficulty recognising me as he told me laughingly: ‘I know you again now’. Glamour obviously a thing of the past, Cinderella well and truly home from the Ball.💃

We spoke about my dear sister Katy who passed away three weeks today, Mick is kind and compassionate to a fault. Both of us in unison declaring that life is beyond precious, every moment in time ‘pure cream’. When we will take our leave of this wonderful world, there ends any opportunities to make a difference, to ‘Do something beautiful for God’ as St. Mother Teresa would oftentimes suggest. 

‘Yes indeed’ I added, ‘I won’t even be able to give a prayer to a ‘Window guy’.😂

Every reason under the sun therefore, to make hay while the sun shines.☀️

‘Every breath we draw is a gift of God’s Love. Every moment of existence is a Grace’.                   (Thomas Merton)

Prayer (No.1)🙏🏻 I love St. Teresa of Avila and before Lockdowns changed everything, dear Bridie would pray the above after every Holy Rosary in St. Anne’s.😌

                                                              Prayer (No.2). I procured from EWTN.

                                                               Catriona and Killian.🎆🌺

                                                                          Dear Bridie 📿❤️

‘Honour the wisdom of those who went before you. Bind it ever to your heart. Tie it around your neck. When you walk it will lead you. When you lie down it will watch over you. When you wake it will talk to you’. (Proverbs 6:20-22)