Many hands make light work☀️

‘Today I call you to be my extended hands in this world that puts God in last place. You, little children, put God in first place in your life. God will bless you and give you strength to bear wittness to Him, the God of love and peace’. (Our Lady Medugorje/Feb.25, 2005)

Li and I would mostly meet in Church when she dropped by to light Holy candles. Our chats always warm and interesting. Wonderful knitter of amazing sweaters and one day she told me: ‘I will knit you a sweater soon’. No money she insisted!!

Months passed and just one day before my October trip to Medugorje last year, Li appeared in Church again and quickly invited me to go with her to the Health Store where her knitwear was on display, and select for me any sweater of my liking. No fanfare, just ‘I hope you enjoy it’, as I tried to thank her in my bubbling-over joy. I love my amazing sweater!

One whole year has gone by since then and never once did I lay eyes on Li, until today, that is. Out of the blue as I strolled past the Health Store, wonderful Holy Spirit prompt to enquire of her whereabouts from Susan (proprietor). Amazingly, in all my pondering, the notion of asking Susan never once crossed my mind before today!

Turns out Li has only just returned to Ireland having endured gruelling back surgeries in her own country. She has suffered much, God love her. As I gifted her my humble Medugorje Mother Mary Rosary beads, I asked: ‘Are you still knitting’, to which she replied: ‘Yes, I knit for one hour and I sleep for one hour. All day long’. Holding up her two gifted hands, wrapped now in Mother Mary’s beads, she exclaimed joyfully: ‘I thank God so much for these hands’.

God’s timing is always perfect. Had I met Li any other time in the past year, I would not have gone searching for her today and she would not now be holding Mother Mary’s comforting Rosary beads in her gifted generous hands. Once again our Dear Mother Mary on the lookout for her struggling child.

Dear Mary who holds a ‘lived-out’ PhD in mental pain and suffering, rang later from her cozy Care-Home. In the midst of cooking my dinner, I reminded Mary how blessed she is to have all meals readily handed to her all the time. Mary’s reply lifted my heart to Heaven above: ‘I have enough to do with my hands, carrying my cross’. 

Thankyou Father God for our precious hands. They carry our cross and lots of other stuff too.

‘The mere thought of practicing constant devotion to this Mother of ours brings comfort in every misfortune, in every temptation, in every tribulation. Mary is the only ladder allowing us to climb to eternal happiness…..’. (St. Gabriel of our Lady of Sorrows)

‘Does God have a set way of prayer, a way that He expects each of us to follow? I doubt it. I believe some people - lots of people - pray through the witness of their lives, through the work they do, the friendships they have, the love they offer people and receive from people. Since when are ‘words’ the only acceptable form of prayer’? (Dorothy Day)