Glad surprise☀️🙏🏻

                                                    ‘You will live in a spirit of glad surprise’. 

Ruairi got a shock when he first saw the gash on my forehead this morning on FaceTime. I assured him that all is well. ‘Sun damage’. No sun-tan protection way back then. Saving hay in our swimsuits morning till night. Beyond sore for days on end. Amber Solaire tourist luxury!! Snob goods.

Thank God my ‘gash’ will heal. I may be left with a mark but nothing sinister. However, heading to Holy Mass I planned to visit my Docter tomorrow. Just to make sure all is going according to plan. 

After Holy Mass, worried visitor to our town chatted with me. He works just two days and he needs more. Last week he complained he had no work at all. I shared what I know to be totally true; if we are not super grateful to God for what we already have, then we halt the flow of new Blessings into our lives. Attitude of gratitude at all times! He seemed pleased to hear that.

Somehow I did not take my usual route home and I actually wondered why, as I strolled along. Then, much needed surprise event! Wonderfully kind Docter and his charming wife walking my way, having attended Holy Mass too. On the spot, he kindly examined my ‘gash’, telling me all is fine thank God, adding  ‘Come to the surgery in two weeks’. Wondering if I should apply some cream or something, both of them uttered in unison; ‘Holy water’. They know me so well!!

So grateful and relieved. I called Ruairi up right away, our young folk have enough worries of their own without adding ours to their list.

This morning, I read and took particular note, in that precious gem; ‘God calling; ‘You will live in a spirit of glad surprise’. Honestly. Words fail me!!

‘Though we speak much we cannot reach the end and the sum of our words is: ‘He is the all’. Sirach:43-27): 

                                                 ‘Be where your feet are at’. Love that!!

I sent it to my dear nephew Tim right now and his gladsome reply; ‘Poignant, sweet, and oh so complete!’. Perfect!!

Try a little Kindness☀️🙏🏻

‘As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied Grace’. (1Peter:4:10)

I knew in my deepest heart she was kind and generous, I just knew. Her mother-in-law is my friend and so our paths would cross sometimes. How could I possibly know anything about her and yet I did. Mystery!!

Until this morning that is!!

Back then, one extremely dark wintry evening, Derm and I in Killarney Outlet Centre having travelled by bus from Cork. Derm had recently been diagnosed with Kerataconus and was attending wonderful Opticians in Cork.

Treacherous weather conditions, snow and sleet, resulting in missing our connecting bus home. Dire straits!! Stopping over in Killarney, out of the question, money scarce. Taxi fare far beyond our reach too but beggars cannot be choosers. We had nobody to call on, not one.

No memory of how we got talking to shopkeeper lady, perhaps we asked about getting a taxi, but on hearing our predicament she offered wholeheartedly to drive us all the way home, over thirty miles without a second thought in the driving sleet and snow. She would be finishing her shift shortly. Of course I could not possibly accept but she insisted adding; ‘Many times I have been stranded just as you are now. I know well how that feels’.

I remember vividly how relieved Derm and I both felt in that moment, at the same time too hoping against hope that we might find another way.

God is great all the time!! Glumly walking aimlessly about when Lawrence, guy from our town I knew from my younger days, came walking towards us. Miracle definitely!! He and us were the only three people in the building that evening. Lawrence, more than happy to drop us at our door, God Bless his kind heart. 

We thanked kind lady and after that our paths never crossed again. I did go to her shop but it had shut down never again to reopen. We never forgot her kindness though.

Then this morning enjoying my cuppa when it dawned on me who kind lady is!! Kind shopkeeper lady in our hour of need is my friend’s kind daughter-in-law!! Utterly amazing. It just came together in an instant! 

I couldn’t wait to call up my friend and wow!! her son (kind lady’s husband) was with her. ‘Have I got a story for you’, I told them both as they listened joyfully. Fifteen years ago she worked in that shop, he told me. Yes, it was her alright.

I knew she was kind!! The heart never forgets!! Circle closed.

Just now message from my friend to say her daughter-in-law remembers but had no idea it was me and is shocked that I discovered it was her, after all this time. 

Divine intervention! Holy Spirit of course!! 

‘But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my Name, He will teach you all things and bring to remembrance all that I have said to you’. (John14:26)

‘Divide your day into three parts. In the morning, as soon as you awaken, give yourself to the Father Creator, who offers you His Son as food. After Mass, give yourself to the Son, who is in you and fall asleep in the Holy Spirit, who is love’. (Jesus to Gabrielle Bossis/God calling)

All things must pass☀️🙏🏻

‘Praying, singing, crying and drinking’, lady’s reply to my wondering if she had enjoyed her recent trip  to Medugorje!! Everything covered!!

This morning our town eerily silent after three ‘early till late’ non-stop fun days, annual Music and Arts Festival. Some transformation! Almost difficult to believe any of it actually came to pass!! Gigantic imposing stage, (from which music blared non-stop) now soundlessly out of place, redundant, Food trucks locked up. Exhausted townsfolk going about their business, (many relieved normality once again restored) but above all of that, everyone extremely grateful to God. Apart from aching heads and lighter wallets, everyone safe, sound and accounted for.

One very happy young lady from foreign shores told me this morning after Holy Mass, that she made quite a sum of money, (much needed), recycling bottles and cans discarded by affluent revellers. Good for her!!

Our sleepy small town normally serene but today it feels far quieter. Like walking along a road in the darkness of night and with every passing car lights, the darkness seemed even darker still. (Back then, when I was young and cars were scarce!!)

I got to assist Father at the Christening of three babies on Sunday morning. While setting up, many visitors dropped by our compact Church. Particularly enjoyable meeting up with members of our Travelling Community. Like our African visitors, they treasure their Faith in God. Prayer joyfully in vivid display at all times. Not hidden!!I love that!!

Loved chatting too with four delightful young guys. When I told them; ‘I cannot promise you that nothing will be wrong but you will be strong’ as they accepted my prayer, all smiled and one guy said; ‘I like that’. I told them Holy Spirit placed those words in my heart one time, as I shared my prayer with anothe lovely young guy. Simple but so profound!

Someone left a bag of lady’s clothes at my door on Saturday. Inside, amongst other items, prettiest colourful dress. Bereft lady recipient told me; ‘I have spent all day in my room, missing my family so much. Now, I will put this dress on and go hear some music in the Festival’. We both cried!! God’s amazing Grace! Dear lady’s gaze shifted!!

Myriad amazing encounters all weekend long, but this morning’s particularly poignant. Lovely couple I mistook for folk I met yesterday (Travelling Community). Guy, full of life took my prayer and began to pray it aloud, laughing (not mockingly, shocked morelike). ‘I share with whoever comes my way’, I told them. ‘Holy Spirit directs my path’. With that, beautiful lady blurted out; ‘Oh my God. This means so much. My brother committed suicide last week’. She kissed my prayer adding; ‘Meant to be’.

‘Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire’, St. Catherine of Siena wrote. 

Yes, and walking every step with Jesus makes exactly that happen. My home is not here, it is in Heaven. We are going back to God from Whom we came and our place is there now waiting for us. 

                                        ‘He must increase, but I must decrease’. (John 3:30)

St. John Vianney (Cure D’Ars) Feast day today. What a role model He is, in this our day and time;

‘Man has a noble task; that of Prayer and Love. To pray and to love, that is the happiness of man on earth’.