Priceless treasure☀️

‘Birds fly, fish swim, human beings pray’. (St. Ephrem)

Holy Mass celebrated in Filemore Church this morning for my Mom and Dad, husband Eric, dear sister Katy. Compact Church of our childhood days, we received our Sacraments there, attended Missions and so much more. Fond memories flood every inch of that sacred sacrosanct space.

Normally I read at family Anniversary Holy Mass but today my niece Mary Kate would be reading the liturgy. I had gone to great lengths telling my family that I wished to remain in the background. Our family is large, others might like to take part if given a chance. 

Because Mary Kate agreed to read, I arrived in Church looking forward to Holy Mass in peace and quiet. Or so I thought…

Allocated singer cancelled last minute, I was told on arrival. ‘Would I please sing?’ So much for remaining in the background!!

We are and always have been a ‘singing’ family. My Dad had us singing almost from the moment of our birth, a neighbour told us one time. One of my regrets in life is that I never once asked my Dad to sing even though he would invite me to sing for visitors to our home all the time. I will get my chance though, in Heaven we will sing together for all eternity please God. I was a young busy teenager when my beautiful Dad died suddenly breaking all our hearts.

Dad travelled into town some days prior to his sudden death and on returning back home again, Mom asked if he had visited the Docter. His reply: ‘I did not but I went to Confession instead’.☀️

Before today, us siblings had never once sang together at Holy Mass. It never crossed our mind to do so despite the fact that praying and singing come to us as natural as breathing. However, I am thrilled to tell that today we made our debut. No plan, thrown in at the deep end, seamless. Priceless treasure.🌟

Father God’s plan for my life far exceed my own puny paltry plans every single time, without fail. Quite extraordinary!!

My heart overjoyed as I write this rambling blog. We sang hymns from our childhood and the whole congregation joined in. Singing together, children once more. Impromptu! Beautiful. No floor in heaven, no roof on Filemore Church. God rest your gentle souls, Mom, Dad, Katy and Eric❤️

Up above or here on earth, just like today, going forward, we will sing together at every family Anniversary Holy Mass please God until the end of time. 

Wonderful Holy Spirit prompt☀️ Dad and I have sang together myriad times up and down the long years. No roof on the Church, no floor in Heaven every time I sing at Holy Mass. Surely my dear Dad is singing with me, all of us together in one place, adoring and praising Holy Trinity, one God.

What a gift to my heart this is! Nothing to regret in the Gladsome Light of Christ.☀️

O Sacred Banquet in which Christ is consumed, the memory of His passion recalled, our soul filled with grace and we receive a pledge of future glory. Amen

                      ‘My Lord and my God’☀️ (Beautiful words I heard last night in my dreams).

‘Ask for childlike faith and love as you approach to receive Holy Communion. If only we would look at Holy Eucharist with that type of love, with that type of safety and stability. Then we can truly say: ‘My Lord and my God’. (Fr. John Paul Mary’s homily/EWTN Holy Mass today).

Nan strikes again 👵🌟

‘What are the servants of God if not His minstrels, who must move people’s hearts and lift them up to a spiritual joy’. (St. Francis of Assisi)

Glorious hour in Franciscan Friary before Holy Mass this morning. My ‘New Testament’ recently purchased in Medugorje is so easy to enjoy and ponder. I wanted to never stop reading ‘Acts of the apostles’ in that delighted oasis of peace.

Lady approached as I alighted from the bus at Cork Station. ‘Excuse me but I noticed you were praying Holy Rosary on the bus📿. Are you a Legion of Mary member by any chance?’. Lots in common, we chatted awhile. Happily accepting my prayer, she read it through uttering; ‘Yes, they are all here’. (All of Heaven minding us!).

Then suddenly it dawned on me - (wonderful Holy Spirit prompt) - I had left my suitcase on the bus. Panicked, I dashed back to retrieve it and even though in that moment I was catapulted back in time to an incident I would sooner forget, had I not left my suitcase on the bus, then the woman and child waiting there would not have received my prayer and ‘they really needed a prayer today’, woman told me. 

One day in 2018, in error I took another’s suitcase from the bus (same colour as mine) rendering an already stressful situation beyond horrific for all concerned. I only realised my mistake on reaching my destination. In some strange way, today’s prayer-sharing with woman and child as I collected my suitcase from bus, somehow softened the edges of that unpleasant memory from five years ago. Revisited in the Gladsome light of Christ, circle closed. Or should I say ‘Case closed’😂

Lady on bench pouring water into a dish for her parched dog thrilled to receive my prayer today. ‘You were meant to give me this’, she told me. ‘Perhaps it is time I moved on’. Jeweller lady, Charity shop lady. Young shop assistant moved to tears, overjoyed receiving my prayer. Young girls in Church too could not stop smiling as they read my prayer. ‘This is beautiful’ one of them uttered, astounded.

Divinely inspired perfectly timed prayer-sharing encounters, all of them. I love my granddaughter Aoife’s words: ‘Nan strikes again’.😁 

I got myself tea in the bus station and went outside to wait on my connecting bus only to realise it was just about to depart at that vey moment and so I got on it by the skin of my teeth. Happiness☀️

Eventful enjoyable day in the city. Thankyou God for EVERYTHING ☀️☀️

‘Do not be anxious; go straight on, forgetful of self, letting the spirit of God act instead of your own’.           (St. Julie Billiart)

Peace in the valley 🐇

‘Love you children (grandchildren). In them you can see Baby Jesus. Pray for them a lot and every day put them under Holy Mary’s protection’. (St. Gianna Molla)

Walking with Jesus🌟

‘Be who you are and be that well, in honour of the Master Craftsman whose handiwork you are’.                 (St. Frances De Sales)

‘Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest’. (Matthew 11:28)

Beautiful words spoken in my dreams last night. Barely awake, I scrawled them in the notebook on my nightstand. Nighttime wisdom holds special significance in our lives.

Before Holy Mass, in the shop as I hurriedly wrote a card for posting, lady nearby on her phone sobbing quietly. She accepted my prayer, smiling through her diamond tears. (Come to me all you who labour…)

Walking in the rain along a country road after Holy Mass taking most Holy Eucharist to housebound lady. Sublime privilege mine! Walking with Jesus☀️

Tea and chat with visitors doing their utmost right now to settle into our town. Holy Rosary in St, Anne’s with my precious folk. Bridie, deaf and blind calls out St. Teresa of Avila’s prayer in all earnest;

‘Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things are passing away. God never changes. Patience endures all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices’. Amen

Pizza with V and a man approached me smiling; ‘My neck is improving every day since I began praying your prayer’, he uttered. Joyful encounter soaked in gratitude, beckoning me onwards.

Thing is, this morning I seriously considered striking some of today’s sacred assignments from my list. In my own human reckoning not enough hours in the day. So glad I did not though! Pope Benedict Emeritus wrote one time that when we are doing the will of God to the best of our poor ability, our time gets roomier!!

Definitely, that is exactly what happened today.

‘All the way to Heaven is Heaven, because Jesus said, ‘I am the way’. (St. Catherine of Siena)

‘Health is God’s great gift, and we must spend it entirely for Him. Our eyes should see only for God, our feet walk only for Him alone; in short, our entire body should serve God while we still have the time. Then when He shall take our health and we shall near our last day, our conscience will not reproach us for having misused it’. (St.John Bosch)

Road-trip 🚗☀️

‘’My hope is in The Father. My refuge is The Son. My shelter is the Holy Spirit. O Holy Trinity, Glory to You. Amen (St. Joannicus)

We pulled into the first available filling station. Guy standing beside his car so Sheila asked if he might know why little red light was flashing on our dashboard. American accent, he kindly checked and replied: ‘One door is not shut properly’. I opened and shut my door again, hey presto! red light disappeared.

As we thanked gracious gentleman, Sheila whispered to me: ‘Will you offer him a prayer’. (It crossed my mind fleetingly but had decided against it). Gentleman, not alone joyfully accepted my prayer but smiling excitedly holding up the prayer, declared: ‘This is not a mistake. I will not go into it right now but this is not a mistake!’ 

Spontaneously, on the spot, all three of us thanked wonderful Holy Spirit for our blessed encounter, Sheila’s timely prompt 🙏🏻 and allowing us to be part of something so incredibly beautiful. Real moment of Grace.

Ruairi’s Confirmation prayer (from twenty seven years ago) danced merrily into my heart:

Holy Spirit, giver of light and life. Impart to us thoughts better than our own thoughts, prayers better than our own prayers, and powers beyond our own powers. That we may spend and be spent in the way of love and goodness after the perfect image of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Pleasant guy stood holding hotel door as we entered and of course we thanked him with a prayer. When I shared with him that as he prays this prayer every morning, all of Heaven are minding him all day long, he uttered surprised and smiling: ‘Thank you very much. I really need somebody to mind me right now’.

Day of heartwarming unforgettable encounters. Our riveting road-trips which began more than fifty years ago are gathering momentum all the time. 

What a Mighty God we serve☀️ Let us get out there and share the good news coz it is good news for many many people in difficult struggles.

‘Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if He wants anything of you, He will fit you for the work and give you strength’. (St. Philip Neri)

Let go and let God☀️

‘Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say: Rejoice! Let your kindness be known to everyone. The Lord is near’. (Philippians 4:5)

As I sat in prayer just a few pews from Holy Alter they entered Church silently. Instead of walking past, which they could easily have done, they approached my pew and I am so glad they did. Most certainly it was not my fine attire which drew them to me!

Stunningly beautiful young ladies with joyful hearts, one from Italy, one from Brazil. What an amazing encounter, no way can I locate worthy words to recapture our beautiful sharing. We knelt together and prayed one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory - each in our own language. I told them about: ‘My Grace is with you right now and every right now until the end of time’. How Holy Spirit placed it in my heart recently in a moment of turmoil. Both young ladies shared how it was they had happily landed in our little town many miles from Italy and Brazil🌟

Wishing I had taken even one prayer in my pocket when, thank God, I remembered photo of it in my phone gallery and so both ladies photographed it for themselves. They prayed it aloud and going forward, plan to pray it every morning.

Thing is, I only dashed to the shop coz I ran out of milk. Saturday is my ‘stay at home, dress dowdy’ day. Looking forward like mad to getting back to peace and quiet of my cozy compact cottage, I had no intention of hanging around. Saturday for me more precious than gold. 

Milk purchased, quick visit to Church - beautiful Jesus in Holy Tabernacle - but while there, decided to pray Holy Rosary even though I didn’t have a rosary beads with me either.

No prayers, no rosary beads, nothing but beautiful Holy Trinity in my heart and money for milk in my pocket. Simple abundance! More than enough as it turned out.☀️

‘Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds, for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans’. 

(Isaiah 55:89)

           When I got home I noticed Mary had arranged the above on my kitchen table!! Prophetic ☀️

‘God wants you to be a living force for all mankind, lights shining in the world. You are to be radiant lights as you stand beside Christ, the Great Light, bathed in the glory of Him Who is the Light of Heaven’.

(St. Gregory of Nazianzus)

O happy day☀️

Joy is very quiet. It is like a light that shines in the darkness. My joyous moments begin when I wake up. I have the habit of saying, even while I am half asleep, three words: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph”. Then, while the bed is still warm and I am only half awake, joy comes to me every morning with the incredible thought that God has granted me another day to love Him and to serve Him’.                                              (Catherine Doherty/Madonna House)

Catherine’s words resonate deeply in my heart of hearts.❤️

Five years ago today my beloved glass of merlot (metaphorically) tumbled off the table shattering into one million tiny fragments, never to be put back together again. That is the only way I can articulate my sublime surprise healing which occurred in the Sacrament of Confession in Knock Shrine. 

Forevermore my shackles are gone, Beautiful Jesus set me free in the person of His Holy priest. (Blog: ‘Confession is good for the soul’/Jan29th 2020)

On that fateful afternoon I knew almost immediately that something amazing and life-changing had taken place. Today, five years onwards, I know so much more!! I can declare categorically without question or doubt that for me at least, alcohol was a joy-squasher, a terrifying thief of light and life☀️

‘So if Jesus sets you free, you will be free indeed’. (John 8:36)

‘Thou hast loosened my bonds’. (Psalm 115:16)

‘When we die to something, something comes alive within us’. (Fulton J. Sheen)

Let us walk the road together 🌺☀️

‘He will make sure that you will always have all you need for yourselves in every possible circumstance, and still have something to spare for all sorts of good works’. (9 Corinthians:10)

‘Lord, You always seem to ask more of us. We must be fools about money; we must give away whatever we don’t really need. We must be detached from it and rely on You. Here is where foolishness becomes interchangeable with wisdom’. (Catherine Doherty/Madonna House)

Countless displaced folk on this earth in this our day and time. Profound privilege ours, walking with them sharing our wares. God owns everything, we merely His stewards!!

Twenty years ago my family and I returned home to my own place of birth, windswept and highly uninteresting. Beginning again in a strange and foreign land. At that time, had just one person suggested to me that in our plight we were not just ‘taking’, we were ‘giving’ too, how my harried heart might have been comforted, my journey lighter, tad brighter. On the contrary it never once crossed my mind that we had any tiny thing to offer, so great and grievous our need.

Now, many years later I see it all in a completely different light. We were not empty-handed back then and neither too are our displaced brothers and sisters now. Every single person is unique, bearing their own personal gift and talent. 

With all my heart I wish every displaced person would imbibe into his/her spirit what I know now to be totally true: ‘You are not useless. Be patient, rest awhile after your long arduous journey. Soon you will be standing again on your own two feet and when that glorious time comes around, you will experience the unutterable joy of reaching out and lifting another back up on to his/her own two feet’. 

That is how the story goes! God grant us grace and courage to respond. Amen

‘Follow on, for the open road is waiting, like the song - we will welcome what tomorrow has to bring.             Be it fair or stormy weather, take my hand and we’ll walk the road together.                                                    I won’t mind - if it turns out that we never find the end..                                                                                    For all I ask is that you want me for a friend’. (Follow on/Paul Brady🎶)

‘Professing truth and love, we will in all things grow into Him who is the head, Christ. From Him, the entire body, joined and held together by every ligament, continues to grow and to build itself up in love, as each part performs its particular function’. (Ephesians 4:15-16)

Today (2/9/‘23) I am beyond thrilled to share with my friends from distant shores what Richard told me one time when I thanked him yet again for his kindness to us in our time of trouble: ‘It is a terrible thing to be eternally grateful to one person’.🌟