CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE

CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE

At times

I am so wanting!

I see God's glory in the other

 and...sigh !!!

Not in envy or jealousy,

I...

In poverty...

           in thirst 

                        in hunger...

to drink of that same Well.

Across the desert I must go......

to leave all behind and 

to find...

The food I seek is to be found

in leaving 

self 

behind.

10-2-2004

CROATIA, MEDJUGORJE' and What was seen?

MEDJUGORJE'
  July 6, 2000                                                                                                           

It was the year 2000. The third year of a trinity Jubilee celebration. Here we were 

travelling in a bus toward Medjugorje  along the Aegean sea coastline.

Gleaming marble hills,tiled red roofs, green growth everywhere.

I am feeling the deep serenity and stillness in the air...

and turning to God the Father for all our needs.

Mountainous silhouettes  echoing one another.

A Mantle of mountains...

Stately...

          Embracing...

              Protective...

                       Silent sentinels.

There is a River...

A  River of Grace Flowing from the Triune Throne

A River of peace and mercy that flows like wine.

     Sunday; July 9th...    Rooming in "Maria's House" with the family of Jozo Vasilj- Turin and other pilgrims, sharing meals and conversations  amid many different dialects. Life is suddenly slowing down. Our travel time was near 17 hours, including the air flight, stopovers for changes and the bus ride into the town.
   We gathered for welcoming the other pilgrims, evening prayer and rosary. The music: "Mary Did You Know?" was our song and praise.
 A long 24 hours. Surprisingly we are not exhausted!


MOUNT KRIZEVAC

 Monday; July 10th... The roosters awaken  with their call to the dawn at 4:30 a.m.
 I awakened with a sense of enveloping Presence, undeniable!  Felt a tugging to walk. Putting on my hiking shoes in the dark of twilight, a desire came to walk through the vineyard toward the mountain which the
town folks said Our Blessed Mother appeared each morning at 6 a.m.
 Walking alone into the new day beginning to dawn, was a leap of faith! There were no signs, no one to get directions from, no cell phones,and this was my first day here!  My attempt led me  across the road  to a campfire pit. Nothing! "Okay, guardian Angel, show me the way...help me!"  My watch read 4:30, there was time. Relax!  I remember seeing a sparkle, like a firefly would make. It caught my eye...a sign
                                           Turning around ,the fields and vineyards were sighted.                                                                            
I began walking with a sigh of relief and gratitude for the help of my guardian Angel.  Mount Krizevac was on the other side of the vineyard and it could be seen! So I entered and began walking toward  the mountain.
Little did I know just how high these vines grew! They were way over my head obstructing  my desired destination, and now ...which way do I go?
 Everything seemed to be turned around and this was a maze, seemingly unending. My watch read 5 a.m.
"Help me Angel! just show me the way!" Suddenly, a clear voice within gently spoke," This is the way...walk in it". "Take a right". As I followed the voice to the next crossing and the next,I continued to hear, "take this left", and so on. There was a clearing! The time?  5:55 a.m.
                                                                                                                     
 Looking around into the blue sky there wasn't a cloud in sight!  What a beautiful day!
And looking toward the mountaintop... there appeared a glowing shaped figure in a halo of a cloud at the cross!
"What am I seeing, Mother? Is that you?"
Again, looking around into the sky, there were no clouds, and when I turned again the oval figure had vanished!

MY PRAYER AT MOUNT KRIZEVAC
I knelt to pray...
"Do not leave me, Blessed Lady... don't leave me.
Stay with me. I am weak - You are strong and full of Graces. I need you. Stay by my side.
Keep me ever mindful of your Presence. Stay at my side.
I consecrate to you today, my heart, soul... all I am and have.
I place in Your Heart, Mother, all whom I meet and their needs."


How could I ever say "I saw the Lady of Medjugorje' at 6 a.m. on  Mount Krisvac?"
UNTIL......
Many years later as my friends and I sat at breakfast in a cafe' in town...
A woman walked over to our table and with some excitement, showed us a picture of the Madonna
who had appeared in the Catholic Church she attended...
 It was the same vision I had seen on the mountain... with clear features!
Now I am able to "know that I know" what was shown to me.
At the same time there was a chance to witness my story to the others!
Someone sitting there, that very day, needed to see and to hear our sharing.

"God's ways are far above our ways and His thoughts far above our thoughts!"
 Yet His timing is always perfect!


                                                                                                        
      

BE READY! HISTORY IS A TEACHER.

BE READY!
HISTORY IS OUR TEACHER!

 IN PRAISE OF THE VIRTUOUS.

The evils of our day are being revealed and brought into the light !
The "signs of the times" are out in the open! Are we really listening ?
History teaches us lessons from past events. Our Constitution is being eroded and we, as a nation,
may be listening to voices that seek to deny those Truths we hold sacred. Where there are no absolute truths, there is no order, where there is no order, there is no personal responsibility, when our personal rights are diminishing and no one is held responsible, there is chaos. Our rights come with a sense of personal responsibility and accountability.
Other Countries are now experiencing a lack of order. The United States may open to that chaos if we deny  our faith in a Higher Power and meld our truth into an unconscious acceptance of relativism.

All that is brought into the Light will be healed accordingly. Pope Francis states this truth of mercy...
"MERCY is the true power that can save humanity and the world from sin and evil!"
Scripture tells us...

 "What is whispered in the dark

will be shouted from the housetops!" All is known...all will be brought to light!

The evils of our day are being shouted from the media,

the "criers" of the news.

All is brought under God's authority when brought into the light...then it is our duty to take up the task before us.

In the presence of Jesus of Nazareth evil cannot hide.
Jesus' teaching made a deep impression on them because He spoke with authority.

In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by a spirit of an unclean devil, and
it shouted at the top of it's voice. "Ha! What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come
to destroy us?"  "We know who you are- the holy one of God!" But JESUS said sharply,
"Be quiet! Come out of him!"
And the devil, throwing the man down  in front of everyone,came out of him without hurting him
at all. Astonishment  seized them and they said to one another,"What teaching! He gives orders to the
unclean spirits with authority and power and they come out!"  (Luke 4: 32-37)

This question reflects the current belief that before  the day of the Lord,  (His coming),

control over humanity would be wrestled from the evil spirits,

evil destroyed, and God's authority over humanity re-established.

Jesus carries out this task today!

All will be brought into the Light.

Light produces justice and truth.

"Christ's reign will last until all His enemies are made subject to Him,"(1 Cor. 15:25) 

"For I am certain of this: neither death nor life...nothing that exists,

nothing still to come, nor any power, or height or depth,

nor any created thing, can ever come between us and  

 the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord."(Romans 8:38+39)

Lord, make us obedient to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles

 and bound to the Truth of our Faith.

 Amen. 

FAMILY, do you know who you are? St. John Paul 2nd.

FAMILY!  Do you know who you are?

Do you know who you are?

You are the Domestic Church ...

You are a model of the Holy Family...

You are a royal priesthood...

You are "becoming" the Word of God made flesh!

You are the Body of Christ!

You may be the only Bible someone reads!

You are the "conscience" of the present culture of your day.

In reading the encyclical on the role of the family, the then Pope, John Paul 2nd states

emphatically, the Church,the Christian family, "is the first community called to

announce the Gospel...for growth and transformation toward full Christian maturity".

"The Church forms the conscience of  society. The culture of the day is always in need of being evangelized by the Gospel of Jesus. We need to find the right way, the best method, of bringing this message to the people who are being swayed and educated by the media of  our day,"

The pope continues,"willed by God in the very act of creation, marriage and the family

can only find fulfillment in Christ and have need of His Grace in order to be healed

of the wounds of sin...and be restored ... to full understanding of God's plan."

The pope further states that"the family unit, formed in conscience by the Word of God

and the Church's teachings, needs to live these truths in their daily lives, to be seen 

and heard by others, so as to be effective witnesses and be able to make a difference within the culture.

This Grace comes to us through the Sacraments of the Church.  Healing, or a change of heart, is the Promise!

 "For I will restore you to health; of your wounds I will heal you", says the Lord. (Jeremiah 30:17)

The Holy Spirit, Who is poured forth in the celebration of the Sacraments, is the Living Source and... sustenance of the supernatural communion that gathers believers and links them with Christ and each other in the unity of the Church of God.

We, as parents, following the example of Joseph and Mary, the Holy family, 

have an awesome responsibility in the formation of "the consciences of those entrusted 

to us in our family."

The basic, fundamental unit of the family is being severely attacked and demoralized.

An attitude of a "new tolerance" is widespread, deceiving even Christians into accepting 

every thing as being equally good...meaning that 

everything is relative and there are no Absolute Truths!

This false teaching asks us , not only to be tolerant, but

to be accepting and to believe everything is equally good in itself!

This "concept' is not only dangerous, but one which 

more people are accepting in the guise of "unity."

If we are doing our best..."Bravo!"

If we could use some help... the Church is at the service of the family

.

This life we have been given is "Gift! We are it's stewards.

 Like the treasure, we are not to bury it. 

We are the initial caretakers of those who will help form the 

culture of tomorrow and it's conscience.

We have a Father, God, Who comes to meet us and welcomes us Home.

He has adopted us into the  Life of the Trinity.

May we each do our part in moving toward the 'Culture of Life!"

JESUS CALLING...COME

COME INTO THE LIGHT!

"Follow My lead...you will find the Door that leads to Light.

A Light so bright, that all darkness, all sin, all error

is washed away in the brilliance."

"Nothing will cast a shadow in the Light of Truth!

Nothing will be lacking."

"Come follow Me from darkness into My Light...

And be filled with Light."

"There will be no self- only Me...your risen Lord,who has

come, that you may have Life to the full."

"Yes! I have given My Mother to you.

She will be a guide to lead you; a Mother to form you and nurture you.

Be open to Her, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit will come."

"All is well!"

2nd Peter 1:19 - 21

TOUCH ETERNITY..

BE NOT AFRAID

"Hide yourself in My wounds. 

Be not afraid.

Put you're finger here 

See My hands.

Bring your hand and put it into My side.

Hide yourself in MY wounds

Hide yourself from all that troubles you...

From all doubt...

From all your fears.

Hide yourself in a Love more penetrating 

than a brush fire...

more overwhelming than a deluge.

Hide yourself in a Love that will remake you entirely.

Do not be afraid.

Touch Resurrection....

Touch Eternity!"
2nd Peter 1:19-21

          

                        

                          

           "For a brief moment                    
I have abandoned you;

but with 

Great tenderness

I

                will take 

                                you back!"

By waiting 

               and by calm

                               you shall be saved...

In quiet

                         and in trust

                                             your strength lies.

Isaiah 30: 15

Had not Your Word been my delight,
I should have perished in my affliction.

Psalm 119:verse 92

ABRAHAM'S CRY to us....

CRY OF THE POOR

"Cry out!"

"My people perish for want of a voice toward My people."

"Cry out !  Cry out!"

Abraham begged for Sodom and Gomorrah....

45? 35?  25?" Lord,  if You find 15 good people will you save the city?"

"SAVE US O LORD!!!"

"Where are these voices that need to be heard? 

Have you forgotten the cry?"

"I need to hear the cry of my poor ones...
 let their cry come to Me, Father of all".

"Cry... for your brothers...your sisters...your mothers...

Cry for the children...

weep for yourselves"

"Let your hearts be touched by Love...in love for others."

"It is I   Who speak !

Are you listening?"   

Genesis 18: 16-32

Luke 23: 27+28