Lent 2011

Our Lady of Fatima Pilgrim Statue Visitation April 11, 2011

My Lenten Journey began with the funeral of a mother,

well known and loved in our diocesan family.

Eileen, at the age of 59,

met her eternal reward surrounded by her six children,

seven grandchildren and many friends,

after much long-suffering of abdominal cancer.

So many people knew this mother and came

to the funeral Mass offered in our parish.

There were 12 priests con-celebrating.

Our priest told me that over 900 Hosts

were consumed that day,

as they prepared by having nearly 2100 available

for Consecration during this Mass,

with 200 remaining.

He told me they were the original home school family in this area

and were intricately involved in diocesan work for the family,

promoting Eucharistic Devotion.

One of her sons,

a seminarian in the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter,

is the godfather of my close mother-friend, Julie's little son.

It is through Julie's love of Eileen,

that my prayers formed and were lifted in heart-felt sorrow

for all who knew and loved this saintly mother.

Julie described to me what it was like saying goodbye to this mother

who brought Julie into the depths of holy motherhood,

in the hospital, days before Eileen's death.

Eileen whispered to Julie in her weakened state

that she would be praying for their family.

She asked a favor of Julie and her husband.

She asked them to go home and read

the last paragraph from C.S. Lewis's

"The Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle".

After returning home that night,

and putting their five children to bed,

Julie and Bob read the last paragraph,

as a final request from their mother-friend.

"…And as He spoke

He no longer looked to them like a lion;

but the things that began to happen after

that were so great and beautiful

that I cannot write them.

And for us this is the end of all the stories,

and we can most truly say that

they all lived happily ever after.

But for them it was only the beginning of the real story.

All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia

Had only been the cover and the title page:

Now at last they were beginning

Chapter One of the Great Story

which no one on earth has read:

which goes on forever:

in which every chapter is better than the one before."

I brought my children to the funeral Mass,

where I was moved to realize

that when a mother passes away,

her children follow her consolations to

the Heart of the Lord.

They follow her...

At the grave site, Julie shared how

all her children gathered around

and sang songs in beautiful harmony,

that must have been a part of their family time together.

So many were transformed by Eileen's readiness

to realize that we are not made to stay here.

The peace that came from her acceptance

consoled so many in her last days.

This Lenten season has come

with the passing of many fathers in our circle of friends.

May the repose of the souls of

Cece's Father, Cindy's Father, Dom's Father and Father Seamus,

~Through the Mercy of our Lord and Savior, Rest in Peace~

We have a close mother-friend, Nina,

who is battling breast cancer

and shares her offerings through her Suffering Savior,

in all the ways He suffered during His Passion and Death.

We are consoled by each others prayers and so,

I am sharing here these picture I took this morning,

where I come to share my crosses with the Lord

and to pray for those who have entrusted their crosses to me.

The Legion of Mary brought this

pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima

for one week's time, beginning yesterday, April 11th, 2011.

I pray that our Lenten journey will inspire us

to the overwhelming joy that awaits

the day of Resurrection in the Lord.

May our Palm Sunday be blessed,

preparing us for our Holy Week via dolorosa in the Lord.

As I spend my quiet time in this room,

I realize that when His mother comes to us,

her children follow her consolations

to the Heart of the Lord...

we follow her...

she teaches us to rest there in His Heart,

where His love consumes all that we know.

Blessings, in †heir Hearts,

Sharon

†A.M.D.G.†