Subtle, eh? 🙂
Here are some of the goodies of the day:
This cake was amazing! Walnuts and coconut, covered in chocolate cake, and the white stuff is cream cheese, butter and sugar! A quadzillion calories, but SOOOO good!!! Dr. Knol made it for me. 🙂
It is with great sorrow that I ask for prayers for these two women and their families today.
K gave birth to a little girl at 29 weeks gestation, who later developed a blood clot on her brain and has since gone home to the Lord. This is K’s 3rd loss of a child. Any loss is completely devastating, and I know well the depths of her pain.
S has just let us know that she has lost her pregnancy. Another crushing loss. You can never adequately state what this means. I know I can’t verbalize my own loss very well or to put it in terms that really capture the scope of it.
My heart bleeds for them both. Please pray for these two and their families — they will need it! Blessed Virgin, please intercede for and support these two mothers in their time of grief.
The news is rather sad. After the biopsy the vet determined that there is nothing that can be done for Andy. They estimate he has about 2 weeks left. Fr. J.J. is as you would guess pretty devastated. He is fine but it is very hard. I wish I knew something to tell you to do, that would mean that I could do something myself. Just be there, pray he knows when the time is here and that he accepts it with the grace and faith we know he has.
Please pray for Andy, that this beloved dog will be comfortable and happy in his final days. Please, also, pray for Fr. JJ, for consolation, support, strength and love.
Hugs for you both!!
An updated message went out on Andy:
We heard from Fr. J.J. this afternoon and Andy came through the surgery well. His spleen was 15 inches long and filled with ping pong ball size tumors. There is a tumor on the prostate and another on the liver which they could not do anything about. Andy is in ICU and receiving morphine; Fr. J.J. expects to bring him home tomorrow. The plan is to start chemo in about 10 days.
Keep up the prayers to St. Francis!
And a little later, basically the same message was sent out from a different source:
Yes, we just heard from Fr. J.J. a few minutes ago. Andy came through the surgery in good shape. His spleen was 15 inches long and filled with ping pong ball size tumors. They could not do anything about the tumor on his prostate or liver. Andy is in ICU and on a morphine drip; sounded like he is resting well and Father expects to bring him home tomorrow. The plan is to start chemo in about 10 days; that could change once they get the test results back though.
And, from another source:
We just got an update on Andy. He came through the surgery fine. They removed his spleen which was about 15 inches long and looked like a sack of ping pong balls. He will start chemo in a few days. He will hopefully come home tomorrow. Fr. JJ sounds much relieved and much better than yesterday.
Keep praying!
Please pray for Fr. JJ’s black lab, Andy. He has gotten bad news from the vet and may be undergoing surgery tomorrow morning. Please also pray for Fr. JJ. He will need lots of love, support and comfort in this time of worry and uncertainty.
This is the message we received tonight:
This seems rather cold, but I need to get the information out to everyone quickly so I’m going for it.
Fr. J.J. returned from his brother’s (the vet) this evening with sad news. Andy is filled with cancerous tumors. There is one on the spleen that weighs 7.5 pounds and another in the prostate the size of a grapefruit. Father has to make some decisions tonight but is leaning toward the recommendation of his brother and a veterinary oncologist for Andy to have surgery in the morning to remove the spleen. There is a chance that Andy will not make it through the surgery but there is a good chance he will. Once the spleen is removed biopsies can be done and a course of treatment determined. Best case scenario is that Andy could live comfortably for another year; worse case is he only has hours left.
We love you, puppy! Be brave! We are praying for you!
[–from my “Uplifting Thoughts for Every Day” book]
Scripture: 2 Cor 1:3-4 — The God of all consolation…consoles us in all our afflictions and thereby enables us to console others in their tribulations.
Reflection: Self-pity is the cancer of the soul. You are called to be a healer, not a complainer. Be like Jesus. Think of others. This is the month of our Savior’s birth. Start pondering your mission in life. Call upon the Lord to make you a healer. Begin by canceling any thoughts you have about being a victim. Snap out of it.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, soul of my soul, brace me up when I drift into self-pity.
Ouch! That’s a little harsh! But, I suppose that we can all use a little bit of harsh now and again. And it is true — self-pity is not going to help anything, but prayer is always efficacious.
We only have a few bare moments left of this liturgical year! Currently, I am in a prayerful mood, and am especially thankful for my priests.
From the book, “The Rise of Pope Benedict,” by John Allen, Jr., “…the only genuine basis for human rights, which is the belief that every human being has transcendent value because he or she is a child of God,” (178).
From the Magnificat, “Be vigilant that you may have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent,” (398).
“Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace,” (28).
“O God, protect our homes and neighborhoods, our loved ones and ourselves this night. Shelter in your love all who fear the terror of the night or the unseen danger that roams in the darkness. Bring us all in safety to the light of a new day in which to sing your praises, through Christ our Lord. Amen,” (28).
May this coming new year in the church be one filled with grace for you and lead you on the journey closer to Him who is the love which we are all seeking.
God bless! 🙂
I have so very much to be thankful for; I will start with the day’s intercessions from the Magnificat, then add my lengthy but not exhaustive list:
“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
For the beauty and fruitfulness of the earth, and the mystery and wonder of all creation;
For the love of family and friends, and the blessings of a community of faith and worship;
For health and strength, and the courage to bear ill health and weakness;
For the gift of work, and for the opportunities of creative leisure.”
In particular, there are a few things and many people which and whom are on my heart today.
The Holy Trinity – without whom I would not exist; Praise God for your endless kindness, mercy and love.
Lynn – for your friendship, particularly in sharing this day with me; Thank you so much!
Jo – I just met you, but I love you. You are amazing; very friendly, very open, with a great personality and truly a loving, interesting person. I am so glad to have met you today.
Terry – for your love and friendship.
Fr. John – for you; for everything; God put you in your own category for me, and I can never thank Him enough.
Mr. and Mrs. Riccardo – for your amazing family, for yourselves as you are both so kind and loving, and for the incredible gift you have given the world in all of your children.
My family – for your love.
My friends – for your love, support and sharing of your lives.
My job – not only does it provide for my needs and give me the luxury of being able to buy things and do things for others, but it has also fostered many relationships which I truly cherish.
Pat – for your friendship, support and love. You are wonderful; I love you!
This is only the very faintest tip of the iceberg. I am a very blessed person indeed! If I didn’t name you specifically here, it does not imply any less appreciation or less love on my behalf. I am so very grateful for you all.
Happy Thanksgiving! May God bless you all! Love you!
I think we used different readings than the ones in the Magnificat this morning for Mass, but I really thought it was appropriate this one — I think it’s called an antiphon — that you say between the Alleluias before the proclamation of the Gospel. (Not that we said the Alleluia today.)
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
Very appropriate, since Fr. John was back at Mass this morning after being sick. He is still sick, getting better, but please continue to pray for him, especially in this cold weather.
Okay, specifically, I’m asking about 1 Chron 11:17-19
David expressed a desire: “Oh, that someone would give me a drink from the cistern by the gate at Bethlehem!” Thereupon the Three broke through the encampment of the Philistines, drew water from the cistern by the gate at Bethlehem, and carried it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as a libation to the Lord, saying, “God forbid that I should do such a thing! Could I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” For at the risk of their lives they brought it; and so he refused to drink it. Such deeds as these the Three warriors performed.
Now, I know that David is supposed to be a man after God’s own heart. I also know that David blows it rather badly with Bathsheba. This, to me, seems to be more of a Bathsheba moment. I mean, it is good and all that he realizes at some point the selfishness of his request — a drink of water versus the lives of three of his most loyal men — but, really, isn’t that a little late? Why would you even voice a request like that, knowing that you have 3 people around you who are more than willing to risk themselves for your every whim? And once you have the water, isn’t it kind of a smack in the face to the people who risked their lives to get you the drink, to not drink it?
He *does* offer it to the Lord, but would this have been an offering which God would have wanted?
Any comments would be appreciated. 🙂
Paroxysm of Giggles / Critical Mass 