Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

My Companions: Let us praise our God who reveals Divine Mystery to little ones; who shows God's Self as one riding on the colt of an ass. LORD, take from us our fear, our failure to accept Your awesome love and our retreats to ego.  Give us hearts of gratitude and joy even when we labor and are burdened...help us find rest in You. Thank You for new life in Elizabeth Jane Lay.  Bless us with healing and life especially for Margaret, Wally, Vern and all those on our prayer list.

Birthdays: Elizabeth Jane Lay (6/27/11), Christine (Lay) Parise (6/30), Randy Lumpp (6/30), Allyson Morris (7/1) Anniversary: Cyndie and Tim Andrews (6/28)

Keeping In-touch: I think we were a little overwhelmed this week.  Our hopes may have been a little too high and we were disappointed to acknowledge the challenge we have ahead of us to kill-off the remaining cancers.  It looks like Marge will have the drains removed later this week and we can move around more comfortably.  Matt returned safely from the other side of the world.  All of our "children" and grandchildren arrived to encourage Marge in her healing process.  We could not join in the first summer SCC camping trip but our companions brought back breakfast burritos and fresh trout!!  My nephew and his wife, John & Maggie Lay, were blessed with a daughter yesterday, Elizabeth Jane Lay (she has two special people in the Communion of Saints to send her blessings, my mother and brother Don's daughter).  Later this week Marge's nieces will arrive for their visit to "the ol' West." 

The Readings: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr. Foley's Reflections: Go Gentle
My comments and an invitation for you: It's easy to say, "We trust in the LORD and find comfort in the LORD."  But then, sometimes, we exhaust ourselves in fear and worry.  So many of you have shown us strength in your loving kindness, your faith, your love of the LORD and your self-less service!  We find strength in our communion with you. We are an Easter People and should live in the comforting assurance of God's Love.  In this light, I will work this week to light my candle of hope and not curse the darkness.

Find rest in the LORD as you prepare for the Assembly this week,

John

Comments, Reflections, Insights...

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Jesus with the Eucharist

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My Companions: Let us give glory and praise to the LORD who creates and re-creates all life, Whose glory shines in all things. May the LORD forgive us our trespasses and help us to forgive those who have taken life from us.  And let our hearts be filled with thanksgiving to the LORD, especially for the new gift of hope and life from a successful operation for Margaret.  And, please LORD, continue to bless us in our recovery, bring health and healing to Wally, Kelly, Gayle, John and all on our list for health and healing.  Bring us the fullness of life as we partake in the Body and Blood of Christ and become One with You.

Birthday: Greg Serveiss (6/20). Anniversary: Jim & Virginia Shatto (6/23 -- 60 years!!)

Keeping In-touch: We live in the glory of a new lease on life from the successful operation on Margaret that took the cancer from her (the lymph nodes were clear and we will receive a pathology report later in the week, but Dr. Feigleson senses he removed the invader.).  We have seen the power of prayer.  Next we will visit with the oncology team for the next chapter. This illness has captured most of our energy and our family and friends are spoiling us beyond what most people can imagine; still we're exhausted.  Now maybe we can return to thinking of others. The Dixons have returned to Colorado for the summer, Julie and Makayla also have come for a few weeks, Matthew may be "stuck" for a few extra days in Australia because of the volcano in Chile, Megan's family will arrive later this week and the Norton/Weed cousins will arrive soon to visit.

The Readings: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Fr. Foley's Reflections: An Intimate Transformation
My comments and an invitation for you: What a "wonderful" feast!  This mystery of celebrating our life in Christ by feasting on the Body and Blood of the Incarnate Word of God challenges our everyday perception and living.  This has to stretch our imaginations if we move from our dramatic bias (life lived on "auto-pilot") and begin to open ourselves to the mystery of the Lamb of God sacrificed for us and offered to us in the Eucharist.  Let us become a Eucharistic People and celebrate that in our Communion.

Grow in the peace and unity of your membership in the Body of Christ,

John


Comments, Reflections, Insights...

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

My Companions: Let us pray in the glory of the Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity and adore God Who Is Lover-Love-Beloved.  And let's seek forgiveness for our failures to fully participate in the Community of Love with all our brothers and sisters.  Help us live with hearts of gratitude as we continue to ask for all we need to live fully in Love: especially healing in mind and body, for dignified work, for pleasant moments of re-creation and rest in You.

Birthdays: Patti Schoeninger (6/13), Andrew Kornacki (6/15), Gina Feely (615), Jim Frodl (6/19), and Stephen Lay (6/19).  Anniversary Mary Weed (d. 6/12)

Keeping In-touch: We stayed very busy with Dr. appointment, anniversary celebration and "bon voyage" to Matthew who is traveling in Australia with students. We squatted at Alan and Connie's campsite on Saturday/Sunday and quietly ended/began the weeks.  We have some anxiety about Marge's operation next Monday (6/20) but have so many people praying with us that we know we will find the Glory of God in this eventful time of our lives.

The Readings: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Fr. Foley's Reflections: The Story of Our Lives
My comments and an invitation for you: This week we celebrate the great Mystery of God who is One and yet a Community of Persons.  The readings chosen for this celebration are so short that the liturgists must have been thinking that our summer living of the Mystery needed a quick celebration at our Assembly!?  How can we ever understand the Love that Jesus has shown to us?  The grandeur of God's love is overwhelming and beyond our comprehension.  Maybe, this week, we should just rest in the Triune God like little children rest in the arms of their parents and do not even try to understand the mystery of mommy and daddy.

May Christ's peace and the Mystery of the Triune God be with each of you,

John

Comments, Reflections, Insights...

Pentecost Sunday

My Companions: Let us praise the Lord for all the life that is in us and among us; open our eyes to see the glory of the Lord.  We trust in Your mercy and forgiveness for our selfishness and sin.  We thank You for your blessings and seek to life fully in gratitude.  And we ask for all we need: the gift of healing for Marge Lay, John Martinez and all who suffer the fear and anxiety of disease and sickness.  Help us also to respond to all who suffer from political and/or natural disasters. And, Lord, please help all who find themselves in deteriorating, destructive, or broken relationships; bring your healing grace to stony hearts.  And, Lord, accept Lori Stabile into Your loving arms.

Birthdays: Julianne Stevens (6/10).  Anniversaries: Bob & Ann Romadka (6/8), Neil & Melissa Cyrus (6/8), Randy & Renee Lumpp (6/8),  Linda & Larry Kent (6/8) and John & Marge Lay (6/8),

Keeping In-touch.  Wow! Julianne, our oldest grandchild, will be seven years old this Friday.  Those little ones are so filled with life!  And Wednesday we celebrate quite a few wedding anniversaries... June 8th was a good day for commitments to love.  We've set our date for "the big battle": Marge's operation will be on Monday, June 20th, so continue to pray for God's healing and guidance (especially for the work of Dr.Feigelson's hands and mind and heart and for the rest of the team).  We appreciate all your prayers and expect God to be good in God's own way.  Marge has filled the yard with flowers and plants... Dani will appreciate her "green thumb."  We're planning to enjoy the Lord's creation and the gift of companions on a couple camping trips before and after surgery.  And we're looking forward to a visit from the Grand Rapids Neices. I learned, also, that John Martinez's prostrate cancer has returned: we seek a miracle there.  I met Paul Stabile when I gave a presentation for The Emmaus Institute in Grand Rapids, MI on May 1st.  Paul's wife, Lori, died on Friday of breast cancer.  They have been a wonderful example to their communities.

The Readings: Pentecost Sunday

Fr. Foley's Reflections: The Great Sharing
My comments and an invitation for you: This Sunday we celebrate Pentecost.  How do you experience the Spirit of Love in you?  This invitation to "receive the Holy Spirit" is a constant gift that we often miss when we're living on auto-pilot.  At times we experience God's great love for us: the peace of God's very self; other times we know in our head but our hearts are troubled.  Let's take time to "remember how our hearts burn within us" when we open ourselves to this Spirit of Love.

May Christ's peace and the fullness of the Holy Spirit be with each of you,

John

Comments, Reflections, Insights...