The Lullaby

Sometimes deep in prayer I feel that I get a little glimpse into the life of the Blessed Virgin and her Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

I saw a beautiful Mother, holding her son, and she was singing a beautiful little lullaby to Him.   Mary would sing this Lullaby to Him whenever he was a child to soothe Him.  Mamma's arms and that sweet Lullaby always brought Him comforted and peace in his childhood.

Later I was shown the most Blessed Mother on Calvary at the foot of the cross.  Jesus has been crucified and was suffering greatly.

Her eyes were riveted on her son.  She wouldn't look away from Him.  She wanted to be 100% present for Him, 100% His Mother.

No one heard it.  She sang it softly, just her lips were moving.  But Jesus had seen that movement of her lips many times.  It was just for Him.

She was quietly singing the lullaby to Him.

Oh Mother, what those eyes have seen and suffered.  Pray for us.

"Not My Son Lord"

One of the greatest mysteries in scripture is the hidden Mother.  One of the greatest of these is Jochebed, the Mother of Moses.  

The scripture tells us that when the children where in danger of being killed by Pharaoh, Jochebed made a reed basket in which she placed Moses and floated him down the river.  He was found by Pharaoh's daughter, and then as fate would have it, Jochebed was chosen to come and nurse the child until Pharaoh's daughter adopted him.  

When Moses fed at her breast Jochebed sang to him of her God and Moses's people, their ancestors.  She sang to him in her own language trusting God that words sung with love from a Mother's heart would be etched on Moses's.   

When Moses was weaned he was then taken to Pharaoh's daughter to be part of her household, and to be taught about the Egyptian way of life and worship.   This is when Jochebed's pain began.  Jochebed loved God and she knew her son was being taught to worship idols which is very displeasing to God.  

Jochebed  had no knowledge of what God would call Moses to do for the children of Abraham, but she trusted Him, and like any Mother who loves their child, she had no problem to completely focus on God with her petition.  A Mother has no problem reminding God of what He has done in the past, to ensure a future promise. 

Can you imagine the pain she felt every time she saw Moses offer a prayer or an offering to a stone statue?  The idols where everywhere, in every house.  The Egyptians had power, wealth and influence, not her people. She was poor, a slave...but she had something powerful.  She knew how to be hidden and how to focus on the one that could change her son's situation.   God will hardly deny the tears and pleading of a Mother for her son, if what she asks of God is right in God's eyes and not mans. Sometimes a Mother helps give birth to greatness in a child just by accepting the suffering that God has chosen her to bear for that child.  

She placed him in the reed basket and pushed him into the water...."Lord, watch over my son as you watched over and protected Noah in the Ark."

She is feeding her son from her breast..."God of our Fathers feed your word into my son's heart. 

She sees Moses offering prayer or food to an Egyptian God, an idol, then the prayers of a broken Mother's heart begin.  

"Lord, not my son Lord, my son is a son of Abraham.  You are the Holy One, surely a merciful God will not allow my son to worship idols.  Lord in your mercy did you not save an Egyptian from death who had taken Abraham's wife by warning him in a dream?    Is my son less than this man to whom you showed such great mercy?  God of our Fathers, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob deliver my son from the Idols of Egypt."

In the morning she prayed, "God of our Fathers, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob deliver my son from the Idols of Egypt."  

During tasks she prayed, "God of our Fathers, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob deliver my son from the Idols of Egypt."

In every possible moment throughout the day until she finally fell asleep she prayed,"God of our Fathers, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob deliver my son from the Idols of Egypt."

One day as she went about her work she was alone when she was met by an Angel.  

"Woman, why do you plead so to God for your youngest child?  Has God not already provided you a first born son to comfort you in your old age?"  

Kneeling before the messenger of God with many tears running down her face she said, "Can a Mother cut out part of her heart and she still live and breathe?  A Mother's heart cannot be separated into the oldest or youngest or even the middle child.   Each child beats the same in the Mother's heart and the Mother wishes no less for the youngest than she does the first."  

The angel answered her, "Fear not, for your prayers have been heard by God and by sorrow and separation your son will lead a great nation."  

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Well, you know what happens after that.  

Never underestimate the prayers of the hidden Mother for her children...it can change the world.

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This story is obviously a fiction, but remember Jesus told parables so that truth could be taught from them. 

The Conversation (Part I)

This story is told in a fictional sense, but what it reveals is true.
(The Blogger/Writer in this story is a  Male, 26, College Graduate.)

There wasn't much going on, I needed a story to write, a personal interest piece.  Not finding anything to stimulate my imagination in local events, I went out in search of a person or persons of interest that I could conjure into an interesting story so I can meet my deadline.    What I found was more than a returning soldier surprising a family member or a lost dog reunited with the little boy that was searching for him, I found something quite terrifying.

I went into a local eatery that had a bar, I wasn't hungry, I was looking for someone that would strike my interest so to speak.  As I walked in, I saw most of what you see in this restaurant on any given day.  Not a chain restaurant, but you find the 'Tumbleweed' type crowd there.  Married couples, older parents and a caregiver adult child, first dates, things like that.  Then I looked in the corner and saw a middle age woman alone, with a haunted look on her face.  She looked as if she had just found out something devastating.  Her eyes stared at nothing as if she was thinking how to tell someone something that would not be good news.   She had short brown hair, with a round face and large eyes.  I went over to her and thought I would start up a conversation, make up something, get her to talk to me, get her to tell me her story.  But as I approached her, I knew a lie wouldn't work with her, the best thing to do would be to tell the truth.

"Hi."  I said to her.  She looked up at me and as if she knew me she smiled at me.  "Hello," she said.

"Look, I'm sorry to bother you, but I write a blog, and I guess I am hunting for a story, a personal story that I can write about, and you look like you have a story to tell. "

"Please sit down,"  She smiled at me as if she had known me all her life and they way she looked at me was the same as my Mother who when I was trying to hide something, knew everything I had been up to.

"My name is Michael.  Do we know each other?" I asked.

"No." She smiled.

"Then may I asked what the look that you were giving off before I spoke to you?  You look like you had lost your best friend and was looking for a way to tell the spouse."

"That's a very good analogy I'm afraid."

There was a silence between us as she sized me up with those eyes.  My brain was screaming for me to stay silent even though I wanted to ask many questions.  She broke the silence.

"Well Michael, you want a story, but let me ask you a question.  What would you do if you found a terrifying truth that could not be denied but neither could it be proven?"  

I was silent as I pondered this.

"I don't understand." 

"Let me explain.  We live in a natural world with material objects, atoms, electricity, etc., correct.?"

"Yes, of course."

"Now the truth that we understand is bound by the culture and environment that we live in.  There is scientific truth that can be tested, observed, repeated.    There are cultural truths that we live by, our values, morals, beliefs, etc.  Less attainable than the scientific truth, but these are still truths that men and women have been willing to sacrifice much for.  But both these truths are still contained within the framework of our environment.  Not just our neighborhood, but the entire universe.  Would you agree that there are truths that we maintain as 'true' because we believe them as a culture or we have observed a truth by a scientific method?"

"Yes...but could you give an example?"  

"Sure.   This Glass, it contains water.  If I turn the glass upside down, would we both agree that there is an agreeable truth as to what the result would be?"

"Yeah...the liquid will spill on the table."  

"Of course.  And we could do that experiment over and over again.  But there is also a truth in the belief that murder is wrong.  This is not testable, but this is a truth that has been held by our culture for quite some time, would you agree?"

"Yeah, sure."

"But still any truth that is a product of our culture, experience or science is bound by the Universe. What if I told you there was a truth that was not bound by the universe and can never be proven by science or truly understood by the mind of man."

"I'm afraid you've lost me somewhat."  

She laughed a little, took a sip of her drink and then looked at me very seriously.  "Where do you feel truth if something is true?"

"What?"

"Simple, where do you feel or know something is true within your physical nature?  In your head, your heart, your gut, all three?"

"Oh, I see, I guess sometimes a combination of all three, but sometimes it is usually one of those depending on what the truth is."

"Exactly!  But you agree that your knowledge or sense of truth is contained within yourself, because if you do not accept that murder is wrong, it is not a truth for you, wouldn't you agree with that?"

"I guess you are right, I never thought of it that way."  

"Would you also agree that having the truth contained within the individual is also the definition of free will?  For if the truth is contained within the individual, even if as a collective the group can share some of the same truths, the individual can at any time choose to accept or reject a truth that they have encountered."  

"You can't deny the water spilling, why would anyone reject that? It doesn't make much sense to deny the truth of gravity."

"Agreed, but you cannot deny the individuals right and ability, no matter how absurd, to reject a scientific truth."

"I guess you are right there.  What's your point."  

"My point is that there is a truth that is beyond the containment of this Universe that is not bound by this Universe.  This eternal truth is not only the definer of truth, but is the existence of truth because it is existence itself.   The eternal truth is not bound by time, but is outside of time.  However, time is the eternal truth's tool to teach truth from Himself to those that are bound by the universe."

"That sounds like you are talking about God."  

"I didn't know myself that was what I had discovered at first, but yes, I am.  You see, I am a Mathematician, as a result I am very analytical, and I have found the truth of God, because the Eternal Truth allowed me to find it........and I found something else"

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  CONTINUED IN PART II.

The Hidden Mother

I see you and you do not know it, I watch you and you do not see me.  I don't want you to.  It is better for you if you if you never know me as who I really am.  When I do get a glimpse of  you, my heart leaps for joy for the gift of holding you with my eyes, because I know I will never hold you with my Mothers arms.  I am so proud of you, but I can never tell you that.  The best thing I can do for you is be hidden, loving and praying for you.  If who I am to you is every revealed, God will have to do it for I never will.  I am....

JOCHEBED

The Mark

Every Catholic Priest that walks the Earth had a mark placed on him at his conception for the Priesthood.   This is a gift by God as a reflection for what God did for Mary in her womb, because every Priest is her son.  The Priest is not immaculate, but only marked as one chosen for the Priesthood.  This is not a guarantee that he will become a Priest, it is up to God whether or not he is called later.

I am sure that there are a few Priests walking the earth that were not called, although they are very few.  But the Priest, whether called or not will always carry this mark as being chosen to the Priesthood from conception.

Some of us are chosen to be the protector, parent and instructor of such children, and what you see is amazing.  How can you tell them what you know?  They don't understand why people, complete strangers want to engage him, talk to him, get to know him.  But I know.  Eternity truly is in our hearts, and somewhere deep inside, these people know that the young man they want so much to speak can provide them a path to heaven.  They don't understand how, but somewhere deep inside, they know.

I have also seen the look of hatred on a face looking at my son.  I knew what this was too.  There is a look of evil on the face of one that is either pure evil or possessed by the same that can not be duplicated in human form.  They hate him for what damage he could potentially do to them, but they are not allowed to touch him.

As always, I am curious.  "God why did you let me see that?"  Knowledge is always given for a reason.  I was made aware of the real danger that we both face, and by God's grace are protected from.  

This is not the first time I had encountered this either.  I met with a young sweet faced Deacon who was soon to be a Priest in the church at OLPH.  (Now Father Doug Marcotte at Sacred Heart, Jeffersonville, IN) I gave him a copy of the vision of the Eucharist, I'll never forget the smile on his face!  He talked about his journey to the Priesthood and how much he had to study, etc.  I told him, "Oh don't worry, you will be a Priest, it is imprinted on your soul."  (My Mother always said I told everything I knew...so what I know I will say.)

I also encountered another young man about my son's age, that has this gift from God.  I also gave him a copy of the picture of the Eucharist saying, "You know only a Priest can do that!"  (Hint, Hint!) But the most memorable was being with my son and for just a moment feeling the power of God come from his hands.  

Will my son be a Priest? I don't know, whatever path he takes is between him and God.   I love him no matter what he becomes.  Whether he is called or not, I am thankful to be be his Mother and pray that I teach and guide him well.  

Joseph and Mary's House: A Modern Mini Play

Time:  1970's 
Location: Midwest farm...the Kitchen.

A young boy of the age of 12 with brown hair sat at a kitchen table, writing something on a paper, possibly a homework assignment.  Into the kitchen comes a woman with brown hair, tied in a bun in a blue dress with a baby on the hip.  There are two small children trailing behind her, and she is carrying a bag of groceries.

"Jesus..."

She didn't even have to finish His name, the young boy at the table had turned when she came in the room and was already rising from his chair, taking the grocery bag from her and digging into the bag to put the food away.

Jesus, looking puzzled at the child his Mother was carrying, touched the baby of about 11 months on the cheek and said, "Who is this?"

The young Jesus then noticed the two children hiding behind his Mother.  He knelt down as His Mother moved out of the way and spoke to the newcomers.

"Well, hello."  He looked at the child closest to him, "What is your name?"

The children looked shy and scared, unsure of their new environment, unsure if they should divulge any information.  

Mother Mary then gently touched the head of the tallest, blond headed boy as she said, "This is James, he is 8, and that is his little brother Joseph who is 5."    Mother then spoke directly to the boys.  "Boys, this is your new brother Jesus."  She then turned to the little girl she was holding, brushing the hair out of her eyes.  "And this is Miriam their little sister."  

Jesus took the baby from His Mother's arms, leaving her free to begin to prepare the food she had brought.

"Come on," Jesus said, "Let me show you the house and the workshop where Dad is."

"They are probably hungry, so tell your Dad we are going to eat a little early."

"I will."

"Jesus, don't take Miriam to the workshop, please put her in the playpen, she is crying because she is hungry now.  I'm going to warm up some milk and feed her "

Jesus did as His Mother requested, but looked questioning at her wondering if she needed help.  She looked back with the look of, "It's ok, I've got this."

Jesus led the boys through the house, showing them the different rooms.  He showed them their rooms, and the beds they would sleep on.    He then took them to an outbuilding/barn near the animal pens where sawing could be heard.

The older man looked up from his work to the door and saw a shadow of a young boy, with the sun shining bright behind him.  His heart leaped at the sight of the form of his son.  Jesus stepped into the workshop and two smaller boys where revealed to be behind him. 

Seeing the new children, Joseph looked questioningly at his son.  

Jesus looked back at him as if to say, "You know who did this."  

Joseph nodded slightly for he knew indeed who had brought these children into the household.  His wife was always bringing some new child into their home as either a permanent or temporary addition.  Sweet Mother that she is, if she was out and saw or heard of a child being mistreated, hungry or abandoned, she would say, "Give the child to me, I will be it's Mother."    As a result, the Joseph and Mary house was always full of children. 

Joseph never questioned any of this, he would just thank God that as a carpenter he could provide whatever the new child or children needed.  He knew his wife's faith was completely unshakable and as a result, the family had lacked nothing, no matter it's size.  

Once when Joseph had questioned Mary about how they were to feed all the children that she had brought into the house, Mary didn't even look distressed.  Mary sat down at the kitchen table, next to Jesus, looked Jesus in the eye and said, "I'm sure that God will provide for us whatever we need."  Mary's eyes never wavered from her son's face as she then added, ".....Isn't that right, Jesus."  

Jesus looked to his stepfather Joseph for help, but Joseph just looked silently at his son, as if to say, "She's got you there son. You know how hard it is to say 'no' to her."   

Jesus gently looked back at his Mother and smiled as He said, "Yes Mother, I am sure God will provide whatever we need."   

And so it was. 



Back in the barn Jesus turned to his stepfather and said, "This is James, and his younger brother Joseph."  

Joseph said, "James and Joseph, welcome to the family!  We will have a great time and if you like I will teach you what I am doing."  

Little James spoke up, "What are you doing?"  

"Well, do you see these chairs here?  God put it on my heart to make them a couple of weeks ago, and I am just finishing them, just in time for your arrival!  You see God knows everything, and He knew I would need these chairs for you."

"Oh, Mother said we are going to eat early, so we should probably go to the house."

"Alright, let's grab the chairs."

Joseph and Jesus each grabbed a chair, and they each took the hand of a child and began to walk back to the house.  

As they neared the house, Joseph could hear the cry of an infant.  Joseph stopped  and looked at Jesus.  Jesus put down the chair he was carrying, and held up three fingers.  

Joseph smiled as he said softly, "Of course there is three, I wouldn't have it any other way. "

"OK boys, let's get in and get washed up before supper."  

"I'm Here."

"Mom, why do you go to Mass everyday?"

"Because I love Him."  

"Who?"

"Our Lord."

"Oh."

"You don't understand do you."

"Not really."  

"Well to fall in love, you have to spend time with someone.  I didn't fall in love with your Father just by spending one hour with him once a week.  We talked, shared, spent time in a kind of 'adoration' of each other every day.  It's the same. 

"But you don't have to right?"

"I don't have to do anything, that is what free will is.   But because I do love Him, I want to go, I miss Him if I don't or can't go. "

"Why is so important to go to Mass? Wouldn't your time be better spent if you helped the homeless or something?  Isn't that what Jesus would want?  It seems kind of boring to me."

"My child, you don't know what is happening at the Holy Mass.  Let me try to explain.  First of all charity is always important, but there is nothing in the world that has more benefit for souls than to go to Mass.  In the Mass, heaven itself is opened and God comes down at the words of the Priest and is truly present, in the Eucharist, the communion.  And we who are present have a unique opportunity to plead to God for the souls of those that are lost to Him, purifying their souls in the process."

"Think about it this way, do you think there was any way Jesus' Mother would have gone shopping on the day that he was being tortured and crucified?"  

"No...no way, she had to be there!" 

"Why?  Did Jesus need her to be there?"

"Well, yeah, you want your Mom when things are going bad." 

"If He was God, and He was, He didn't 'need' her because He is God, but that is not to say He didn't want her there, just like He wants all of us."   "Do you think Jesus loved his Mother?"

"Of course." 

"Then if Jesus loved His Mother, and wanted her present at His suffering and death, and knowing Jesus's love for us, how much more does He want us to be present at the Holy Mass when the cross is 're-presented' on the earth?" 

"I never thought of it that way."

"I go to Mass everyday because I love him and I need him.  Unfortunately, in the past as is now bad things are happening in the world, and sometimes I just say to Him in His suffering.... "I'm here."

Encounter With The Virgin

This encounter started sometime back, I will begin there.  

For some time after my husband's death, I had been not living a good life.  I was breaking a commandment pretty regularly.  It wasn't I was mad at God for my husband's death, it was because of the intensity of the pain I was suffering because of grief.   In truth, it hurt worse to go to Church than it did to sin.  

I knew better, I had already had the Vision of the Eucharist, so I knew the truth, and I would say to myself, "What are you doing! You know better!!" 

After three years, when my heart had healed sufficiently, it was time to come home.

Mother calls.  

I'm driving to work and I hear her sweet voice in my ear.  

"Pray me a Rosary."  

I thought, "A whole Rosary?" (There was a time when just one Rosary would have not been enough for me, now it was unthinkable!) 

"Just give me a decade." 

Remembering all that her Son had done for me, I thought, "Ok, I can do that."  

I pray the decade, which led to two decades, which led to the Rosary every day.  

It is true, if you pray the Rosary, you cannot stay in sin, you will either give up the Rosary or the sin.  

I gave up the sin, and I came home.  

I started going to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.  The first Holy Mass I ran out of, because my sin was very much on me, and the demons did not want me there, and they made sure I was in pain.  But I went to confession, and did my penance, and then starting praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament again.  At first I would go across the river to St. Martin de Tours after Holy Mass on Sunday and pray there, but then one day I asked Father Eric Augentein if I could stay after Mass and pray and he said yes!! (Thank you Father!!) 

I appreciated him letting me stay and pray because I didn't have to cross the bridge, but there was an added benefit, I was alone with HIM!! 

My heart was heavy, because as I was falling back in love with Him, I knew deep in my heart that I could never be what I most wanted.  I could never be a bride of Christ.  Not because it was not possible, but because of my past.  If I could not be faithful in little things, and because of my sin, I didn't think I could ever be faithful to Him in large things.  

My heart was so sad because I loved Him so much, and wanted to be His, but thought I never could be, ever.  

Mother has a way fixing things.  

What I saw was totally unexpected.  I had resolved that I would never have my wish to be a bride of Christ and resolved to go on with my life.  I NEVER TOLD ANYONE OF MY DESIRE.  I kept it in my heart only.  

After about a year of being "home", I was in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church by myself praying the Rosary.  I am adoring the Holy Eucharist in the Tabernacle, when I see in my mind Our Lady of Fatima standing before me.  She was wearing the white with the gold trim and she was smiling at me.  As this was only in my mind, I thought it was my imagination.  (I have a great devotion to Our Lady of Fatima) I began to think of something else, a Math equation, to make it go away. (That always works!)   It didn't go away.  I found I had no control over what I was seeing in my mind.  And it was like the Blessed Virgin knew what I was doing to make the vision of her go away, because she smiled at me like any Mother who says, "I know what you are doing."

Then in the vision in my mind, The Blessed Virgin approached me where I was kneeling in my pew and took a white cloth and placed it on my head and with her two small hands smoothed it down on either side of my head. 

Then she was gone.  

I began to cry.  She was letting me know that she accepted me as a potential Bride of Christ.  What I thought was IMPOSSIBLE, she made possible.