Beholding a Miracle?

This week a man from the Philippines named Carmelo Cortez came to visit our local prayer group. This particular prayer group was started by our local priest a few years ago who had met Carmelo and felt called to start a prayer group for Catholic families based on what God has done in Carmelo's life, so first I better share some of Carmelo's history:

Carmelo is currently 42, married, and has 6 children. But on August 15th, 1991, something happend to forever change his life. On that day the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Carmelo in the Philippines and she described herself as the Mother of the Eucharist and Grace. She was dressed in white and bathed in brilliant light. Her heart was visible with the Eucharist in the center, surrounded by 12 golden stars. Her right hand held a rosary and her left a scapular. She has appeared to Carmelo over 100 times since that first apparition, and her message is always the same: believe in Jesus, receive the Sacraments, pray for priests and the Church, pray the rosary daily, realize the miracle you receive each time you receive the Eucharist. Aside from the miraculous appearance of Mary herself, Carmelo has received other miracles from God to help bring about his own conversion and the conversion of others back to the faith. A picture of Mary and Jesus has shed real tears, miraculous physical healings have occurred when Carmelo has prayed over people (including his very own bishop who was healed of a heart condition), and rose petals that suddenly have religious images appear on them or even turn into manna.

Yes, it seems hard to believe. But I guess most miracles are. Our family was given the opportunity to meet Carmelo and attend 2 prayer services with him last week. I went to both gatherings with a lot of skepticism in my heart. I departed the gatherings with very little skepticism left. However, I still believe one has to be very careful when discerning things of the supernatural. Sure, God can do anything, but the evil one, the father of lies, also tries to mislead souls constantly. This is why the Church is always extremely careful about approving apparitions of this nature. Carmelo's bishop has given his approval of the apparitions and the messages that Our Lady has shared, but the Vatican cannot give it's official blessing upon these apparitions until they have completely stopped and a detailed investigation has been conducted. Mary continues to apear to Carmelo and various miracles are still occuring, so for now, one must prayerfully, privately discern and look at the fruits. So far I think the fruits look good...

Carmelo seems extremely humble. He shares Mary's messages very simply. And what impressed me the most was that the focus of his message was not about himself, or about Mary, or about healings, or about rose petals...it was about Jesus. He said that he doesn't know why Mary chose to appear to him, nor does he know why God is allowing such beautiful images to appear on simple rose petals, but he does know that we can all receive the greatest miracle on earth each time we go to Mass and receive the Body and Blood of Jesus. He said Mary's appearances and the images on the rose petals are all just "nice gifts"----but the Eucharist is a real miracle.

Below are some photos of our "nice gifts" which my family received at the prayer gatherings. Each of us received a rose petal with an image: Paul and Michael received an image of St. Anthony holding the child Jesus in his arms, Dominic and Joseph received an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and I received an image of Blessed Padre Pio and also the image of Jesus as a young boy. Many of our friends received images of Our Lady of Fatima, The Last Supper, St. Therese of Lisieux, or the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Some of our close friends had rose petals that even turned into manna, just like the bread that God miraculously provided for the Jews in the Old Testament! It really is unbelievable, and part of me is still a doubting Thomas, so I want to keep my focus us Christ instead of all the miracles because, like Carmelo said, I believe the miracles are simply nice gifts meant to point us to the Ultimate Gift of all...our Savior Jesus Christ.

If you're still curious, I found this YouTube clip that interviews some people and shows Carmelo speaking and giving out the roses at a prayer gathering in California:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrDF5jb82KA&feature=related

Gifts Given

For two months while I was confined to bedrest, my dear friends Mike and Margaret brought me the greatest Gift on earth every single day: my Savior Jesus Christ under the disguise of a humble piece of bread. The gift of the Eucharist was the highlight of my day while I rested and prayed for baby Nathanael to grow strong in my womb. I know the Eucharist helped me to grow stronger in my faith those two, long months. Each time I received Him, I could feel the anxiety leave my soul and be replaced with peace and joy. I treasured those minutes with Mike and Margaret every day... reading the Scriptures together, praying together, and being in the Presence of Jesus together. Receiving Jesus daily during that time on bedrest made my love and hunger for Him grow in a very beautiful way, and once my time on bedrest was complete I made a commitment to receive Jesus in the Eucharist as often as I could, for there is no greater Gift on this side of Heaven. I also made a commitment to find a way to thank Mike and Margaret for bringing me such a Great Gift. And so I started making them a gift of thanks...

My gift started with a simple rose, frayed around the edges to give texture and dimension (a tecnique called "French Roses" taught by quilter Heather French).

I followed with 9 more roses to represent the 10 roses we offer to Mary in a decade of the rosary (the word rosary actually comes from the word "rosario" (Latin for "rose") because each "Hail Mary" that we pray is like offering a rose to the Queen of Heaven).

Mary is our Queen and our heavenly Mother; how fitting to offer her roses just like a little child picks wildflowers to delight his or her mother! :) Let's surround Mary with roses every day!!!

As I stitched Our Blessed Mother's glowing halo and her tender hands folded in prayer, I tried to offer prayers of thanksgiving and blessing upon Mike and Margaret who, like Mary, glow with God's love.

For over 9 months I worked on this gift for them, designing every inch from Mary's rose-covered feet like she appeared to St. Bernadette, to the moon upon which she stood like the miraculous image on Juan Diego's tilma. Although Mary's true beauty far surpasses any image ever created, I prayed that Our Lady would be pleased with this humble quilt, and that Mike and Margaret's hearts would be touched as they touched mine.

What a sweet memory I will always carry, presenting them with this gift from my heart.

Margaret is such an inspiration to me...her deep faith, her love for Jesus and His mother, and her passion for defending the unborn. Margaret has faithfully prayed at Planned Parenthood every Friday for many years and has led numerous 40 Days for Life campaigns with me as her humble side-kick :) I wonder how many babies her prayers and loving witness have saved from abortion? I feel so blessed to be her friend.

Mary, my mother, I pray that you bless Mike and Margaret with graces galore for bringing me the Gift of your Son in such a beautiful way. And I pray that more and more people turn to you for help in times of trouble, for you are the loving mother to us all, guiding all souls to the only Source of Salvation, your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

He Once Was Blind...

...but now he SEES!!!

Michael, our only brown-eyed boy, is now handsomer than ever with his new "gun-metal grey" glasses. We didn't even have the slightest suspicion that he needed glasses until last month when we were watching our local minor league baseball team and found out that Michael couldn't read the jersey numbers of the players...yikes! So we made an appointment for an eye exam, and sure enough, Michael takes after his mother's poor eyesight. He wasn't disappointed in the least though, and he was thrilled to pick out his own frames. When we picked up the new lenses and he tried them on for the first time, he was in shock at how clearly he could see. All the way home he enthusiastically announced every distant sign that he could now read. And I just love his new look...I told him that he looks older, smarter, and holier, and that he would make a very handsome looking priest :) I didn't break the news yet that his odds of being a military jet pilot are significantly reduced...perhaps the rules will change by the time he enlists :}

And while I'm on the subject of Michael, I want to share a sweet story that happened in church this weekend. We were sitting behind a couple in their 50s who we had never seen before, and after Mass they told some mutual friends of ours that Michael was singing so beautifully that the wife began to cry during one of the hymns, and the husband stopped singing because he didn't want his own voice to drown out the "joyful noise" behind him. That was one of those moments that truly warms a mother's heart and sweetly confirms that she must be doing at least something right :)

The Assumption: not just an assumption

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption. The dogma of Mary being taken body and soul into heaven is one commonly disputed among Catholics and Protestants today, but not one that was ever really disputed within the Catholic Church since the very beginning. The history of the Church tells us that nearly all theologians embraced this event as truth even before it was pronounced a doctrine. I think the reason it is so hard for many to accept this dogma today is that it is not clearly found in Scripture, and we have become such a "chapter and verse" kind of people. But can our God and His ways only be contained in a book? I think not. It is my opinion that theologians in the earliest Church had a more profound understanding and respect for who Mary was and what her role was in salvation history due to oral traditions and customs originating from the time of the apostles (many of whom are said to have witnessed this miraculous event). I believe Mary was and is "full of grace," spared from sin in order to be the very Mother of God who was chosen to bring our Savior into this world. So how fitting for our God to choose to raise His chosen Mother body and soul to be with Him in Heaven. God can do anything, so why would we doubt this event? After all, Mary wasn't the first or only person he raised in such a way (wasn't Elijah the great prophet taken up to heaven in a similar fashion too? My Old Testament knowledge is rusty, so perhaps there are even more examples of this).

The boys and I wanted to celebrate this feast in a special way somehow. Honestly, I forgot today was a special feast day until this morning when I happened to glance at my calendar. I always wish I was better prepared and had a fun craft planned on days like this, but that would take a level of organization and discipline that I am lacking right now. :) So I tried, instead, to come up with some simple and spontaneous ways we could honor Our Lady and hopefully make her smile :) I asked the boys to each pick out the most beautiful roses and wildflowers from our garden as a spiritual bouquet for her. And then instead of doing our traditional evening prayers, I lit some candles by our bouquet and statue of Mary and pulled out my dusty guitar to sing a couple Marian hymns (slightly off key but, hey, our heart was in it) :)

Anyway, for further thought on this special feast, here is an excerpt from the AmericanCatholic.org website that I thought was very interesting:

On November 1, 1950, Pius XII defined the Assumption of Mary to be a dogma of faith: “We pronounce, declare and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma that the immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory.” The pope proclaimed this dogma only after a broad consultation of bishops, theologians and laity. There were few dissenting voices. What the pope solemnly declared was already a common belief in the Catholic Church.

We find homilies on the Assumption going back to the sixth century. In following centuries the Eastern Churches held steadily to the doctrine, but some authors in the West were hesitant. However, by the 13th century there was universal agreement. The feast was celebrated under various names (Commemoration, Dormition, Passing, Assumption) from at least the fifth or sixth century.

Scripture does not give an account of Mary’s Assumption into heaven. Nevertheless, Revelation 12 speaks of a woman who is caught up in the battle between good and evil. Many see this woman as God’s people. Since Mary best embodies the people of both Old and New Testament, her Assumption can be seen as an exemplification of the woman’s victory.

Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 15:20 Paul speaks of Christ’s resurrection as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Since Mary is closely associated with all the mysteries of Jesus’ life, it is not surprising that the Holy Spirit has led the Church to belief in Mary’s share in his glorification. So close was she to Jesus on earth, she must be with him body and soul in heaven.


Quote:

“In the bodily and spiritual glory which she possesses in heaven, the Mother of Jesus continues in this present world as the image and first flowering of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise, Mary shines forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come (cf. 2 Peter 3:10), as a sign of certain hope and comfort for the pilgrim People of God” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 68).

STOP THE PRESS...

...my baby slept through the night...ALLELUIA!!

Oh, I have been waiting for this day for so long I just can't believe it's here! I think I might have to go treat myself to a margarita tonight...anyone want to come celebrate with me?


I must give credit for my husband for this victory. Many times these past few months, as I was getting more and more sleep deprived and bitter, he would gently say that he would help me "train" Nathanael to comfort himself to sleep (that's his nice way of saying "cry it out") :)

And I would always brush his comments aside. I just wasn't ready. My heart still couldn't bear the crying that I knew would come (even though I knew it would be short-lived because we went through it with the other boys who were successfully "trained" and still loved me afterwards).

But last week I was at the end of my rope. Nine months of getting up every hour or two had taken it's toll. It was time. I decided to wean at the same time because the ultimate cause of Nathanael's night-time wakings was that he always wanted to be comfort-nursed back to sleep. Somehow I had gotten into the habit of nursing him to sleep for all his naps and also during the night, and as a result I had accidentally trained him not go to sleep any other way. I now look back and admit that was probably not the best approach, but when you have 3 other kids who need your attention you tend to choose the way that seems easiest out of sheer desperation. So that's what I did, and it bit me in the butt...

Anyway, once we decided to "re-train" Nathanael, I figured that if I slowly cut back on nursing, and quit the habit of feeding him to sleep, he would learn not to be dependant of me to get to sleep...he would learn to comfort himself to sleep. And this week seemed to prove that hypothesis correct.

We started the new routine last Sunday night... 1) Change his diaper and put on jammies 2) Read a few books in his room 3) Hold him while playing his "Twinkle Twinkle Teddy Bear" 4) Lay him in the crib and say "I love you, Good Night" 5) Let him cry for 10 minutes 6) Repeat steps 3-5.

The first 3 nights we had to go in about 3 times before he would fall asleep (probably out of sheer exhaustion). But on night 4 we only had to go in once, and night 5 he didn't need us to come back in to comfort him at all. Each night got progressively better with how many times he awoke during the night as well, and by night 6 he slept through the night completely. The weaning process also went smoothly. I cut out all nighttime feedings on the first day that we began our new routine. The next day I cut out 1 daytime feeding. The following day, I cut out 2 daytime feedings, the third day I cut out 3, and by the fourth day he was completely weaned and thankfully didn't seem to mind a bit. In fact, I think he loves his bottle just as well as nursing. It is so sweet to watch him hold the bottle with both hands all by himself. And even though I hadn't planned on weaning him this early, I feel as if a heavy weight has been lifted from my shoulders, which further confirms that I think the time was right. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved nursing and bonding with my baby in that special way, but when the bond became a burden rather than I joy, it was healthy for me to wean and bond in other special ways instead. Now I get to watch my husband or my older boys give Nathanael a bottle, which is very sweet indeed. And now I'm free to leisurely get groceries or go on a date with my husband without worrying about getting back for nursing at a certain time. Heck, I'm even free to go on a trip for a few days...anyone want to meet somewhere for a girl's getaway weekend to renew our spirits and help us to embrace our vocations as wives and mother's with new enthusiasm? :)



P.S. Paul and I decided to get a babysitter and go out to celebrate tonight... I had a tasty Montana Sapphire Margarita and Paul had a Lemon Drop Martini. What a great reason to celebrate! And don't I look incredibly happy and well-rested in this photo? :) I'm toasting to my sweet husband for being the strength that I needed to win this victory of sleep. It's times like these when I realize why God put the two of us together :) Thanks, honey! Here's to you and here's to sleep, blissful sleep!

Thankful Thursday

The past two weeks were very, very hard, and yet there is still so very, very much to be thankful for when I open my eyes and heart to see...

• cool basements on 100 degree hot days


• silent tears seeping into pillows, feeling God's silent embrace


• brave bird in the trout pond


• boys learning to fly fish under the big sky in Big Sky, MT


• Nathanael in the hiking back pack, as beautiful as the beauty around him


• the wonder of waterfalls to eyes both little and big


• hearing little boys praying from their big hearts


• a new cookbook helping me make yummy meals to last a month (like the tasty Chicken and Wild Rice Sandwiches mixed with cranberries and curry)


• a new Catholic Dayplanner to help me organize my life and feed my soul


• the freeing feeling of a clean house (if only for an hour)


• Arwen, our princess cat, who cuddles under our covers at night


• Bible-reading boys finishing the entire Bible in one summer!!!


• sweet dates with Jesus and my husband as we share devotional time in the morning quiet


• boys watching Blue Angels in a breezy field, dreams soring high


• kissing and making up---hope restored


• serendipity surprises, my husband speaking my love language with heart-gifts


• the cuteness of chubby legs crawling
  

when life is hard

when marriage is hard
look into the faces of your children
see your husband's reflection there
yes, you'd marry him all over again


when parenting is hard
look into the face of your husband
see your helpmate's encouraging smile
yes, together you can shape their tiny souls


when life is hard
look into the face of your Savior on the cross
see the love poured out with the blood
yes, you can suffer for He taught you how