Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

June 13, 1956

Dear Diary,

This morning was the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which made Holy Mass feel extra beautiful. Robert picked us up as usual and right on time, and Mini rode along happily.

After Mass, we gathered in the parish hall for Reading Club. The bagels, cream cheese, butter, and strawberry jam from yesterday were still in the church kitchen refrigerator. Sister Mary Claire toasted the bagels, and they were warm and yummy. Mini watched carefully for crumbs.

Father LeRoy asked me to open the discussion with my summary of Part VII. I said the chapter explained the meaning of Our Lady’s strange request to Bernadette: to go to the rock, drink, wash, and eat of the plant. Bernadette obeyed, even though no one understood. When she dug in the ground, a spring appeared. At first it was muddy, but soon it became clear and plentiful.

The author said the spring was a lesson from Heaven. People often look for happiness in things that do not last, but Our Lady was pointing them to God’s grace. Bernadette’s humble obedience reminded me of Mary’s Immaculate Heart, always ready to say yes to God.

Father LeRoy said Our Lady leads us gently but asks for trust. Sister Mary Claire said humility opens the door to grace. Robert said folks often look for water in dry places when God has already shown them the spring.

Tonight I am thankful for Holy Mass, Our Lady’s loving heart, warm bagels, and the hidden spring at Lourdes.

Dear Blessed Mother, keep me humble and trusting like Bernadette. Amen.

Click to Read

Kathy Reads on the Feast of the Sacred Heart

June 12, 1956

Dear Diary,

This morning was so pretty that Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and I decided to walk to St. Mary’s for Holy Mass. The fields were green and shining in the morning light, and Mini kept trotting ahead like she was the leader of the whole road.

We had not gone too far when we heard Robert’s pickup coming behind us. Sister waved him down, and he stopped with a smile.

“Well now,” he said, “it looks like I found three pilgrims on the way to church.”

We climbed in gladly, especially because Sister was carrying bagels, cream cheese, butter, and strawberry jam for Reading Club. Mini settled right in as if Robert had come especially for her.

After Holy Mass, Father LeRoy invited everyone to gather in the parish hall. Sister unpacked the bagels and spreads, and since the church had a toaster in the kitchen, she toasted them until the whole room smelled warm and delicious. Father poured coffee, and there was hot cocoa too.

Mini sat under the table and watched carefully for crumbs. She looked so serious about it that I think she believed it was her official Reading Club duty.

When everyone was settled, Father LeRoy asked me to open the discussion with my little summary of Part VI of Our Lady of Lourdes.

I told everyone that this chapter was about the last day of the fifteen visits Bernadette had been asked to make to the Grotto. By then, news about the spring and the cures had spread everywhere. People came to Lourdes from all directions—some in wagons and carriages, some on horseback, and many on foot.

There were so many people gathered around the Grotto that the hills, roads, and fields were covered with them. The author said there may have been twenty thousand. Some came with strong faith. Some came with doubts. Some were only curious. But all of them were drawn to the same holy place.

When Bernadette arrived with her mother, the crowd became very excited and called her “the youthful saint.” But Bernadette did not act proud. She hardly seemed to notice the praise at all. Her heart was fixed on seeing the beautiful Lady again.

Then the great crowd became quiet. When Bernadette knelt, everyone knelt. The author said it became so still that the people could hear the river and the little spring bubbling near the Grotto.

That was my favorite part. I could almost see it in my mind—the huge crowd, the quiet morning, the Grotto, the spring, and Bernadette kneeling there with Heaven so near.

After my summary, Father LeRoy led the discussion. He said Our Lady seemed to be calling every kind of person to Lourdes: believers, doubters, the sick, the curious, the poor, and the important. Sister said that sometimes grace begins when a person simply comes close enough to listen.

I liked that very much.

When Reading Club was over, the bagels were nearly gone, and Mini looked very satisfied, though I cannot prove how many crumbs she found.

Robert offered to drive us home, but the day was still so lovely that we decided to walk. Mini approved right away and went trotting down the road ahead of us like a small red-and-white pilgrim.

Tonight I am thankful for Holy Mass, warm bagels, good friends, and the story of Bernadette. Most of all, I am thankful that Our Lady calls people gently, even when they come with questions.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, help me to be humble like Bernadette and quiet enough to hear Your voice. Bless Father LeRoy, Sister Mary Claire, Robert, and little Mini. Please keep us close to Your Blessed Mother and safe through the night.

Amen.

Click to Read

Patient Faith at Lourdes

June 11, 1956

Dear Diary,

Robert came early this morning to pick up Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and me. He had been reading ahead in Our Lady of Lourdes and said he could hardly stop. On the way to St. Mary’s, he talked about Bernadette, the spring, the crowds, and what might happen next.

After Holy Mass, Father LeRoy invited everyone downstairs to the parish hall for the Reading Club. He reminded folks that copies of Our Lady of Lourdes were still available at the back of the church.

We met just like the first time, around the tables in the parish hall. Sister Mary Claire counted ten in attendance, counting Mini.

“That is pretty good for a small congregation,” Sister whispered.

Father LeRoy opened with a prayer. Then he looked at me and smiled.

“Kathy, I believe you have today’s summary,” he said.

I stood up with my paper in both hands. My heart beat fast, but Sister Mary Claire gave me a little nod, and Mini sat beside my chair as if she were listening too.

I read:

“Part 5 is about M. Massy, a government official who did not believe the events at Lourdes were from God. Instead of waiting patiently for the Church to investigate, he wanted to stop everything quickly. He had the Grotto watched day and night and arranged for soldiers and police to be ready near Lourdes.

“What struck me most is that the people had been peaceful, but the officials acted as if trouble was already coming. The Bishop waited carefully, but M. Massy rushed ahead. I think this chapter shows the difference between patient faith and fearful control.”

When I finished, Father LeRoy nodded kindly.

“Well done, Kathy,” he said.

Robert started clapping first, and then everyone joined in. Mini looked around as if she thought the applause might be for her.

After that, the discussion began. Robert said the people at the Grotto seemed peaceful. They were praying, filling bottles from the spring, and going home.

“Why send soldiers if nobody is causing trouble?” he asked.

Father LeRoy said large crowds can make officials uneasy, especially when something unexpected is happening.

“Fear often grows when people think they must control everything,” Father said. “The Bishop was willing to wait and learn more. Others wanted answers immediately.”

Sister Mary Claire said the Bishop’s patience impressed her most.

“Patience is often quieter than force,” she said, “but much wiser.”

Then Father LeRoy said, “Truth is never harmed by an honest investigation.”

I liked that very much and wrote it in my notebook.

Afterward Father LeRoy brought out Krispy Kreme doughnuts, coffee, and hot cocoa. Everyone stayed a while longer, talking about Lourdes and what might happen next. Mini made her rounds beneath the tables, collecting smiles and a few crumbs.

On the way home, Robert said he might read just one more chapter tonight.

Sister Mary Claire laughed and said, “Only one?”

I think she knows him pretty well.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, thank You for Holy Mass, for our Reading Club, and for friends who love the story of Lourdes. Help me to be patient when I do not understand something right away. Teach me to seek the truth with a peaceful heart and never to rush to judgment. Bless Father LeRoy, Sister Mary Claire, Robert, Mini, and everyone who came today. Amen.

Good night, dear Diary.

Love,
Kathy

Resolution: Tomorrow I will try to listen carefully before making up my mind.

Dear Jesus, You know that I love You.

Click to Read

A Good Man’s Doubt

 
Dear Diary,

After Holy Mass this morning, everyone gathered in the parish hall for our Lourdes Reading Club. Father LeRoy had a table waiting with Crispy Creme doughnuts, coffee for the grown-ups, and hot cocoa for the rest of us. Mini sat very politely beside my chair, hoping someone might accidentally drop a crumb. There were six people at the meeting today, and seven if you counted Mini, which I always do.

When everyone had settled in, Father asked if I would read my little review of Part 4 from Our Lady of Lourdes.

I told them that this chapter was mostly about the Prefect, M. Massy, one of the government officials watching the events at Lourdes. He was a good Catholic man who believed the miracles in the Bible, but he had trouble believing God might still be working miracles in his own time. He liked rules, laws, and order, and he thought everything should stay within those boundaries.

What struck me most was that he was not a bad man at all. In fact, he was intelligent, honest, and respected by everyone. The author seemed to be saying that sometimes good people can become so certain of their own understanding that they have difficulty recognizing something new when God places it right before them.

Father LeRoy nodded when I finished and said that humility is important because God often surprises us. Sister Mary Claire said that sometimes faith begins when we admit we do not have all the answers.

I thought that sounded very much like Bishop Laurence, who was carefully listening to all the evidence instead of rushing to a conclusion.

Afterward we enjoyed doughnuts and hot cocoa while everyone talked about what might happen next in the story. Mini received several pats on the head and looked very pleased with herself. She may not understand Lourdes, but she certainly understands doughnuts.

The afternoon was quiet back at Camp Littlemore. I spent some time reading on the porch steps while Mini lay nearby in the shade. The fields looked greener than they did just a few days ago, and the breeze carried the smell of fresh-cut hay from somewhere down the road.

Tonight I am thinking about how easy it must be to miss God’s work when we become too certain of ourselves. I hope I can always keep a little room in my heart for wonder.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Holy Mass, for good friends, and for another chapter of the story of Lourdes. Help me to be humble and willing to listen when You speak. Give me wisdom like the Bishop, faith like Bernadette, and a heart that is open to Your surprises.

Bless Father LeRoy, Sister Mary Claire, Robert, and everyone in our reading club. Please watch over Mini while she sleeps tonight.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

Amen.

Good night, Dear Diary.

Love,

Kathy

The Reading Clubs First Meeting

Dear Diary,

This morning Robert came early for Mass, but the day was so lovely that Sister Mary Claire said we ought to walk. Robert parked by the chicken house and walked the last half mile with us to St. Mary’s.

The fields looked greener than yesterday, and Mini trotted happily in front of us. After Mass, the Reading Club met for the first time near the back pews. Father LeRoy had his copy of Our Lady of Lourdes and said there were plenty of books at the back of the church for anyone who wanted to read along. Sister Mary Claire sat beside me, Robert stood quietly nearby, and Mini tucked herself close under the pew.

Then Father LeRoy asked me to read the summary I had written out.

My hands felt warm and nervous on the paper, but Sister gave me a small nod.

This is what I read:

Today’s chapter is about the Bishop’s discernment.

Abbé Peyramale went to Bishop Laurence and told him all that had been happening at Lourdes. He explained about Bernadette’s visions, the words spoken by the Apparition, the spring that came forth, the sudden cures, and the great stirring of the whole town.

The Bishop listened carefully, but he did not believe too quickly. He knew that God can do marvelous things, even through a poor little girl, but he also knew that such things must be tested. The chapter says he was like St. Thomas, because he wished to see before he believed.

I think this was wise. If Bishop Laurence had believed at once, people might have said he was carried away by excitement. But because he waited and asked for true proofs, his belief would mean more when the time came.

There were many reports, much confusion, and many excited people in Lourdes. Abbé Peyramale himself had not seen everything with his own eyes. The Bishop understood that sometimes we must stand at a little distance from events before we can see them clearly.

So he did not say yes, and he did not say no. He chose to wait, observe, and gather trustworthy reports. He did not remove the order keeping the clergy from the Grotto, but he arranged to be informed each day about what happened there, especially the cures.

I think Bishop Laurence teaches us that the Church is not afraid to wait. If the events were false, time would uncover the error. But if they were from God, they would grow stronger and prove themselves.

When I finished reading, I folded my paper and looked down for a moment. Then Father LeRoy said, “Very good, Kathy. That is exactly what discernment means. The Bishop was not closing his heart. He was guarding the truth.”

Sister Mary Claire said softly that prudence is not the enemy of faith. It is one of the ways faith stays honest.

Robert said he liked the part about standing at a little distance to see things clearly. He said farmers know that too, because sometimes you cannot see the shape of a field when you are standing right in the middle of it.

That made everyone smile, even Father.

On the way home, I thought about Bernadette and Bishop Laurence at the same time. Bernadette had to be simple and obedient. The Bishop had to be careful and patient. Both had their own duty before God.

I hope I can learn both lessons. I want to believe with a simple heart, but I also want to love the truth enough to wait for it.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, please help me to be faithful like Bernadette and wise like Bishop Laurence. Teach me not to rush ahead of the truth, and not to be afraid when something must be tested. Bless Father LeRoy, Sister Mary Claire, Robert, Mini, and our little Reading Club at St. Mary’s. May every chapter bring us closer to You and to Our Blessed Mother.

Resolution

Tomorrow I will try to listen carefully before I speak, and remember that truth does not need to hurry.

Click to Read this Chapter

The Reading Club

Dear Diary,

This morning Good Neighbor Robert came early to pick us up for Holy Mass, but it was such a gorgeous day that we all decided to walk the half mile to St. Mary’s instead. Mini was the happiest of all and trotted ahead with her big smile, then came running back as if she wanted to hurry the rest of us along.

As we came near the church, I saw a banner stretched across the front lawn. I knew it was a banner right away, but we were still too far off to read what it said. Mini noticed something was different too, and ran ahead as fast as her little legs would go to see what was happening. When we got closer, I could finally see the words: St. Mary’s Reading Club — Our Lady of Lourdes — Our First Book.

I stopped right in the road, because then I knew this was no ordinary morning.

Sister Mary Claire looked at Robert, and Robert looked at the ground, trying not to smile too much. Then I knew they had planned it together and kept it as a surprise. There was even a smaller sign saying the books were available at the back of the church and donated by Robert.

After Mass, Father LeRoy announced it properly. He said St. Mary’s was beginning a reading club, and the first book would be Our Lady of Lourdes. He held up his own copy and said he had one now too, and that there were plenty more available at the back of the church for anyone who wished to read along. I thought Robert might look embarrassed when Father thanked him, but he only stood quietly with his hat in his hands.

Father said it was a fitting book to begin with, because in France in the nineteenth century, when many people had grown cold in their faith, the story of Lourdes helped awaken belief again. Bernadette was poor and little, but Our Lady used her to call many hearts back to God.

Today’s chapter was about Monseigneur Laurence, the Bishop of Tarbes. He had grown up in the diocese and had taught many of the priests before he became their Bishop. The book made it sound as if he and his clergy were one large Christian family, bound together by trust and obedience.

I liked learning that he was warm-hearted but careful. He did not rush after every report from Lourdes. He waited, watched, prayed, and judged with patience. Sister said that made his approval of Lourdes stronger, because everyone knew he was not carried away by excitement. Father LeRoy said the Church is careful with holy things, because truth does not need to hurry.

All day I kept thinking of the banner moving gently in the breeze. It seemed like Our Lady herself had hung out an invitation. Maybe St. Mary’s is very small, but this morning it felt connected to France, to Lourdes, to Bernadette, and to all the people who found their faith again.

Tonight I am thankful for Sister and Robert’s surprise, for Father LeRoy’s joy, and for the first book of our little reading club.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, help me to love the truth with patience, as Monseigneur Laurence did. Help me to listen humbly, as Bernadette did. Bless our reading club at St. Mary’s, and let Our Lady of Lourdes bring our hearts closer to Thee.

Amen.

Resolution: Tomorrow I will try to read slowly and carefully, and let Our Lady teach me one page at a time.

Click to Read

The Cure Believes

Dear Diary,

This evening I read more from Our Lady of Lourdes, and the chapter stayed with me very quietly after I closed the book.

Bernadette went again to the Curé of Lourdes, just as the Lady had asked her. She told him, “She wishes a chapel to be erected, and processions to the Grotto to be organized.”

As I read, I could almost see it in my mind. I felt as if I were standing in the doorway with Mini beside me, watching it happen. Bernadette looked so small before the priest’s desk, with her hands folded and her face lifted up to him. But the message she carried was not small at all. It was from Heaven.

Mini seemed to be watching too, as if she knew we had stepped into something holy. I stayed quiet in my imagining, because it did not feel like a place for whispering or asking questions. It felt like a place where a little girl was obeying Our Lady, and a priest was beginning to understand.

This time the Curé did not ask for more proof. The spring had already come from the ground, and cures had begun, and God had placed His own signs beside Bernadette’s words. The Curé believed her. He still did not know the Lady’s name, but his heart seemed to know. I liked that very much. Sometimes a holy thing is known before it is spoken.

It made me think of Father LeRoy. Once, after Mass, he said that St. Bernadette did not make herself important, even when Heaven had chosen her. He said she only carried the message and left the rest to God.

“That is why she is so safe to follow,” Father LeRoy said. “She points away from herself.”

I thought of that while imagining Bernadette in the Curé’s room. She did not push or argue. She only came because she had been sent. And even when the Curé believed, he was still careful. He told her that what she asked did not depend on him, but on the Bishop. He would go and tell him.

Sister Mary Claire said true faith is not noisy or hurried. It can be very strong and still wait patiently. I thought of Bernadette, the Curé, and Father LeRoy all at once. Each one had to listen, obey, and trust God’s time.

Tonight, I keep thinking of the chapel Our Lady asked for, and of the processions to the Grotto. A little girl brought the message, a priest believed, and Heaven began to gather people there.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, help me to listen when You speak quietly. Help me to be humble like Bernadette, careful like the Curé, and faithful like Father LeRoy teaches us to be. Let me carry whatever little message You give me without pride, and leave the rest in Your hands.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

Resolution: Tomorrow I will try to obey quietly and not make myself important.

Girls of The Gave

 

Dear Diary,

This evening I sat again on the porch steps with Our Lady of Lourdes open on my knees. The sun was going down behind the trees, and the boards of the porch still held a little warmth from the day. Mini came at once and sat right beside me, as if she had made up her mind that I was not to read even one page without her.

Only I am not so sure she came for me.

She kept looking past the book, with her ears lifted and her eyes full of that soft, wondering look she gets when she sees something I almost think I can see too. I told her softly, “Mini, are you listening to Bernadette?” and then I felt as if the story had stepped right out of the pages and sat down beside us.

Tonight the chapter told how the three children left the town behind them and crossed the bridge to the left bank of the Gave. They passed the mill and went down through the meadow, hunting for little pieces of wood to make a small bundle for the fire at home. Bernadette walked behind the others, frail and small, with her apron still empty while the other girls already had gathered chips and branches.

I could see her so plainly as I read—the worn black dress, the white capulet falling over her shoulders, the coarse sabots on her feet, and that poor little figure walking through the meadow with such quiet grace. The book said she was not beautiful in the proud way people sometimes mean, but there was something sweeter and higher in her. Her eyes were calm and pure, and her whole face showed goodness, pity, and innocence.

The words that stayed with me most were “the Majesty of Innocence.”

I stopped reading there for a minute.

It made me think that God sees beauty so differently from the world. Bernadette had no fine clothes and no important place. She was poor, ignorant of many things, and only gathering wood because her family needed warmth. Yet Heaven must have been looking at her already. Maybe Our Lady saw what others would never notice—a little soul without pride, walking humbly behind the rest.

Mini leaned closer then, looking up with such love that I smiled. Perhaps she knew the best part of the story before I did. Perhaps she was not only keeping me company after all. Perhaps she had found a friend on the porch steps too.

And I thought how strange and lovely it is that Bernadette, who had nothing, is remembered now by so many hearts.

Tonight I will try to remember that innocence is a treasure greater than anything one can hold in the hand.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus,
please keep my heart simple and clean.
Teach me to love You in little hidden ways,
and help me never to think small things are unimportant
when they are done for You.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for me.
Saint Bernadette, pray for me.

Amen.

The Story Begins

Dear Diary,
 
This evening I read further in Our Lady of Lourdes, and it seemed the quiet beginning of Bernadette’s great story had opened before me.

It was February 11, 1858, in Lourdes. The day was cold and gray, with only a few drops of rain, and while many people were getting ready for the pleasures before Lent, the Soubirous family had almost nothing. They were so poor that there was not even wood enough to cook their little meal.

Bernadette had only been home with her family about two weeks. She had been living in Bartrès, watching sheep and praying her Rosary in the lonely fields. She was fourteen, but small and weak from asthma, and she still had not made her First Communion. She could not read or write, and she knew very little catechism, except the simple prayers of the Chaplet.

Still, there was something beautiful about her. She was poor and hidden, but pure and gentle, like the smallest lamb she loved best.

When her mother told Bernadette's sister Marie to go gather wood by the Gave, Bernadette begged to go too. Her mother was afraid the cold would make her cough worse, but at last she let her go. Bernadette put on her white capulet, and then she, Marie, and Jeanne Abadie started out to find wood.

That is where the story begins — not with anything grand, but with poor girls going out because there was no firewood at home. I kept thinking how Heaven must have been watching that little walk. Bernadette did not know that this ordinary errand would lead her to the Grotto, and that everything in her life was about to change.

As I read, I almost felt Bernadette beside me on the step. Not frightening, but quiet and kind, like an imaginary friend who understands little prayers, poor places, and the feeling of being small. I felt a kinship with her, as if she were not so far away after all.

Maybe Our Lady loves to come close to the humble, and maybe Jesus sees the hidden children first.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus,

please give me a simple heart like Bernadette’s.

Help me to love Our Lady,
to say my prayers faithfully,
and to trust that You are near
even on ordinary days.

Bless Sister Mary Claire, Father LeRoy, Robert, Mini,
and all of us at Camp Littlemore tonight.

Amen.

Bernadette's Four Prayers

Bernadette’s Little Prayers

Dear Diary,

Today I read more from Our Lady of Lourdes, and this part made me love Bernadette even more.

The book said she had never really been taught the catechism yet, and that she knew only a few prayers: the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Glory Be, which she prayed in her chaplet. That was nearly all she knew.

At first I felt sorry for her, because I have Sister Mary Claire to explain so many holy things to me. She tells me what Father LeRoy means in his homilies, and she helps me understand the catechism when the words seem too large for my head. But Bernadette did not have all that yet. She was poor, weak, and little, and she had not even made her First Communion.

Then I thought how beautiful it was that Our Lady came to her anyway.

Heaven did not wait until Bernadette knew many lessons. Our Lady did not choose her because she could explain everything. She chose a humble girl who knew how to kneel, how to make the Sign of the Cross, and how to say the little prayers she had been taught.

That made me think a long while.

Sometimes I want to know everything all at once, especially when Sister Mary Claire reads from her old books and the words seem so high and holy. But maybe Jesus is pleased when we give Him the little we have, if we give it with our whole heart.

Bernadette’s family brought her back to Lourdes because they wanted her to learn her catechism and prepare for her First Communion, even though they were very poor. I think that is so touching. They did not have much to give her, but they wanted her to have Jesus.

That is the greatest gift.

Tonight I am thinking of Bernadette saying her Our Father, Hail Mary, I believe in God, and Glory Be. Maybe those prayers sounded very sweet in Heaven because they came from a simple heart.

Bernadette's Four Prayers

The God of the Living

Dear Diary,

This morning the rain had finally let up, and it felt almost like the whole farm had taken a deep breath. Everything was wet and shining, and the fields were turning greener by the minute, as if God had brushed them with fresh paint during the night.

Robert did not pick us up today because the road was still soft in places, so Sister Mary Claire said we would walk to Church again. I was glad, and Mini was gladder than anybody. She trotted ahead with her little Corgi bottom going back and forth, stopping every so often to sniff the wet grass and look back to make sure Sister and I were coming.

The ditches still held little puddles, and the fence posts were dark from the rain. The air smelled like mud, grass, and spring all mixed together. Sister Mary Claire said that after so much rain, the earth seems to wake up all at once. Then she smiled and said, “Next time, Robert will have to join us.” I liked that thought very much, because it would be nice to have Robert walking along with us instead of always being the one to drive us.

At Holy Mass, Father LeRoy read the Gospel about the Sadducees asking Jesus a question about the resurrection. They thought they could trick Him with their story about the woman and the seven brothers. But Jesus showed them that they did not understand the Scriptures or the power of God.

Father LeRoy said the most important part was when Jesus said, “He is not God of the dead but of the living.” I kept thinking about that. It made heaven seem closer somehow, not like a faraway place, but like a real home where the saints are alive with God. Sister Mary Claire whispered afterward that our Lord was teaching them that God’s love does not end at the grave.

On the walk home, the green fields looked even brighter than before. Mini splashed through one puddle before I could stop her, and Sister laughed softly. I thought about the grass coming back after the rain, and how Jesus said the dead will rise. The whole world seemed to be giving a little lesson of its own.

Tonight I am thankful for the rain, the green fields, the walk to Church, and for Jesus teaching us that God is the God of the living. I hope I can remember that when things seem sad or gone forever.

Dear Jesus, please help me believe more deeply in Your power and Your promise of everlasting life. Watch over Father LeRoy, Robert, Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and all of us at Camp Littlemore tonight. Keep our hearts alive with love for You. Amen.

Love,
Kathy


A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 12:18-27

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants. So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants, and the third likewise. And the seven left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died. At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Dear Diary,

Today Robert could not pick us up for Holy Mass because he had a cold and was staying home. Sister Mary Claire said we must pray for him, and I hoped he was tucked in warm and resting quietly, with a cup of something hot nearby.

So Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and I walked to Church together. The morning air felt fresh, and Mini trotted ahead like she was the little leader of our procession. Every so often she looked back to see if Sister and I were coming along properly. I told her she was not the pastor of the road, but she did not seem to believe me.

At Mass, Father LeRoy read the Gospel about the Pharisees and Herodians trying to trap Jesus with their question about paying the tax to Caesar. They acted polite, but Jesus saw right through them. Father said that Jesus was not fooled by fine words when the heart was crooked underneath.

Then Father LeRoy explained the part where Jesus asked whose image was on the coin. It belonged to Caesar, so Jesus said to give Caesar what belonged to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God. Father said our coins may have an earthly ruler’s image on them, but our souls have God’s image upon them. That made me sit very still.

On the walk home, Sister Mary Claire said we must be honest in ordinary duties, but never forget that our hearts belong first to God. I thought of all the little things that belong to Him: my prayers, my obedience, my work, my love, my violin music, and even the way I treat Mini when she wants her way too much.

Mini walked proudly beside us, and I wondered if she knew that she belongs to God too, even with her short legs and serious Corgi thoughts.

Tonight I will pray for Robert to get better from his cold, and I will try to remember that God made His image in my soul. I want to give Him back what already belongs to Him.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, please bless Robert tonight and help him feel better soon. Please bless Sister Mary Claire, Father LeRoy, Mini, and all of us at Camp Littlemore. Help me to give You my whole heart, because it belongs to You first of all. Keep Your holy image safe in my soul, and make me truthful, simple, and good.

Amen.

Love, Kathy


A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 12:13-17

Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion. You do not regard a person’s status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at.” They brought one to him and he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They replied to him, “Caesar’s.” So Jesus said to them, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” They were utterly amazed at him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

The Rain and the Vineyard

Monday's Morning Offering

Dear Diary,

Today there was no Church because heavy rain and storms kept rolling over Camp Littlemore. I missed Holy Mass, and I know Sister Mary Claire did too. The rain is always welcome on a farm, because the fields and garden need it, but the storms can stay away please.

Most of the day was spent inside, with the windows blurry from rain. Mini stayed close when the thunder came. Since we could not hear Father LeRoy explain the Gospel at Church, Sister Mary Claire read it to me. It was about the man who planted a vineyard and sent servants to collect its fruit, but the wicked tenants treated them cruelly. Last of all, he sent his beloved son, and they rejected him too.

Sister Mary Claire said the vineyard made her think of all the good things God gives us, and how He expects fruit from our souls. I thought about that when I went out to care for the chickens. My boots sank into the soft ground, and the hens were tucked inside, clucking safely. I gave them feed, checked their water, and made sure their nests were dry.

The saddest part of the Gospel was how the tenants rejected the beloved son. Sister Mary Claire said that was Our Lord Jesus. But the beautiful part was, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” That means Jesus is still the strong stone everything holy is built upon.

Tonight the rain is still tapping on the roof, but the worst thunder has gone farther away. I am thankful for the rain, but more thankful that Jesus is our cornerstone.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, help me give You the fruit of my heart. Please bless Sister Mary Claire, Robert, Father LeRoy, Mini, Omelette, all the chickens, Shaggycoat, and all the creek critters tonight. Thank You for the rain, but please keep the storms away. Stay close to us through the night.

Love,
Kathy

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 12:1-12

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant. And that one they beat over the head and treated shamefully. He sent yet another whom they killed. So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed. He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture passage:

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes”?

They were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd, for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them. So they left him and went away.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Sunday Morning Mass

Dear Diary,

This morning Robert picked the three of us up for Church as usual and right on time. It was Sunday morning Mass, so everything felt a little more hushed and special, even before we got there. Sister Mary Claire looked so peaceful, and Mini seemed to know it was Sunday too, because she sat very properly, as if she had her own little Sunday manners tucked inside her corgi heart.

At Mass, Father LeRoy read the Gospel about how much God loved the world. He said we should never hurry past those words, because they are like the whole story of salvation folded into one sentence. God loved us so much that He gave His only Son, not to frighten us away, but to save us and bring us home to Heaven.

Father LeRoy said some people think of God first as someone waiting to condemn them, but Jesus tells us that the Father sent Him because of love. That made me think of the tabernacle, quiet and holy, where Jesus still stays near us. He did not come only once and then leave us all alone. He still remains with us, hidden and patient, because His love has no end.

On the way home, Sister Mary Claire said that belief in Jesus is not just saying words, but trusting Him, loving Him, and trying to live close to Him each day. Robert said that when a person really believes Jesus came to save him, it changes the way he sees everything, even hard things. I thought about that while Mini leaned against me, warm and happy, as if she agreed in her own little way.

This afternoon I kept thinking about the words, “God so loved the world.” That means He loved the whole world, but it also means He loved our little farm, St. Mary’s, Sister Mary Claire, Robert, Father LeRoy, Mini, and even me. It is almost too big to understand, but it makes my heart feel safe.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, thank You for coming into the world to save us and not to condemn us. Help me believe in You with my whole heart and stay close to You every day. Please bless Father LeRoy, Robert, Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and all of us at Camp Littlemore tonight. Keep our hearts full of Your love, and bring us safely one day to eternal life with You.




Amen.




Gospel Reading




A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 3:16-18




God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.




The Gospel of the Lord.

The Authority of Jesus

Dear Diary,

Today Robert picked the three of us up for Church as usual and right on time. It was raining, and that was certainly welcome, because the crops are all planted now and thirsty. The fields looked dark and happy, and the rain tapped on Robert’s truck windows all the way to St. Mary’s. Mini sat very pleased between us, as if she thought the rain had come mostly to make the ride more interesting.

When we got to Church, everything felt extra quiet because of the rain. The little drops ran down the windows, and the air smelled fresh and clean. I thought maybe the whole farm was drinking while we were at Holy Mass.

Father LeRoy explained today’s Gospel about the chief priests, scribes, and elders asking Jesus, “By what authority are you doing these things?” Father said they were not asking because they truly wanted to know. They were trying to trap Him. Jesus saw right through them, because He always sees the heart.

Father said Jesus’ authority did not come from men, or from clever words, or from trying to please everybody. His authority came from Heaven, because He is the Son of God. That made me feel very safe. The rain, the crops, the church, the Gospel, and even my own little soul all belong under His authority.

Father LeRoy also said we must be honest with Jesus. The men in the Gospel said, “We do not know,” but it was not a humble kind of not knowing. It was a hiding kind. They were afraid to answer plainly. Father said when we pray, we should never hide from Jesus, because He already knows everything and loves us anyway.

On the way home, Sister Mary Claire said that a soul grows better when it lets Jesus rule it gently. Robert said the crops need rain from Heaven, and we need grace from Heaven. I liked that very much, because it made the wet fields look almost like a lesson.

Mini looked out at the rain and then back at us, and I wondered if she was glad to be dry in the truck. When we got home, the yard was wet, the air was soft, and all the little planted rows seemed to be resting.

Tonight I want Jesus to have authority over my heart. I do not want to hide things from Him or pretend I do not know when I really do. I want to be simple, honest, and obedient, like good ground receiving the rain.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, please rule my heart with Your holy love. Send grace into my soul like rain upon the thirsty fields. Help me to be honest with You, obedient to You, and never afraid to let You lead me. Bless Father LeRoy, Robert, Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and all of us at Camp Littlemore tonight. Amen.

____________________________

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 11:27-33

Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple area, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him and said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?” Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”—they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Love,
Kathy

A House of Prayer

Dear Diary, 

Today Robert picked the three of us up for Church as usual and right on time. Mini was ready before anybody, watching the road like she had been appointed to look for Robert’s truck. Sister Mary Claire said Mini knows the sound of it now, and I think she does too, because her little ears always tell on her.

On the way to Church, the morning felt quiet, and I was glad for it. Sometimes the ride to St. Mary’s feels like a little road of getting ready, where the farm things are left behind for a while and my soul has time to think about Jesus.

Father LeRoy preached about today’s Gospel, where Jesus went into the temple and found buying and selling there instead of prayer. Father said Jesus was not angry in a wrong way. He was full of holy zeal because His Father’s house was being treated like a market instead of a sacred place.

Father LeRoy said the church is God’s house, and our souls are meant to be little houses of prayer too. That made me think hard. A church should not be cluttered with noise and wrong things, and maybe my heart should not be either. If my heart is full of fussing, selfishness, grudges, or careless thoughts, then there is not enough quiet room for Jesus.

He also talked about the fig tree that had leaves but no fruit. Father said the tree looked alive, but it had nothing to give. He said our faith must not be only on the outside. It should have fruit, like prayer, kindness, obedience, forgiveness, and trust in God.

On the way home, Sister Mary Claire said the Gospel is strong, but very loving too, because Jesus wants to clean out what keeps us from Him. Robert said sometimes a person needs to straighten up the barn, the shed, or the heart, and the heart is probably the hardest one.

I looked at Mini sitting so content, and I thought she never pretends to be anything but what she is. She loves, follows, waits, and trusts. I wish my soul could be that simple.

Tonight I want to ask Jesus to make my heart more like a little chapel. I want Him to clear away what does not belong there, so there will be room for prayer. I also want to forgive quickly, because Jesus said when we stand to pray, we must forgive anyone we have a grievance against.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, please make my heart a quiet house of prayer. Take away what does not belong there, and help me bear good fruit for You. Teach me to pray with faith, forgive with love, and trust You without doubting. Bless Father LeRoy, Robert, Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and all of us at Camp Littlemore tonight. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 11:11-26

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area. He looked around at everything and, since it was already late, went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry. Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf, he went over to see if he could find anything on it. When he reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs. And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!” And his disciples heard it.

They came to Jerusalem, and on entering the temple area he began to drive out those selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area. Then he taught them saying, “Is it not written:

My house shall be called a house of prayer for all ­peoples?/ But you have made it a den of thieves.”

The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it and were seeking a way to put him to death, yet they feared him because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching. When evening came, they went out of the city.

Early in the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots. Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God. Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’

Take Courage; Jesus Is Calling You

Dear Diary,

Today Robert picked the three of us up for Church as usual and right on time. Mini was ready before anybody, standing like she had important business at St. Mary’s. Sister Mary Claire smiled at her and said maybe Mini understands more than we think, especially when there is a ride with Robert and a quiet pew waiting.

On the way to Church, I kept thinking about how the road seems so familiar now. The same fields, the same fences, the same turns, and then St. Mary’s waiting there like a safe little place for souls. I was glad we were going to Holy Mass.

Father LeRoy preached about the blind man Bartimaeus, who sat by the roadside begging. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Some people told him to be quiet, but he would not stop. Father LeRoy said that is one of the most beautiful things about him. He knew he needed Jesus, and he was not ashamed to call out.

Father said sometimes a soul can be a little blind too, even if its eyes work. We can fail to see what God wants, or fail to see our own faults, or fail to see how close Jesus really is. But Jesus never walks past a poor soul that calls to Him with faith.

I liked the part where Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” Then the people said, “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.” Father LeRoy said those words are for us too. Every time we go to prayer, every time we go to Confession, every time we come to Holy Mass, it is like Jesus is calling us closer.

On the way home, Sister Mary Claire said Bartimaeus threw aside his cloak and sprang up because he did not want anything to hold him back from Jesus. Robert said that was real faith, not just sitting and hoping, but getting up when the Lord called.

I looked down at Mini, sitting so pleased with herself, and I thought how quickly she comes when she hears my voice. Maybe I should come that quickly when Jesus calls me in my heart.

Tonight I want to remember Bartimaeus. He began the morning blind by the roadside, and he ended by following Jesus on the way. That is what I want too—not just to ask for help, but to follow Him after He helps me.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, please have pity on me too. Help me to see what is good, what is true, and what You want from me. When You call me, help me to get up quickly and follow You with a faithful heart. Bless Father LeRoy, Robert, Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and all of us at Camp Littlemore tonight. Amen.

_____________________________________________________________________

 
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.” He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Love,
Kathy

The Place Nearest to Jesus

Dear Diary,

Today Robert picked us up as usual and right on time for Holy Mass. Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and I were all ready when he came. The morning was quiet and fresh, and Mini acted as if she had important church business of her own.

At Mass, Father LeRoy read the Gospel about Jesus walking ahead of His disciples on the road to Jerusalem. Father said Jesus knew what was waiting for Him there. He knew He would suffer, be mocked, and die, but He kept going because He loved us so much.

Father said James and John wanted places close to Jesus in glory, but they did not understand yet that being close to Jesus also means staying close to Him when things are hard. That made me think. Sometimes I want to be near Jesus, but I do not always like the little crosses He sends.

Then Father LeRoy said something I liked very much. He said Jesus teaches us that the greatest person is not the one who gets the best place, but the one who serves. In Jesus’ kingdom, love is humble. It helps quietly. It does not need to be praised.

On the way home, Sister Mary Claire said that little acts of service count very much with God. Carrying something for someone, being patient, helping without complaining, or giving up our own way can all be little gifts to Jesus.

This afternoon I tried to remember that while doing my chores. I thought maybe being near Jesus can happen right in ordinary places — by the chicken coop, in the kitchen, in the truck, or even beside Mini when she wants attention.

Tonight I keep thinking of Jesus walking ahead. He was not leaving His disciples behind. He was leading them. I want to follow Him too, even when the road is not the easy one.
Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus,
please help me to follow You
with a humble and loving heart.

Teach me not to seek the first place,
but the place closest to You.

Help me to serve quietly,
to be patient with little crosses,
and to love without needing praise.

Please bless Father LeRoy, Robert, Sister Mary Claire, Mini,
and all of us at Camp Littlemore tonight.

Keep us near Your Sacred Heart
and lead us safely on Your road.

Amen.

Love,
Kathy

_________________________

A Reading from the Holy Gospel According to Mark 10:32-45

At that time, they were in the way going up to Jerusalem: and Jesus went before them, and they were astonished: and following were afraid. And taking again the twelve, he began to tell them the things that should befall him.

Saying: Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests, and to the scribes, and ancients, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles.

And they shall mock him, and spit on him, and scourge him, and kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

And James and John the sons of Zebedee come to him, saying: Master, we desire that whatsoever we shall ask, thou wouldst do it for us.

But he said to them: What would you that I should do for you?

And they said: Grant to us, that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

And Jesus said to them: You know not what you ask. Can you drink of the chalice that I drink of; or be baptized with the baptism wherewith I am baptized?

But they said to him: We can. And Jesus saith to them: You shall indeed drink of the chalice that I drink of; and with the baptism wherewith I am baptized you shall be baptized.

But to sit on my right hand, or on my left, is not mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared.

And the ten hearing it, began to be much displeased at James and John.

But Jesus calling them, saith to them: You know that they who seem to rule over the Gentiles, lord it over them: and their princes have power over them.

But it is not so among you: but whosoever will be greater, shall be your minister.

And whosoever will be first among you, shall be the servant of all.

For the Son of man also is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a redemption for many.

The Voice of the Shepherd

Dear Diary,

Today Robert picked the three of us up for Holy Mass at St. Mary’s as usual and right on time. Mini was ready before anybody, and she acted as if she had been appointed to make sure none of us missed Church. Sister Mary Claire had my missal and her prayer book tucked safely under her arm, and I had been thinking all morning about the little Morning Offering she translated from the 1776 German prayer book.

I started praying it this morning, and it felt very special to know that Catholics were praying from that little book so long ago, before our farm, before St. Mary’s, and before anybody ever knew there would be a Camp Littlemore. Sister Mary Claire does not have each day finished yet, but she hopes to have them done by the end of the week. I am glad, because I like beginning the day by giving everything to Jesus before the day even has a chance to get tangled.

At Mass, Father LeRoy read the Gospel about the sheepfold and the Good Shepherd’s voice. He explained that Jesus is not only the Shepherd who calls His sheep by name, but also the Gate through which the sheep must enter if they want to be safe. Father said that a sheep knows the voice of the one who loves it, feeds it, and protects it. But a strange voice makes the sheep afraid, because it does not belong to love.

I looked down at Mini under the pew when Father said that. Mini knows our voices exactly. She can be sound asleep, but if Sister Mary Claire says her name softly, one ear comes up. If I call her, she comes trotting as if she has been waiting for me all day. But if a stranger calls her too loudly, she looks back at us first, as if to ask, “Is this all right?” That helped me understand the Gospel a little better.

Father LeRoy said the world has many voices. Some voices want to pull us away from prayer, from Holy Mass, from obedience, from kindness, and from Jesus. But the voice of Jesus does not push or trick us. His voice calls us by name and leads us to green pasture, which Father said means grace, truth, peace, and life in our souls.

On the ride home, Sister Mary Claire said the Morning Offering is one way to begin the day by entering through the right Gate. She said when we offer Jesus our prayers, works, joys, and sufferings, we are saying, “Lord, lead me today. I want to hear Your voice first.”

I thought about that when we got back to Camp Littlemore. The farm was quiet, and even the ordinary things seemed to belong to God—the house, the chickens, the road to St. Mary’s, Robert’s faithful pickup, Sister’s prayer book, and Mini’s little paws pattering along beside us. I want Jesus to be the first voice I listen to in the morning and the last voice I remember at night.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, my Good Shepherd,
thank You for calling me by name.
Help me to know Your voice
and not follow any voice that leads me away from You.
Let my Morning Offering help me give the whole day to You,
and keep Sister Mary Claire safe as she finishes the prayers
from the old German book.
Please guard Robert, Father LeRoy, Sister Mary Claire, Mini,
and all of us at Camp Littlemore tonight.
Please watch over Indian Creek,
Shaggycoat in his beaver lodge,
the opossums, raccoons, and all the baby critters
hidden safely down there in the dark.
Lead us through Your holy Gate
and give us the life You came to bring.
Amen.

Love,
Kathy

__________________________

 
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 10:1-10

Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”

Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.

A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mary, Mother of the Church

 

Dear Diary,

Today began with Holy Mass at St. Mary’s for the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church. Robert picked us up as usual and right on time, and Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and I all rode together through the soft May morning. The trees were full of leaves, and everything looked washed and gentle after Pentecost, as if the Holy Ghost had breathed over the farm and left it quiet and holy.

At Mass, Father LeRoy read the Gospel about Our Lady standing by the Cross of Jesus. I always feel very still inside when I hear that reading. Jesus was suffering so much, but He still thought of His Mother and of us. He said to Mary, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” Father LeRoy said that at that moment, Jesus gave Mary to the Church as Mother. She was not only the Mother of Jesus, but also the Mother of all who belong to Him.

Father said that the Church was born from the pierced side of Jesus, when Blood and water flowed out. Sister Mary Claire explained afterward that the Blood reminds us of the Holy Eucharist, and the water reminds us of Baptism. That made me think of the little spring beginning from the rock wall in the  cave and flowing into the Indian Creek. Only this was far holier, because it came from the Heart of Jesus.

After we came home, I went out to my little garage getaway in the grove. Mini came with me, of course, trotting ahead as always. The garage still looked like a church from yesterday, with flowers and holy things placed about so carefully. It was still only our old garage, with weathered boards and a country smell, but somehow it felt like St. Mary’s had lent it a bit of its quietness for the day.

I knelt there with Mini close beside me, and my imagination began working before I could stop it. I pictured the old garage not as a garage at all, but as a tiny chapel hidden inside the grove. The Blessed Mother stood near the altar, not far away like someone in a picture, but near enough to be our Mother. Around her were children kneeling quietly, like little members of the Church. I imagined myself  being one of them, and Mini sitting as still as she could, almost like she knew this was a motherly feast and not a running-around feast.

Then I thought about St. John taking Mary into his home. I wondered what it would have felt like to hear Jesus say, “Behold, your mother.” If Jesus said that to me, I think I would want to make the whole house ready for her. I would sweep the floor, put flowers on the table, and try not to leave my books everywhere. But Sister Mary Claire said Mary does not only want a room in our house. She wants a place in our hearts.

So I asked myself if there is room for Mary in my heart. Not just a little corner for when I remember, but a real place, like St. John gave her. I think that is what this feast means for me. Jesus gives us His own Mother, and we are supposed to take her home with love.

Mini leaned against me while I prayed, and I put my arm around her. The garage was very quiet. The flowers outside nodded in the breeze, and the old boards creaked a little, as if even the garage was listening. I thought of Jesus on the Cross, giving everything, even His Mother, and I felt very small and very loved.

Tonight I am going to remember that I am not motherless in the Church. Mary is my Mother because Jesus said so. And if He gave her to us from the Cross, then He must want us to trust her very much.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, thank You for giving us Your Mother. to guard over Your Church, please take me into your care and help me love Jesus with a faithful heart. Watch over Sister Mary Claire, Robert, Mini, and all of us here. Amen.

Love,
Kathy

__________________________________

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 19:25-34

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his ­mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”

Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.”

And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.”

There was a vessel filled with common wine.

So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth.

When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.”

And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down.

So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately Blood and water flowed out.

The Gospel of the Lord.

The Feast of Pentecost

 

Dear Diary,

Today began with Holy Mass at St. Mary’s for the Feast of Pentecost. Robert picked us up as usual and right on time, and Mini came along happily, sitting close as if she knew it was a great feast day. The morning was soft and bright, with May flowers everywhere and the trees in the grove looking fresh and full. I kept thinking that even the blossoms looked like little flames, though gentle ones.

At Mass, Father LeRoy read the Gospel about the disciples being shut inside with the doors locked because they were afraid. Then Jesus came and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Father LeRoy said that Jesus did not wait until they were brave before He came to them. He came right into their fear and gave them peace. Then He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Father said the Holy Spirit comes quietly and strongly, and He makes frightened hearts brave.

After Mass, when we came home, I could not stop thinking about the locked room. I walked out to the old garage in the grove, and Mini came along, of course. The garage is not locked like the disciples’ room was, but it is quiet and tucked away, and sometimes it feels like a little room God saved for prayer. The peeling white boards looked old and humble, and the flowers around it made it seem like Heaven had leaned down close to earth.

When I stood in the doorway, my imagination became very busy. I pictured the garage full of children dressed like little apostles, kneeling around Our Lady. Mary was so still and prayerful in the middle, like she knew how to wait for God better than anyone. Above them was the Holy Ghost, like a white dove, and bright golden light came down through the air. Little flames rested above their heads, but they were gentle flames, not scary ones. They were like love made visible.

Mini sat beside me and looked into the garage as if she could see it too. Her ears were perked up, and she was very quiet. I whispered, “Peace be with you,” because that is what Jesus said first. I think He knew peace had to come before courage. Then I thought of how He sent the apostles out after giving them the Holy Spirit. He did not just comfort them so they could stay hidden. He comforted them so they could go.

I wondered if Pentecost can happen in small ways at Camp Littlemore too. Maybe the Holy Spirit helps me tell the truth when I am scared, pray when I am distracted, be kind when I would rather be cross, and love Jesus even when I cannot see Him with my eyes. Maybe He can make a little farm girl brave, just like He made the apostles brave.

This evening, I am going to remember that Jesus can come through locked doors. He can come through worried thoughts, shy feelings, and even places in my heart I keep closed. And when He comes, He still says, “Peace be with you.”

Evening Prayer

Dear Holy Spirit, please come into my heart like You came at Pentecost. Give me peace when I am afraid, courage when I am weak, and love for Jesus in everything I do. Stay with Sister Mary Claire, Robert, Mini, and all of us at Camp Littlemore. Amen.

Love,
Kathy

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A reading from
the holy Gospel according to John 20:19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

The Gospel of the Lord.