Following the Light

Tonight as evening was upon us our son Asher bounded into the house announcing that there was a double rainbow outside. He and I hurried outside. The second rainbow was just fading but the first remained bright across the sky.  We marveled at the beauty and Asher (age 11) did his best to capture the moment with some pictures. We decided to take a walk, camera in hand.  

There was also a breathtaking sunset also before us. The colors were magnificent and the views were changing by the second with the brightest colors slipping behind trees. We kept following the sun as it dipped lower and the colors could be seen as glimpses between houses. We realized that the brightest colors were in the direction of the Church. We began to walk faster to try to reach the Church before the last bit of light was gone. As we got to the Church there was just a bit of light coming from behind the Church. The doors of the Church were locked. But an idea came. We could still have a visit to the Blessed Sacrament as the Tabernacle was by a wall of stained glass. As we approached the wall of stained glass from the outside we could see the candle inside the Church next to the Tabernacle flickering. There was Our Lord so close to us in the Tabernacle. As the light outside was fading a light remained in the Church...though small and flickering we could see it. There was a cobblestone rock ledge along the stained glass outside and so we sat to rest with Our Lord.

Tonight is the eve of the longest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere. Tomorrow will be the summer solstice. It is a day my mother looks forward to all spring but when it comes she becomes a bit sad as the days become shorter again. Tonight on the eve of the longest day of the year our feelings seemed juxtaposed to the experience of watching a fleeting rainbow and the last rays of a brilliant sunset. Time is going by very fast. We are on a journey and our time like a sunset is going quickly even though we may feel we have a long, long time to go. 

Let us make good use of our time. 

Surprises for the Children

There have been many wonderful surprises for the children.  They began yesterday evening as we were walking home from the Church.  With record warm temperatures last weeks gardens were full of color. The kids had brought pansies to the Church to plant by one of the entrances.  As we were walking home, it began to rain lightly. We reached the house safely and then the skies opened up and hail began to fall.  Little ice balls were dropping and bouncing off the ground. The children thought this was wonderfully exciting. Then came the heavy downpours of rain and wind.  But after a short while this cleared to a magnificent rainbow.  


The kids ran outside some in bare feet to catch a glimpse of the colors streaking across the sky from one end to the other.  The colors last such a short time everyone wanted to catch a glimpse.  My daughter grabbed her camera and caught some of the color before it disappeared.  Everyone was all smiles.  The surprises would not stop.  

During the night, heavy rain and thunder could be heard and then an unlikely sound..snow plows.  We looked out to see everything was covered in snow.  All the flowers were poking through a white blanket of snow.  At Church a Magnolia tree was in full bloom.  The branches all topped with caps of snow.  When one looked down red tulips and yellow daffodils brought color to the white that covered everything.    

There was something majestic about the scene.  One women commented, "You will never see that again the Magnolias with snow over them."  Indeed with the record breaking warmth Connecticut has experienced the flowers were open a full month early.  A rapid drop in the temperature and moisture brought unexpected snow.  All these wonderful surprises have been little gifts for the children. 

We are so grateful to Our Lord for all these gifts and yet further blessings.  Yesterday was the anniversary of the passing of St. John Paul II who has been a wonderful intercessor for the Children's Rosary.  Today the Official Traveling Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe arrived at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Hartford, CT.  Our Lady of Guadalupe will remain all day through the Masses and the special Divine Mercy Sunday Event the Children's Rosary will be participating in this afternoon. The children will begin the Rosary at approximately 2:20 ET in front of the Blessed Sacrament.  We will be praying for you all.  We invite you to unify prayers with us.  


Today is also the third day of our Anniversary Novena of Masses.  Beginning on Friday we have had two Masses said each day for the Fulfillment of Our Lady's Plans for the Children's Rosary.  

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How to Start a Children's Rosary