It’s a porch morning this morning. Meaning I got to sit on the porch with an insulated cup of water this morning. It’s overcast this morning, and the sky is kind of gray, meaning that the sunrise is spectacular somewhere other than the viewing area from the front porch.
While out there though I prayed with the rest of the Church for the upcoming Conclave. This has to be just as awkward now as it was nearly 2000 years ago. How do we choose the next one? “Oh I know! I know! We’ll cast lots!” And while the process has changed somewhat it’s still about the same. And so I pray to the Holy Spirit for the Cardinals, for their openness of heart and spiritual ears.
The prayer continued with reading Bishop Barron’s Daily Gospel Reflection, which is this morning from John 6:22 – 29. This Gospel takes me to three delightful places in life
1. When, as a little kid, all of about 8, maybe 8 1/2 and I had to go to Church one Sunday morning. I knew I needed to get there. I’m not tall now, and at 8 my legs were little. I got up Sunday morning, got dressed and walked about 2 miles to get to Mass on time. I did. That morning I received Eucharist for the first time, the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus. It was not planned by anyone other than the Holy Spirit.
2. In my teens I changed faith experiences for a while. In my twenties this friend of mine, who doesn’t miss an opportunity to as really great questions asked me about John 6. I can see the two of us, sitting at his desk, hear a gentleness in his voice. This was a beginning that led me to
3. Recognizing Jesus sublimely, sweetly hidden in the Bread and the Wine and eventually returning Home.
This part will seem kind of backwards, yet it answered a question for me. Yesterday Fr Mike Schmitz preached on memory and healing. Jesus had to undo Peter’s denial of him and show himself and the other Apostles gathered there this dynamic, profound, change in Peter.
Do you know the man? Do you Love me?
Do you know the man? Do you Love me?
Do you know the man? Do you Love me?
When I show quilts to either a group of quilters as part of a lecture or new quilters I’m teaching I show early quilts, quilts that are messy, the quilting is awful. I have memories, that I *show* quilters so they can see that what I do now is not how I started and where I came from. I let them know that I will be giving college level information on the important stuff of needles, thread, & tension. The work they will do in class, and by work I mean quilting, is kindergarten, first grade level. It’s messy. This quilting needs to be messy.
Memories. As I listened Fr Mike yesterday and I read Bishop Barron’s reflection this morning the aha happened. Jesus takes us to places of painful memory for many reasons. See how he slowly, gently worked with Peter? Fr Mike and Bishop Barron explain this so well. I can say this, visiting these memories, the ones where God is so clearly leading is delightful.
About a year ago I attended a Zoom call with some people in Encounter School who were learning how to pray with people for healing. I didn’t expect to have the experience that I did. I’m also not in a place where I feel free to share what exactly happened in that moment. With an exception, when I asked Jesus where He was, He showed me He was with me, with the same desire. Jesus watched with me. I wasn’t alone. I can assure you there is a significant difference between someone who is five and experiencing this and someone who is in her fifties experiencing this.
Just like the quilting is very different now than it was when I started.
Happy Easter,
Teri
A Quilter's Heart 