Praise Ministry Letter to the Homebound

Today I received a request to write a letter to the homebound in our church parish. This is a monthly ministry that the clergy and other parish leaders take turns doing. It's called the Praise Ministry. I was surprised to be asked but pleased as I do love to write. Below is my letter for the month of May.

Greetings in the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

I take great delight in getting to visit with you this month through this letter.

As we continue celebrating this Easter season we can ponder the love and joy we are witnesses in sharing with our beloved Lord. He is alive and He is with us! We do believe. It is through this belief, that we know our sufferings on earth are only temporary as the promise of new life is truth promised and proven to us.

. Looking out my window I delight in the spring blossoms on the trees and the tulips starting to bloom. It is again, that new hope, tangible at my own front door, reminding me that Jesus Christ has risen and is with us. No matter what darkness we have endured or fears we have, our Lord has shown us that we too shall come through it. He has walked the path before us and shows us the way.

A favorite scripture of mine always brings hope. It is from the Song of Songs and it's a poetic portrayal of praise of the mutual love of the Lord and his people. In Chapter 2, verses 10 to 13 we read:

My lover speaks; he says to me,

"Arise my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!

For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth,

the time of pruning the vines has come,

and the song of the dove is heard in our land.

The fig tree puts forth its figs,

and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.

Arise my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!"

During the most holy season of the Church year, we have the wonderful opportunity to turn our eyes to the Mother of Jesus who stood by him in his pain, suffering and new life. Jesus gave his Mother to us from

the cross (John, chapter 19:25-27) and she is our Mother too. Her love and intercession for us is always with us. We are not orphan children of God but rather under the warm protective mantle of a Mother most holy. No matter where we are in our life journey, we have a welcoming Mother to comfort and care for us as she did for her son, Jesus. Our beautiful and humble Blessed Virgin Mary is honored this month of May along with our own mothers. Our lives are given to each of us by the nurturing care of a woman, who became a Mother. This is the most blessed honor to have a participation in the creation of new souls and lives given to earth by God our Father. Mothers come in all sizes, shapes, attitudes and personalities but each has accepted the gift of new life, their own Annunciation of saying "yes" to motherhood. Motherhood is under such attack in this day and age. Let us offer extra prayers this month for the many women who refuse motherhood and for the many women who say "yes" to bringing forth new life. It is spring time, let us rejoice in the season!

(also posted at http://randrtandt.blogspot.com/)