Lunar Eclipse

 

Filling the bird feeders at five in the morning, I noticed the stars and that the moon was beginning an eclipse. I set up my tripod, set the timer and clicked

away in the hope of getting an awesome shot.

Early morning, God’s creation in the sky seems to be in perfect balance. The sun, moon and stars light years away have the power to bring peace to your soul.

One person I saw yesterday was out of sync. She felt so much pain she was close to committing suicide. Her family was in chaos, so she got in her car and took a ride to a local park. Crying her pain, she called her only girlfriend thinking that she would only get her voicemail. She admits that she hates technology. To her surprise, her girlfriend answered the phone and she remarked: “You don’t sound too good.” For the next hour and a half, she poured out her pain about the chaos in her life. The same old patterns of drug abuse, child neglect, denial and rejection were causing destruction. 

Then her girlfriend after listening through the tears shared that she heard on a Catholic radio program another women was facing a serious family crisis and she felt helpless. So she took out her rosary and prayed the “Hail Mary.” She believed that if she gave her troubles over to the Blessed Mother, she would take them to her son, Jesus, who would handle this crisis with divine wisdom and compassion.

Several months later, this mother reported that her daughter’s life turned around thanks to the intervention of Mary. The mother of God felt the pain of a dying son and her girlfriends were present to bring her comfort.

The suicidal thoughts were now gone and our desperate soul asked her girlfriend to say the “Hail Mar” over the phone. In her panic, she had forgotten how to say the words and she would mix up the Our Father and Hail Mary. She wrote down Mary’s prayer in her notebook. Driving home from the park, she kept praying the “Hail Mary” until he got back into her driveway. To her surprise, she no longer felt empty or alone. She was in balance and free and grateful for her friendship that had saved her life.

Mary prays for us as we reflect: “My soul magnifies the Lord And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid; For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; Because He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.”(Luke1:46-50).

Lord, I pray the Hail Mary every morning on my way to work for all my Sonshine Friends. In case you forgot the words, repeat as needed…

Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.