Blessed Mother - Our Intercessor
November
16, 2011 Happy Feast of St. Gertrude of Helfta!The modified drawing of Our Lady of the Intercessor was blessed today. I ask St. Gertrude to intercede for me while I write this icon of the Mother of God who is constantly praying for her “poor banished children of Eve”.
November
19, 2011 Today on the feast of Our Lady Queen of Peace, after
about 8 hours of intense work of penance which was offered up for those in
need, her queenly halo was finally complete. While waiting for the clay layers
to dry, I went out and did about 4 hours of yard work. By the time I laid down to rest, my body
experienced excruciating pain, especially during the night. Instead of praying in peace while
writing the icon as holy iconographers do, I did my penance which I willed and
was happy to do instead. Dear Lord,
I guess when I grow more in faith and love for You as I get older, then I will
not have to suffer as much in body but will find more peace and unity in prayer
with You in spirit as I write your holy image and those of your Blessed Mother
and your saints. According to
Tradition, icon writers are blessed to live a more contemplative and holy
life! Well, I admit that I have
been receiving many special blessings but as well as living the contemplative
and holy life, I am struggling with it often. This world demands so much of those who
live in it, and I fall so often and allow temptations to get to me. In faith I am not discouraged or
disappointed because there is a time for everything. Knowing You Lord, You will give me the grace and let me know
when the time is right. 
November
24-27, 2011 Happy Thanksgiving!!!I had two days off this week so spent a lot of time writing the icon. A lot of progress was made and I am happy with the outcome. I pray and hope to have it done by January 1, 2012, on the Feast of the Mother of God and also my 4th Anniversary of Solemn Vow. The pictures show progress made: The opening (under painting), lines, highlight and float (when the icon is complete, there will be at least 3 layers of highlights and 3 layers of float)
December 4, 2011 I had to take a break from writing the icon because the days are quite short of sunlight. I usually race the natural light and write about 2-3 hours in the morning and a couple of hours in the afternoon when I am not attending Mass at 4:00pm. Our Lady’s face came along gracefully so far. For me, I focus more on the emotion and spirit of the Lord and the Saints rather than the external beauty of colors and technique.
December
8, 2011 Happy
solemnity of Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception!“… she was uniquely endowed with such grace by
God that from the beginning of her life she enjoyed God’s favor in a
measure that no other human person has known. So fully did she belong to her
Creator from the beginning, that, unlike the rest of us, she was never drawn
aside from Him by any interior attraction. The many trials and sufferings she
experienced did not arise from any disordered impulses of her nature but came
to her from the outside. This unique privilege derived from what came to be
called her Immaculate Conception... The Apocalypse portrays the end of the
Cosmos we now know; a New Heaven and New Earth will descend from God to replace
the fallen world of time and God will be all in all for his faithful ones.
Mary, in her person, was created a pledge of that future transformation that
is offered to each of us if we but put our loving, trusting faith in her Son.
By the grace he has won for us all, along with Mary who became his mother,
we already share in that world that enjoys the light that shines in the present darkness.
Through the grace of this Eucharist and the intercession of her who is the
Immaculate Conception may each of us live and walk in that light until we encounter
the day of Christ Jesus in the glory of God our Father.
” – Taken from Rev. Father John
Eudes’ homily
Finally,
I had about two hours of sunshine to complete the second float this afternoon.
Praise the Lord! I took advantage of not being able to
write the icon due to lacking of sunlight a few days ago to gesso. It took more than six hours for me to
complete the two large panels with great patience and pain. “ Of course it is Your grace, Lord, that I could
persevere and endure even though at times, I was tempted to give up. I am grateful I am a Christian and learning to
live my faith and that I have these graces to desire to please You rather than someone else in
this world. Yes, I know this is not yet the perfect way and mean, but at least, at where I am now, this is my
intention and conviction to serve You through sharing Your gifts to this world.” Now the panels are complete but I still
have to sand them down. These two
panels will be for another set of the same icons: Our Lady and
Spencer shared with me a tube of arthritis lotion today for my hand hurt
quite badly last week from adding about 16 layers of gesso in 6 straight hours with an
one inch brush!!! I encountered a
couple of people who are suffering greatly besides many prayer requests from our on-line prayer group. There is so litle I can do directly to be an instrument of God's love and caring
for his suffering people in this vast world. In faith, fixing my eyes on the Lord who died for our sins, I offer up what
I am able as a little of my share in helping to carry the noble Cross of the Savior.
Oh dear Mother, please intercede for us, for me. Thank you.
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