Building Mary's House
Planning has progressed on Mary's House. I am learning much on how selfish I am and how small in anticipation of what the Mother of God would choose. Too much I try to figure out what she would want through my own views, and I am to be simply her maidservant.
As Mary's maidservant, living out with her the last 14 1/2 years, as Bl. Emmerich said Mary lived to her earthly death and assumption in a small house outside Ephesus, I must continually learn to think and act as her maidservant.
This entails being prudent with expenditures yet having a house which is lovely and peaceful in simplicity--something befitting the Queen of Heaven and Earth. I must go about each day in the present moment, awaiting little nudges from my angel Beth (means "house" in Hebrew) to find the best quality for the best price, without cheating anyone--and also wise to not being cheated by others and over-paying for average or less quality.
The encounters I make in shopping for lighting, flooring, and other small items which are a kind of cultural necessity for this time and place, have been interesting. I must be friendly, inquisitive, diligent, and prudent. In some cases I am able to explain about the Mary House, risking being thought of as odd or in riling some anti-Church sentiments. Friday I happened upon a small store owner who had carpet on discount of a better quality than the builder. There was something about the employee which seemed as if I knew her in the past. I looked at wood flooring for possible later use, as it seems that Mary would like natural stone, tile, wood, brick--and I asked about a flooring which had no sample. The woman called the company to find out the cost, and lo and behold, it is just now on a final clearance special and enough to put on hold until a sample arrives. Then, she said they have carpet pieces in their warehouse, and lo and behold there were two with good colors for Mary's house, one named "Lily" and the other named "Rich Map."
At first I thought that "Lily" would be the best due to its name. Yet, I realized that I am thinking too much as to what "I" would think. Mary would not choose a carpet color that is named for herself; she would want all to point to and reflect her Son. A priest this morning agreed with this conclusion. Therefore, she would want the straw-colored, lower-priced carpet which is named "Rich Map." She gives us directions in this life to lead us on our journey to full union with her Son Jesus, the Christ. She would save the money from the more expensive. And, she is known as the Luna, the moon to her Sun/Son, and even though our travels in the spiritual life and physical life seem dark and blinded at times, by the light of the moon we are led along the right path if we but ask and persist in faith. The walls, then, may be painted in Full Moon.
The builder's decorator was strained this morning. I had called to ask if it is all right to get the flooring allowance, as I have a friend (which the small store owner has become!) who can do the flooring. I had steeled myself for a negative reaction on the phone, and the decorator then had been very gracious. But, of course, by this morning she was strained since she will lose some commission. However, she will be making money on some other aspects of what I have hopefully prudently chosen for the Mary House.
We are coming to a close to the decisions, and it is still a concern to spend money on a house when there are so many needs of people in the world. Last week, one morning when I had been praying about all this, I was shown beneath me and tucked down in and surrounded by coarse, stiff, white netting, a blood-red rose. I do not know what this means. I know only that I must trust, that Jesus has something in His Omniscient Mind for me to accept. Perhaps it will be suffering in the Mary House. Perhaps it is assurance of this project and a peace about proceeding, knowing His Body and Blood sustain us if our intentions are as pure as what a very impure mortal can offer.
As for names for the Mary House, friends and clerics have suggested Bambino Gesu, Janua Coeli, Eoshoa' Tellia', Gratia Plena, and Madonna Cottage House. The old and venerable Irish Da is thinking on what Mary herself would call her house, given, of course, by God as all is from Him.
As Mary's maidservant, living out with her the last 14 1/2 years, as Bl. Emmerich said Mary lived to her earthly death and assumption in a small house outside Ephesus, I must continually learn to think and act as her maidservant.
This entails being prudent with expenditures yet having a house which is lovely and peaceful in simplicity--something befitting the Queen of Heaven and Earth. I must go about each day in the present moment, awaiting little nudges from my angel Beth (means "house" in Hebrew) to find the best quality for the best price, without cheating anyone--and also wise to not being cheated by others and over-paying for average or less quality.
The encounters I make in shopping for lighting, flooring, and other small items which are a kind of cultural necessity for this time and place, have been interesting. I must be friendly, inquisitive, diligent, and prudent. In some cases I am able to explain about the Mary House, risking being thought of as odd or in riling some anti-Church sentiments. Friday I happened upon a small store owner who had carpet on discount of a better quality than the builder. There was something about the employee which seemed as if I knew her in the past. I looked at wood flooring for possible later use, as it seems that Mary would like natural stone, tile, wood, brick--and I asked about a flooring which had no sample. The woman called the company to find out the cost, and lo and behold, it is just now on a final clearance special and enough to put on hold until a sample arrives. Then, she said they have carpet pieces in their warehouse, and lo and behold there were two with good colors for Mary's house, one named "Lily" and the other named "Rich Map."
At first I thought that "Lily" would be the best due to its name. Yet, I realized that I am thinking too much as to what "I" would think. Mary would not choose a carpet color that is named for herself; she would want all to point to and reflect her Son. A priest this morning agreed with this conclusion. Therefore, she would want the straw-colored, lower-priced carpet which is named "Rich Map." She gives us directions in this life to lead us on our journey to full union with her Son Jesus, the Christ. She would save the money from the more expensive. And, she is known as the Luna, the moon to her Sun/Son, and even though our travels in the spiritual life and physical life seem dark and blinded at times, by the light of the moon we are led along the right path if we but ask and persist in faith. The walls, then, may be painted in Full Moon.
The builder's decorator was strained this morning. I had called to ask if it is all right to get the flooring allowance, as I have a friend (which the small store owner has become!) who can do the flooring. I had steeled myself for a negative reaction on the phone, and the decorator then had been very gracious. But, of course, by this morning she was strained since she will lose some commission. However, she will be making money on some other aspects of what I have hopefully prudently chosen for the Mary House.
We are coming to a close to the decisions, and it is still a concern to spend money on a house when there are so many needs of people in the world. Last week, one morning when I had been praying about all this, I was shown beneath me and tucked down in and surrounded by coarse, stiff, white netting, a blood-red rose. I do not know what this means. I know only that I must trust, that Jesus has something in His Omniscient Mind for me to accept. Perhaps it will be suffering in the Mary House. Perhaps it is assurance of this project and a peace about proceeding, knowing His Body and Blood sustain us if our intentions are as pure as what a very impure mortal can offer.
As for names for the Mary House, friends and clerics have suggested Bambino Gesu, Janua Coeli, Eoshoa' Tellia', Gratia Plena, and Madonna Cottage House. The old and venerable Irish Da is thinking on what Mary herself would call her house, given, of course, by God as all is from Him.
posted by The Catholic Hermit | 8:41 AM
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