Love's Pure Light

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Savior is born
Christ, the Savior is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Rest in Love's pure light, Mom and Dad, and in our hearts until we can be in your arms again.

In Loving Memory of

Patrick Joseph Roach

13 September 1934-

12 December 2015

                                

A beautiful and blessed Christmas to all.

The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart

Prayer to the Sacred Heart

 

May Your Heart dwell always in our hearts!

May Your Blood ever flow in the veins of our souls!

Sun of our hearts, You give life by the rays of Your goodness.

I will not go until Your Heart has strengthened me, Lord Jesus.

May the Heart of Jesus be the King of our hearts.

Blessed be God. Amen.

- St. Francis de Sales

Sacred Heart of Jesus,

  I place my trust in Thee.

The True Bread from Heaven

Corpus Christi 2015

Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity

I shall praise the Savior's glory,
of His flesh the mystery sing,
and the blood, all price excelling,
shed by our immortal King;
God made man for our salvation,
Who from virgin pure did spring.

 

Born for us, and for us given,
born a man like us below,
Christ as man with man residing,
lived the seed of truth to sow,
suffered bitter death unflinching,
and immortal love did show.

 

On the night before He suffered,
seated with His chosen band,
Jesus, when they all had feasted,
faithful to the law's command,
far more precious food provided;
gave Himself with His own hand.

 

Word made flesh, true bread of heaven
by His word made flesh to be;
from the wine His blood is taken,
though our senses cannot see;
faith alone which is unshaken
shows pure hearts the mystery.

 

Therefore we, before Him falling,
this great sacrament revere;
ancient forms are now departed,
for new acts of grace are here;
faith our feeble senses aiding,
makes the Savior's presence clear.

 

To the everlasting Father,
and to His Son Who reigns on high,
with the Holy Ghost proceeding
forth from each eternally,
be all honor, glory, blessing,
power and endless majesty. Amen.

 

Hymn from the Evening Prayer for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi

Words: Thomas Aquinas; tr. Edward Caswall; Music: Pange Lingua 87.87.87 Mode III plainsong

Pentecost 2015

Enkindle in them the fire of Thy love...

Ma Vie and Rose

Ma Vie and Rose: Portrait of Zoë

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I feel inadequate to paint even this one. It's funny how you frequently pick a name for your pup within minutes after the first meeting, and then he or she spends his/her life being the very definition of it.

Zoë (life in Greek) radiated life herself and, more, she shared it with us in every possible way. Full of joyous energy and the faithful, fun and protective Rottie to the core, she brought me light in one of the darkest times of my life. She showed me the beauty in life and gave me a reason to live it when I struggled in illness to find it. And she brought eleven beautiful other lives into the world, sharing her motherhood with me and giving me the gift of being able to care for little ones - something I'd dreamed of from childhood, but which circumstance didn't allow me to have through children of my own.

I can't paint a portrait that would bring across even a fraction of how much beauty in this one glorious life or how much beauty she brought to ours. Thank you, my gorgeous girl. I love you so much and miss your shining presence every day - and will until we're together again. Thank You, Lord, for the incredible gift of knowing this life.

Brotherly Love

Thor (né Elijah), starring in Brotherly Love with big brother, Costa:

A son who left the family fold for a bit, he had a little trouble finding his place upon return, due to independence-induced and glorious dreams of alphadom. Given the lowdown on what was really what by his generally pacifist pa, Angelus, by the default and benevolent true alpha, Costa, and even once by modest giant of the litter, Samson, Thor showed his truest color was a heart of gold - and took up a place of merrymaker in the family he returned to, dearly loved as if he'd never left.

Goodnight, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

Until we meet again, precious boy: still loved and never forgotten. We share our tears with the second family who knew his wondrous heart for a while.

Easter Blessings

He is risen!

 

Wishing all a beautiful and blessed Easter.

Coloring My World

Mama-commandant in training and gentle soother of wounded souls; intimidating possessor of the "Evie eye" and hammy comedienne superb; adult female who could (literally) throw the most weight around and tiny 6 oz. runt of the litter who needed mouth-to-mouth from her human mum and special feedings from her canine mama to survive. A beautiful study in Rottie opposites and the epitome of one who could bring the rainbow of colors to another's world. Sweet Evie, I anticipate knowing the gorgeous spectrum of your life again. Love you always, darling girl.

Light(en)ing Up A Dark Day

Just one of his many gifts, as he lived up to his name (Constantine) in every possible way and brought a lifetime of true joy in a too short six and a half years.

Still and always (aka, constantly) in my heart, good and faithful boy.



Sophie in Rose

 

 

 

 

To quote a favorite song:

 

"You had this smile that could light up the world" - Slaughter, Fly to the Angels

 

I may try to capture that smile in another portrait but, for now: Sophie in Rose, symbolic of further lyrics to the same song:

 

"Cause now you've got to fly high (fly high)
Fly to the angels
Heaven awaits your heart
And flowers bloom in your name"

 

In the hope of seeing you there, sweet girl.



Happy St. Patrick's Day 2015

 

An Old Irish Blessing

 

May love and laughter light your days

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May all life's passing seasons

bring the best to you and yours!

 

On this feast day of the Apostle of Ireland,

 may the many blessings of God

 rain down on all like the gentle spring showers that bring the shamrock to life.

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2015!

Still My Inspiration

With my dad's ongoing and worsening illness, my own poor health, recent deaths in the family, and the loss of several of my longtime and beloved friends over the past year and a half, I haven't been feeling very communicative or creative of late. (And I apologize to all I've been a bad friend to because of it.) Then, looking at some wonderful Rottie photos and artwork on Pinterest today had me missing quite terribly again my canine kids who were called home. As it turned out though, in the rekindled grief, love inspired. So, although I can't do any kind of justice to their inner or outer beauty, I expect I'll be sharing more memorial portraits of honor. It truly did help to work on one - the first new painting I've done in months - and it's one small way to let them know that they're still - and always - my inspiration. Not to mention proof, once again, that they're a gift that never stops giving us more than we could ever give them.

 

 

Love you, sweet boy.

The Reason

This week's Lenten readings:

The test of trials and sorrow (Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18)

Sacrifice of Isaac,

Caravaggio, c. 1603

 

and the promise given to help us go on.  (Mark 9:2-10)

 

Transfiguration of Christ

Titian, c. 1560

 

The reason:

 

Because when God Himself provides the sacrifice (Genesis 22:8)

 

 

The Crucifixion,

Diego Velazquez, 1632

 

all suffering ends united in the Son. (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

 

 

Resurrection of Christ,

Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1875

 

My prayers for the gift of increased hope bestowed on all those enduring loss, illness, hardship and challenges that seem insurmountable.