Below is an entry from Racheal Bede's "Caring Bridge" post. They've been updating us on a recent surgery involving her husband, Phil, donating a life-saving liver lobe to their daughter, Bernadette. Throughout Rachael has been sharing the very difficult but grace-filled moments of love outpoured, managing their seven children while carrying their eighth (little Estelle Maris welcomed into the world on Monday, August 23). With the family finally back together after weeks of the most critical recovery, she shared:
This past Sunday I did not listen to my inner voice of reason and I signed up a carful of children to attend The Fest in Cleveland. The expedition began smoothly- an enthusiastic carful snacking on sandwiches as we contentedly approached our destination in our air-conditioned minivan.
Then we arrived. We waited a half-hour to get into the parking lot. We saw a huge line of people waiting to catch shuttles to the park and opted to join in with the hordes of other people we saw hoofing it. After about 15 minutes I thought to ask someone how far until we would reach our destination. Nearly 3 miles. In the afternoon heat. Me, flip-flopped and 8 + months pregnant, our three-year-old, my recent liver transplant recipient daughter, and the others.
At the end of our journey waited a muddy outdoor field filled with people and booming noise from various Christian bands and more long lines.
It all turned out well. My water didn’t break. Detta and Genevieve enjoyed their time with cousins and friends, and I was able to attend Adoration under a tent and to receive the Sacrament of Penance while the children explored with Aunt Shannon. But it was the most satisfying feeling in the world to hop on a shuttle returning us to our car in the parking lot, and then settle into the luxury of Marty and Shannon’s home. The next day Detta and I headed to the CCF for her appointments.
Speaking of a muddy field, a couple of weeks ago the daily Mass reading was the parable of the treasure hidden in the field from (Matthew 13:44-46). I had always thought it strange that the treasure couldn’t just be taken, but that it was re-hidden and the field needed to be purchased. I am seeing this with new eyes.
I am realizing that the field needs to go along with the treasure. I picture it all muddy and weed-filled, not lovely. I feel that, with this whole experience of Bernadette’s health conditions and her need for intense medical care at times, and Philip undergoing the donor surgery, and this pregnancy at a time that I can’t quite deem “ideal”, we have our field, wherein lies our treasure. Without accepting the field, with its bumps and tricky spots, we would never have access to the treasure. Which is everything the Lord has poured into us through these experiences.
We can be so comfortable with our daily routines, our way of life, the talents we feel we have and we are edified by using, that we don’t realize we actually have to sell them- give them ALL to the Heavenly Father, to use or not use as He wishes. We have to be willing to make that total surrender of self in order to take up what seems lesser in order to gain the treasure. For example, in our circumstance, we had to offer up being parents to all of our other children in a concrete way. It had to become a spiritual parenting for a month. We were unable to be present to our parents or friends or those who had been placed in our lives. We had to resign ourselves to possible losing Bernadette or Philip - how that would have dramatically changed our family as we know it!
Truly so much beauty continues to change us as we accept the field and then take in all the treasure that God wants to give. I’ve been trying to think about our challenges, which once again now include the minutiae of daily ups and downs of raising the kids and family life, as the field I need to take on and work, always with the Lord’s assistance (making my yokes light and my burdens easy). And I am made aware now that the treasure is always following. Intangible but precious.
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." Matthew 13:44-46 |
