September 14 – Don’t Miss it!

 

This morning’s sunrise: Monday, September 9, 2013 A.D.

As this morning’s sunrise begins to light up the new day, the Cross that now stands as a sentry over Our Lady’s valley at Caritas, is still in shadows. We have been receiving calls and letters from people who attended the Five Days of Prayer with Our Lady this past July 1-5, saying that they can’t wait to return to climb to the Cross on the mountain—it’s a longing in the heart that they can’t resist.
 
 

 

Looking out at the valley from the Cross this morning, September 9, 2013, while the morning fog is still settled in the pines. When the large crowds gathered for the day of prayer with Our Lady, July 1-5, 2013, the pouring of the Cross on the mountain above the Field was just being completed. The surrounding ground was still a construction zone as there were details and re-scaping that was left to restore the mountain which was still unfinished due to delays caused by an unusually rainy month of June.

 

Since July, the Caritas Community has continued to work to bring the top of the mountain to completion and restoration to its original natural state. This past Saturday, September 7, nearly every community member spent the day up on the mountain working together as Our Lady said, as
 

June 2, 2013

“…one single people…”

to finish the restoration around the Cross. Some of the members of the community knelt to offer their Morning Prayer at the foot of the Cross at 7:00 a.m., though many in the community were up at 5:00 a.m. gathering all the necessary tools for the work day. Through the months, every piece of equipment we have has been of use without which we could have never completed the construction and restoration. Our prayers were offered for those who will be gathering with us for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross this coming Saturday, September 14.

 

One continuous job over the summer for community members was the gathering of rocks for the rock walls and restoration that was formed around the base of the Cross which was gathered from various areas around the mountain top as shown above. With the top of the mountain excavated for the Cross, we had to walk to other areas on the mountain to find the rocks and carry them to the Cross for the stone mason. As you can see, it was never a problem finding enough rocks.

 

But not every rock stayed on top of the mountain, some got away from us which was very dangerous as the rock careened down the mountain, even passing the path of the Stations of the Cross, well below the top of the mountain and taking with it some trees in its path. It continued to be heard for some time after it entered into the woods.

 

The Caritas kids are pretty agile being around heavy equipment and rocky terrain a good part of the time. Most people would be unsettled letting their children play in these areas, but there is always a watchful adult nearby. Here Lucy and Luke do their part in helping, after watching the youth and adults lifting, carrying and throwing rocks into a pile. Lucy throws her own over the cliff, while Luke reaches for it.

 

These days, though filled with hard work, have also been joyful days for the community. Knowing that the work being accomplished with our hands is helping to lead souls and our nation back to God makes the work a privilege rather than a burden. And it is always a joy when we have a project of a spiritual matter bringing conversion that gathers us altogether, from the littlest to the senior members.

 

Though difficult to capture the danger of the situation above, if the backhoe were to inch back any further it would careen down a sharp cliff. The skill of our community members on heavy equipment with the daily prayers of the community keep disasters from happening, thanks be to God, and it is done for situations like this: to save the small trees and brush around the Cross that are so similar to what is found on the top of Cross Mountain in Medjugorje, seen here behind the large tractor. A Friend of Medjugorje has always gone to such measures to preserve the natural terrain and landscape in all our building projects. Therefore, the grounds are filled with peace and prayer comes more easily. An encounter with God in nature is more possible in natural surroundings.