Triumph of the Cross

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This post can be found here: http://maryellenbarrett.com/tales_from_the_bonny_blue/2009/09/triumph-of-the-cross-2.html/
 

Comments

[Michele Q.]

A beautiful post Mary Ellen. As always you continue to be in our prayers as we hold you (all of you) in our hearts. Love you.

[Tina D.]

I don't mean to sound dramatic, but this is quite possibly one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful things I've ever read. Evidence that Jesus is showering his love down on you as you sit at the foot of his cross. You and your family continue to be in my daily rosary prayers. God bless.
-Tina

[KC]

I agree with Tina. It was heartbreakingly beautiful.

Much to to you and your family, Mary Ellen.

[Paula in MN]

Agreed. Achingly beautiful. Loving and praying for all of you.

[Eileen]

Oh, Mary Ellen. This brought me to tears. Thank you so much for this. Not only do I continue to pray for your family, but also for mine: That when we face adversity in this life, it will lead us here, to the foot of the Cross, wherein all our hope resides. This is one of the most beautiful and painful reflections I have ever read. Thank you for having the grace to share your faith amid your deep suffering.

[Feisty Irish Wench]

Grace isn't easy to carry, but you seem to be pulling it off well. While my situation is not heart-rending like yours, my parish family has embraced my household in love and generosity that can never be matched. I've seen these same people pull together and lift up others in prayer, works, kindness and mercy and never expect to receive a single thing in return.
They live by the readings we had this Sunday.

[Cait]

I found your blog through a link at the end of your article "Modesty Matters" on www.catholicexchange.com. I just wanted to offer you my sincere condolences-I read your blog and it really touched my heart. I will be praying for your family and for your son.

In Christ,

Cait

[Nissa]

Thinking of you all and praying especially today. Much love, Nissa

[amy]

Just beautiful...

God's peace be with you and your family.

[Kim H.]

Oh Mary Ellen, what a beautiful, honest post.

I heard of Ryan's death through Maryan VW's blog. My family and I have been praying for you and your family -- and Ryan.

Under Him --

Kim H.

[Donna Marie]

You write so beautifully...I am thinking and praying for you and your family very often. I wish I could do more. God bless you, dear lady!

[Account Deleted]

You are SO amazingly beautiful! Prayers for you all at the foot of the cross. Thank you so much for your grace and beauty. May God and Our Lady grant you the grace to continue on each day :) Much love,

[kozimom]

I'm continuuing to pray for you all!

[Ruth]

Thank you so much for sharing your faith with us. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

[Jennifer]

I haven't wanted to bug you (functioning can be a challenge in itself), but wanted to tell you that we, too, ask St. Ryan Barrett for his intercession on a regular basis. If I had to guess, I'd say that he has the favor of God.

(((love & prayers)))

[Heather]

Mary Ellen, thank you for sharing these thoughts with us. Your family is daily lifted up in our thoughts and prayers. What a beautiful and grace filled testament to love, suffering and the mind of God.

[molly]

We continue to stand, united with you and Dave at the foot of the Cross.

[Theresa]

Prayers continue for you, dear. Beautiful post.

[Maryan VW]

Prayers for you and your family tomorrow on Our Lady of Sorrows, Mary Ellen. Beautiful post.

[Kristen Laurence]

This is so beautiful, Mary Ellen. None of us have forgotten - in fact I was just watching your beautiful video tribute again for the umpteenth time (noticing details I'd missed, like the braces making his smile so handsome over time). I also pray to and for him. His and all of your names are in our book of prayer now, and will remain there forever. Wishing you continued grace and consolation, Mary Ellen.

[angela]

mary ellen, i am...almost speechlesss, absolulty beautiful tribute to ryan, the realness of what our faith teaches us, and the way you embrass your cross is nothing but a grace. you are blessed and ryan is deffinately working miracals. there is not a day that i am not praying and thinking of all of you. my love always, oxxo angela

[Kate Wicker]

What a beautiful post, Mary Ellen. Today on the Feast of Seven Sorrows, may you find peace in the knowledge that Our Blessed Mother is standing a the foot of your heavy, heavy cross with you. Hail Mary, full of grace...

Peace and prayers...

[Kimberly]

Oh, so beautiful. Heartrendingly, painfully beautiful are words poured from a grieving, yet trusting heart. God bless and keep you all, dear Barret family. May the Good God heal your hearts, bind up your wounds and comfort you as you await that sweet hug from your precious boy. Tears and prayers for you...

[Theresa]

I have been holding you and your family in prayer. I lost my sister when she was 17 years old. I was 30 at the time and already a mother. I remember the feelings you shared as well as my mother saying very similar things about life going on.

I will continue to keep your family in prayer.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000123353320]

Oh MaryEllen. Please share your whole heart always and don't feel that you should be anyone else. We need YOU...the whole of YOU. Whatever that is it will cause us all to feel united with you and Ryan and heaven and also help to direct our prayers for you and your family. You stand uniquely alone at the foot of this cross and yet you are surrounded by so many who want to be close to you and your cross and help to ease your pain and our own. It is the cycle of LIFE giving waters and whatever we can do to whitness to LIFE we will. We love you and are grateful you allow us to come close and hug you. God bless you and grant you His peace now and always.
Theresa

[Emily]

Mary Ellen, this is not a path we chose, but a path God chose and we are clinging to His Mother right now at the Foot of the Cross. Mary Ellen, I feel such a tug towards you and a need to send you my love and share in those smiles and tears that come with this heavy cross. God is so close to you right now. May He continue to lift you and hold you in His arms. Let me continue to offer up my pain of this cross so that yours may be lighter.

[Betty]

Mary Ellen, you and your family continue to be in our hearts and our prayers. Please write as you NEED to...we are here to listen and love you as you inspire us with your reflections of everyday life and that includes what is truly on your heart. I loved Ryan, too, even though I've never meet you or your family.

Blessings and Prayers and Hugs!

[Karen Edmisten]

Oh, Mary Ellen ... oh, such grace.

[kari]

Thank you for sharing your suffering with us, Mary Ellen. It is in a way like Our Lady's Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth - an act of charity, a gift to your friends. By your sharing, we are involved and brought closer to He who loves you always.
love, Kari

[Jennifer]

Mary Ellen, this was so sad to read but your faith is incredible to witness. I know I can't make this any easier for you but you have been and continue to be in our prayers, the prayers of my friends and extended family as well. Love and hugs, Jenn

[beth]

Just tears....and prayers for you all.

[Gae]

Dear Mary Ellen,
How beuatifully you write Thank you for sharing.
How strong you are to share with us. Me I am sure I would be still a complete wreck. I admire your courage and love and faith. Please know I still pray for you and your family and pray that the love of God and for your family will bring you all through this.
I can't even imagine your grief and sadness.
God Bless you all

[Valerie Martin]

MaryEllen, Thank you for your witness of faith, your realness that allows others to be real, and your love for your children. Don't stop sharing, it will be healing and help for others too. I know that feeling of being angry that the world goes on(when my Dad was killed in a car accident) I think of you everyday and continue to pray for you all. Love ya, Valerie

[Jenny]

Mary Ellen,

Reading this post is like reading my own thoughts from 2 years ago. My heart and prayers are with you each and every day.

[CMerie]

Oh, you dear, dear woman. You are all in my prayers.

[Tari]

So glad to hear that the Lord continues to bless you and keep you, even in the midst of such pain. Praying for you.

[Kathryn Mulderink]

You and all those you love have been in our prayers in a special way during these difficult weeks. You may remember that my own niece/goddaughter was killed in an accident just before Christmas (if it would be helpful, you can read the blog entries here: http://kathryntherese.typepad.com/exhaling/aimee-lorang ) Sometimes, it helps to share others' sorrow and see how God walked with them as well. And He walked with us every painful step of the way. You will continue to receive my best prayers, poor as they are. Peace and grace.

[Tamie]

I'm all teary eyed reading your post. I think of your family daily, and you are in my prayers.

[Heather]

Mary Ellen, Thank you for sharing. My heart aches for the grief you are experiencing.

You and your family continue to be in our prayers.

[Elizabeth]

Continuing to pray for you.

[Alicia Raplee]

You don't really know me but I miss seeing Ryan at mass. It was a joy for me to watch him sing and say the prayers and be so joyful! I gave him a thumbs up one day after mass and he bowed to me so beautifully. I will never forget him and I pray for you all.

[Ros]

"I still want him home with me. That is me, my fallen, broken nature".

Jesus wept over his friend Lazarus,with His divine,perfect nature. Our hearts must surely do the same over our children.May Mary surround you and your family with her mantle of protection during this time.

[Kathleen in Rochester]

my name is kathleen, I happenend to google catholic homeschooling today, looking into it for my 2 children. and I came across this blog. and I started reading, and I am overcome. we dont know each other, but i can only say as I sit here, crying and praying for you and your family, that my heart and my prayers are with you, and will continue to be. may God bless you all

[Red]

First, let me say this is a beautiful post and I am so sorry to hear about your son. I have prayed for your family often in the past couple of months. I am a college friend of MaryAlice (I write at Building Cathedrals).

I apologize that his comment is so late, but as for the Thank You notes you want to write, when my daughter passed away (back in Nov. of 2002), I wrote hundreds of thank you notes on the one year anniversary of her death. I found myself grieving very heavily in the month leading up to the anniversary of her death (and the month after), and I thought it was a nice way to honor her and remember the wonderful ways others helped us in our time of grief.

I write this not to say you should do the same thing, but only to share the way I approached the thank you notes. It took the pressure off of me in the months after her death, and so many people were again reminded of her life one year later--when they finally received their thank you!

I continue to pray for your family. Losing a child is the greatest pain I have ever known. May God give you his grace and peace.

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