April 1, 2006

• ~Thank you God for another year!~

  
  

  Every year I look forward to today. Not for the reasons you might think. Today for me and my family has great significance. I have been keeping this blog for over a year now and It is a joy to repeat last year’s post today as well! With a few modifications. I will forever be grateful  for all the good care  I received  and the prayers of St. John the Baptist Monastery in Essex, England and St. Mary of Egypt!

  
  

  Today most people think of April fool’s day. For me however it has great significance. It was on this day, the feast day of St. Mary of Egypt that I found the lump in my neck and went to the doctor. That was 13 years ago today. The  story of Mary of Egypt (read her story below it is worth the few minutes!)  is amazing and always moves me, along with her icon. I remember so clearly that day 13 years ago. We had just became engaged two days earlier, in London, on March 30th .  Thank God I listened to that little voice telling me to skip the manicure after my  8 am Germany History lecture and go to the family doctor instead. Divine Providence! The doc insisted on a x-ray and a biopsy. To make a  long story short it was stage IIa Hodgkin’s disease. I had a 8 cm tumor in my neck and a 13 cm collection of tumors in my chest. After a year of chemo and radio and a few surgeries  we were married in Athens and 12 years later are the parents  of  4 healthy little miracles. Three lovely little boys and one sweet little girl .

  
  

  Glory be to God for All Things!

  
  

   

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  From Beth’s blog! Thank you Beth!

  Venerable Mary of Egypt When Mary was only twelve years old, she left her parents and departed to Alexandria, where she lived a depraved life for seventeen years. Then, moved by curiosity, she went with many pilgrims to Jerusalem, that she might see the Exaltation of the venerable Cross. Even in the Holy City she gave herself over to every kind of licentiousness and drew many into the depth of perdition. Desiring to go into the church on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, time and again she perceived a certain invisible power preventing her entrance, whereas the multitude of people about her entered unhindered. Therefore, wounded in heart by this, she decided to change her way of life and reconcile herself to God by means of repentance. Invoking our Lady the Theotokos as her protectress, she asked her to open the way for her to worship the Cross, and vowed that she would renounce the world. And thus, returning once again to the church, she entered easily. When she had worshipped the precious Wood, she departed that same day from Jerusalem and passed over the Jordan. She went into the inner wilderness and for forty-seven years lived a most harsh manner of life, surpassing human strength; alone, she prayed to God alone. Toward the end of her life, she met a certain hermit named Zosimas, and she related to him her life from the beginning. She requested of him to bring her the immaculate Mysteries that she might partake of them. According to her request, he did this the following year on Holy and Great Thursday. One year after this, Zosimas again went thither and found her dead, laid upon the ground, and letters written in the sand near her which said: “Abba Zosimas, bury here the body of wretched Mary. I died on the very day I partook of the immaculate Mysteries. Pray for me.” Her death is reckoned by some to have taken Place in 378, by some, in 437, and by others, in 522. She is commemorated also on the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent. Her life was recorded by Saint Sophronius of Jerusalem. GOArch   Read the complete Life of St. Mary of Egypt, by St.Sophronius. “May God, Who works great miracles and bestows gifts on all who turn to Him in faith, reward those who hear or read this account, and those who copy it. May he grant them a blessed portion together with St Mary of Egypt and with all the saints who have pleased God by their pious thoughts and works. Let us give glory to God, the Eternal King, that we may find mercy on the Day of Judgment through our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom is due all glory, honor, majesty and worship together with the Unoriginate Father, and the Most Holy and Life-Creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.”

  
  

   

  • 12:14 am
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