BOLD Ministry

She's known this for years. Lately, she told me she hasn't gone out of the house; but that isn't stopping her from reaching people all the time. Yet her living room is always aglow with visitors that are dropping in to see Rose. I do expect that she will go out later this month to see her son sworn in to the borough Council.

Rose is more than a cancer survivor, she is a life survivor, even though she was told about 5 years ago that she had liver and bone cancer. That began her journey of treatments, medications, being ill, losing her hair about 4 times, and a myriad of twists and turns.

Two weeks ago the doctors took her off chemo. They even suggested that she go into hospice care. Rose laughed.

Carol and I went to visit Rose on Saturday, and she had a living room filled with people; her daughter, maid of honor from 60 years ago, their kids and two of her sisters. It was a celebration of a life. Rose looked better than she had in weeks. The people that she loved are coming back. They are making sure to see Rose before the holidays.

We sat there eating delicious Italian pastries from Brooklyn, home made wine from the back porch of her Jersey Shore home and talking about the goodness of life, and the goodness of God.

What has struck me about Rose is her fight. Doctors may have told her one thing, but there is only one doctor she looks to: “My Lord,” as she says.

In a day when everyone is too busy to do anything, there is nothing that keeps people from stopping in on Rose of Bradley Beach. She has two of her sisters living in her building, a cousin and there would be more, if there were any other apartments. Whenever an apartment opened up, one of Rose’s relatives would find out and move in. But the truth is that the house only represents Rose’s heart. She made everyone always so welcome in her life, that they learned that the only way to live together was to love together.

When Jesus was about to leave and he told the ‘boys:’

"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”
"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, {there} you may be also."[John13:36-7, 14:1-4].

Rose’s house may be limited by the number of apartments, but not her heart.

Please keep Rose and her family in prayer and all those that are fighting the fight of faith.


Also, remember to come out to BOLD on Tuesdays, 12:45 at St. Barts in the small chapel.