Heaven Stormed

In the midst of our nightmare, some very beautiful things are happening that have offered tremendous consolation.  We're overwhelmed (wonderfully!) by all the Mass cards and spiritual offerings for Phoebe that continue to arrive.
I haven't tallied them all yet, but it is easily over 100,000 Masses being said on behalf of her soul.  I am eternally grateful and confident that my precious girl's soul is exactly where it should be.  The outpouring of love has been far beyond measure.  As if all these offerings weren't enough, I continue to learn of Masses and prayers being said throughout this great nation.  On Friday, a good friend who happens to be an alum of Univ. of Notre Dame shared that she would call out there and have Masses offered for Phoebe.  Just hours later, I saw another friend whose husband is also an alum.  He had called out there ...but it had already been done.  By whom?  I have no idea.  Yesterday I bumped into other friends at the soccer field whose daughter is a student at UVA.  Her mom called to tell her of Phoebe's passing and asked her to pray ...  The daughter invited another friend to join her in a Rosary and was surprised to hear that this young man had already been praying for our daughter.  How would he have known?  We don't know him, and yet here was this stranger praying.  It seems everyone knows.  Today we went to friends to watch the Patriots game (ok, those who really know me are giggling ...um, I think they won).  I spoke to a remarkable young man who had not been able to attend the wake or funeral (though his wife and children did ...offering such love to us all).  He said he called his dad, a fairly public figure in academia, to let him know of Phoebe.  The response he got was that a Mass was already being offered at the Basillica in D.C.  Without any hesitation people have picked up their Rosary beads, called their pastors, reached out to others ...and have literally kept this hurting family afloat in prayer!
There are more stories here ...unbelievable really.  As parents our hearts ache when we hear of a child dying.  I don't think we can ever prepare for the depth of misery it incurs.  So the outreach in many ways is due to that empathy ...but more, it certainly shows the real faith, the Catholic faith, flowing and pulsating through this land.  Parents, children, friends, friends of friends, strangers ...how can we ever thank you?  Please, keep praying.
Phoebe was an extraordinary girl and she touched so very many lives in marvelous ways.  It is simply impossible to understand why and how she lost her way in moments.  But heaven has been stormed ...and heaven has answered.
Sweet soul of my girl, my darling girl, shine on ...reach perfection ...and light the path for the rest of us.