This post was originally posted on my private blog and appeared on Dec 9, 2008
This week the Sister of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus have been at Saint Brigid. Sunday they visited the EDGE kids, taught them about the Rosary, and did some Q&A about being nuns. It was precious. Monday night, following the Immaculate Conception Mass, the sisters began our Advent Mission. First of all, I must say that Fr. D's homily was FANTASTIC! Rebecca even remembered his 4 points of how to be holy, like Mary. The Sister Grace (?), gave her own talk on holiness coming from her three vows: poverty, chastity and obedience and how they combat sins of the world, sins of the flesh and sins of the will. In her sweet, fun-loving attitude, she drove home some serious issues that we face in our world today: rocky marriages, cheating, porn, lack of obedience, gluttony, etc etc.
My encounter began shortly after one of the other sisters stood up and began talking about the relic of St. Faustina that were were going to venerate. She suggested that people bring forward rosaries, bibles, etc to touch the relic, but especially for married people to touch their wedding rings to it. To back up a moment, Sr. Grace reminded everyone, in reference to couples living together before marriage, that it's hard enough - why try it before receiving Sacramental grace? So the line for the veneration of the relic begins, but I remained seated, as I usually find this sort of thing a little hokey. But low and behold the Sisters reminded us about the power of prayer in the Communion of Saints and therefore asked that we come forward with a prayer intention. "But....," she continued, "don't ask for something you don't want". So between the presence of our Lord in the tabernacle, Sister's words, and the sight of seeing so many of my adult friends humbly coming to the alter to touch their rings to the relic....I lost it! At that moment, St. Faustina opened my eyes to the reality that is the intercession of the Communion of Saints. An understanding of my physical sufferings finally came clear and I brought to the foot of the Cross through Sr. Faustina's intercession, a prayer from the bottom of my heart: what is His will for me on this earth? In what state of life am I to work to get to heaven and is Eric the one to be by my side?
While I was having this extremely emotional reaction - Eric whispered in my ear that he would be right back. I was hoping he would come back with a tissue! However he came back and asked me which color green I liked better and laughed because he was going to surprise me with a new rosary but couldn't decide on the color. Knowing how picky I am, he ruined his own surprise and asked me to come pick one out. By this time the veneration of the relic was over. But low and behold the Sisters came running after me and my new lime green rosary and touched the reliquary to the rosary and my saint bracelet (of the 15 pictures on the bracelet, the relic happend to touch the image of the Divine Mercy Jesus, I Trust in You - how cool is God!?!).
God is Good - All the time :)
This week the Sister of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus have been at Saint Brigid. Sunday they visited the EDGE kids, taught them about the Rosary, and did some Q&A about being nuns. It was precious. Monday night, following the Immaculate Conception Mass, the sisters began our Advent Mission. First of all, I must say that Fr. D's homily was FANTASTIC! Rebecca even remembered his 4 points of how to be holy, like Mary. The Sister Grace (?), gave her own talk on holiness coming from her three vows: poverty, chastity and obedience and how they combat sins of the world, sins of the flesh and sins of the will. In her sweet, fun-loving attitude, she drove home some serious issues that we face in our world today: rocky marriages, cheating, porn, lack of obedience, gluttony, etc etc.
My encounter began shortly after one of the other sisters stood up and began talking about the relic of St. Faustina that were were going to venerate. She suggested that people bring forward rosaries, bibles, etc to touch the relic, but especially for married people to touch their wedding rings to it. To back up a moment, Sr. Grace reminded everyone, in reference to couples living together before marriage, that it's hard enough - why try it before receiving Sacramental grace? So the line for the veneration of the relic begins, but I remained seated, as I usually find this sort of thing a little hokey. But low and behold the Sisters reminded us about the power of prayer in the Communion of Saints and therefore asked that we come forward with a prayer intention. "But....," she continued, "don't ask for something you don't want". So between the presence of our Lord in the tabernacle, Sister's words, and the sight of seeing so many of my adult friends humbly coming to the alter to touch their rings to the relic....I lost it! At that moment, St. Faustina opened my eyes to the reality that is the intercession of the Communion of Saints. An understanding of my physical sufferings finally came clear and I brought to the foot of the Cross through Sr. Faustina's intercession, a prayer from the bottom of my heart: what is His will for me on this earth? In what state of life am I to work to get to heaven and is Eric the one to be by my side?
While I was having this extremely emotional reaction - Eric whispered in my ear that he would be right back. I was hoping he would come back with a tissue! However he came back and asked me which color green I liked better and laughed because he was going to surprise me with a new rosary but couldn't decide on the color. Knowing how picky I am, he ruined his own surprise and asked me to come pick one out. By this time the veneration of the relic was over. But low and behold the Sisters came running after me and my new lime green rosary and touched the reliquary to the rosary and my saint bracelet (of the 15 pictures on the bracelet, the relic happend to touch the image of the Divine Mercy Jesus, I Trust in You - how cool is God!?!).
God is Good - All the time :)
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