Yesterday marked the end of the Extraordinary Year of Mercy. It was also the close of the liturgical year as we celebrated the Feast of Christ the King. Not only that, but it was a special day for P, and for me.
It started on many missteps: me waking up tired, then running late, and frantically trying to finish my chores on time, him oversleeping that led to a change in plans for us, getting lost on the way to an unfamiliar church, going to the wrong church for a baptism where I was godmother, bad weather... I was frazzled, to say the least, for my brain was on ditz overdrive - I really felt like a failure. It was only when I reflected back on the day, in the evening, that I could see all things were meant to be and we both received God's mercy as individuals, and as a couple. A precious gift of a day that turned out to be extraordinary!
When I first said Christ the King, P felt it was the wrong church and that we should be heading to one of the 'Holy Door' churches, but a small voice inside of me emphatically said Christ the King, so off we went to Christ the King. Besides praying in the adoration room, I was able to visit A's niche and pray for her. As I stood there in the columbarium, I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit very strongly (very unusual), and I felt that A was truly with Jesus in paradise; home, at peace and happy.
M happened to message me half an hour before our meeting time, and I, for some reason, decided then to check the venue, only to discover I was in the wrong church! Thanks to P, we made it, in good time, to Holy Cross, a 'Holy Door' church.
The baptism mass was Spirit-filled. Again I have never felt the presence of the Holy Spirit so palpably at a baptism, this was confirmed later by both M, and P, who actually stayed back for the mass, much to my surprise and delight (at the prompting of the said Spirit). It was a joyous occasion marked by beautiful singing, and a dedicated, enthusiastic service team. Jesus was in the house.
Many little things that mean a lot to me added to the joy of the day, such as the stained glass depicting the wedding at Cana (our wedding mass Gospel text), and the recessional hymn, Testify to Love. It brought back memories of how the W2W Ministry once celebrated International Woman's Day with a mass, where A, K and I danced to this song. It was a scary, but fun day, for it was something I had never done before, dance for the Lord in front of an unknown audience.
When we throw ourselves into life exuberantly, seeking first to do the Lord's will in everything, practising joyful obedience even when we are not quite sure why we do certain things, there is a payoff. As Father Michael Gaitley highlights in Day 12 of his booklet, 33 Days to Morning Glory, a do-it-yourself journey to Marian consecration, Maximilian Kolbe's formula for holiness is W+w=S: His Will in which we unite our wills to is what leads to sanctity. We become holy as He is holy.
As part of our spiritual preparation for marriage, P and I are doing this 33 day Marian consecration and I believe yesterday was just one of the gifts that comes directly from this consecration journey. The Holy Spirit is the one who directs us if we let Him. When P and I obeyed His urgings yesterday, we both received the graces of conviction and consolation. We both know Jesus is very present in our lives, and the Holy Spirit is our living proof.
I could hear the Father say, not just to M, but to me as well: This is my beloved in whom I am well pleased. A gold crown was offered; a crown I accept with joy, for it signifies a kinship between me and Christ, the King, one I boast of most proudly, and one I hope will grow stronger each passing day. Today, I give thanks by testifying to His infinite love and abundant mercy.
It started on many missteps: me waking up tired, then running late, and frantically trying to finish my chores on time, him oversleeping that led to a change in plans for us, getting lost on the way to an unfamiliar church, going to the wrong church for a baptism where I was godmother, bad weather... I was frazzled, to say the least, for my brain was on ditz overdrive - I really felt like a failure. It was only when I reflected back on the day, in the evening, that I could see all things were meant to be and we both received God's mercy as individuals, and as a couple. A precious gift of a day that turned out to be extraordinary!
When I first said Christ the King, P felt it was the wrong church and that we should be heading to one of the 'Holy Door' churches, but a small voice inside of me emphatically said Christ the King, so off we went to Christ the King. Besides praying in the adoration room, I was able to visit A's niche and pray for her. As I stood there in the columbarium, I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit very strongly (very unusual), and I felt that A was truly with Jesus in paradise; home, at peace and happy.
M happened to message me half an hour before our meeting time, and I, for some reason, decided then to check the venue, only to discover I was in the wrong church! Thanks to P, we made it, in good time, to Holy Cross, a 'Holy Door' church.
The baptism mass was Spirit-filled. Again I have never felt the presence of the Holy Spirit so palpably at a baptism, this was confirmed later by both M, and P, who actually stayed back for the mass, much to my surprise and delight (at the prompting of the said Spirit). It was a joyous occasion marked by beautiful singing, and a dedicated, enthusiastic service team. Jesus was in the house.
Many little things that mean a lot to me added to the joy of the day, such as the stained glass depicting the wedding at Cana (our wedding mass Gospel text), and the recessional hymn, Testify to Love. It brought back memories of how the W2W Ministry once celebrated International Woman's Day with a mass, where A, K and I danced to this song. It was a scary, but fun day, for it was something I had never done before, dance for the Lord in front of an unknown audience.
When we throw ourselves into life exuberantly, seeking first to do the Lord's will in everything, practising joyful obedience even when we are not quite sure why we do certain things, there is a payoff. As Father Michael Gaitley highlights in Day 12 of his booklet, 33 Days to Morning Glory, a do-it-yourself journey to Marian consecration, Maximilian Kolbe's formula for holiness is W+w=S: His Will in which we unite our wills to is what leads to sanctity. We become holy as He is holy.
As part of our spiritual preparation for marriage, P and I are doing this 33 day Marian consecration and I believe yesterday was just one of the gifts that comes directly from this consecration journey. The Holy Spirit is the one who directs us if we let Him. When P and I obeyed His urgings yesterday, we both received the graces of conviction and consolation. We both know Jesus is very present in our lives, and the Holy Spirit is our living proof.
I could hear the Father say, not just to M, but to me as well: This is my beloved in whom I am well pleased. A gold crown was offered; a crown I accept with joy, for it signifies a kinship between me and Christ, the King, one I boast of most proudly, and one I hope will grow stronger each passing day. Today, I give thanks by testifying to His infinite love and abundant mercy.
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