Today I felt like a little girl grabbed up by her Papa and smothered in kisses. 🙂 The kind kids wipe away and squeal, “Papa!” but giggle in delight because they feel the warmth of full acceptance and love. I’m not bragging because He does this for ALL of us…it is up to us to stop the obstinance and be willing to receive Him with a ‘childlike faith’ to recognize it when it happens.
Last night I received an email from the Red Rover Style Magazine (the one that I sent in a query for their ‘charity’ special Mini-mag edition, featuring The Maria Goretti Network and the photo my friend Kate Jimerson with Clover Photography took). They said, “We love the story.” An they’ll confirm by tomorrow if we’ll be featured in the mini-mag that comes out Monday!!! Kate had to sign a release and everything…so we shall see. 🙂 But it was still a ‘cool feeling’.
Then in adoration this morning a man walked in carrying a guitar and Bible. Now, I need to back track a bit on this story. Just last night I spoke with the church’s superintendant about how I received a phone call from a college student in town who wanted to get in the chapel at midnight but didn’t have a card key. They lock it now at 11pm – 5am and I was one that opposed that simply because if it is to be ’24 hour perpetual adoration’ then it should be open to everyone. YES I get it is a SAFETY issue…yes…BUT I trust being in the precence of our Lord. Call me a fool but… At any rate the superintendant was telling me the door’s key was broken for now so anyone can go in. So when I walked in at 4am the lights were all on. I don’t like all the lights to be on because it is so bright at such an early hour. When the guy before me left the other lady that is in their with me said, “He wanted all the lights on because the door isn’t working. He wants to make sure anyone that is not an official adorer shouldn’t be in here.” Now, that just ticked me off to be very blunt and honest. Because, really, who does that guy get to say ‘belongs’ in the presence of Christ??? 🙁 I grumbled and then kneeled before Christ begging forgiveness for my thoughts toward people lately. There is just so much injustice that can go unnoticed but I see it and it tans my hide.
SO…not five minutes after she said that and I finished that particular prayer a man walks in the door with the guitar and the Bible in hand. My heart skipped a beat for a split second and then I said to him (which seemed loud at 4am) “Are you going to play the guitar for us this morning?” And he smiled and nodded. He went over to the blessed sacrament, put the guitar down, knelt on his knees on the floor (not on the cushion) and lifted his hands up above his hand in prayer. My heart skipped a double beat. I know that kind of prayer. I missed that kind of prayer. Full abandonment is what it is. ‘Take my life and mold it’ prayer (just like the song). Then he picked up his guitar and still on his knees strummed a tune signing a song that was in Spanish…but beautiful. 🙂 When he was done he put the guitar down, lifted his hand and prayed some more. *sigh* he did this and sang 4 songs. I don’t know a lot of Spanish but I could get the gest. One was about taking our problems and I could tell the Holy Spirit was all in the songs… 🙂 It didn’t matter, our hearts and prayers meshed in that time before our Lord.
Now…would he have been allowed in had the doors been locked??? … I saw the superintendant today who told me the locks were fixed and I told him about what happened. Yeah, well, nothing can be done. I guess I just lucked out.
Finally, today I took my kids shopping for something to wear for Christmas Mass (after a HUGE BATTLE OF WILLS) and much to my surprise they each chose clothes I could accept and they had their own style that doesn’t embarrass me! 🙂 LOL I was so proud!
Tomorrow morning I get to attend a Maria Goretti meeting in Longview, Texas. I’m so excited to meet new people and see the fruits of the mission’s effort! I’m not certain I’ll be able to blog tomorrow evening but I’ll be certain to catch you up on Sunday. Because of this I’ll include today and tomorrow’s Advent readings:
December 17, 2010
Friday of the Third Week of Advent
Readings: Gn 49:2, 8-10; Mt 1:1-17
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Mt 1:1
Families . . . are the fundamental cell of every healthy
society. Only in families, therefore, is it possible to create
a communion of generations in which the memory of the
past lives on in the present and is open to the future. Thus,
life truly continues and progresses. Real progress is impossible
without this continuity of life, and once again, it is impossible
without the religious element. Without trust in God, without
trust in Christ who in addition gives us the ability to believe
and to live, the family cannot survive.
Meeting with Members of the Roman Clergy
March 2, 2006
December 18, 2010
Saturday of the Third Week of Advent
Readings: Jer 23:5-8; Mt 1:18-25
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded
him and took his wife into his home.
Mt 1:24
The silence of St. Joseph is given a special emphasis. His
silence is steeped in contemplation of the mystery of God
in an attitude of total availability to the divine desires. It is a
silence thanks to which Joseph, in unison with Mary, watches
over the Word of God, known through the Sacred Scriptures,
continuously comparing it with the events of the life of Jesus;
a silence woven of constant prayer, a prayer of blessing of the
Lord, of the adoration of his holy will and of unreserved entrustment
to his providence. It is no exaggeration to think that it
was precisely from his “father” Joseph that Jesus learned—at the
human level—that steadfast interiority which is a presupposition
of authentic justice.
Angelus
December 18, 2005
Blessings
Shannon