WOW! It has been almost one year since my last post. I have to admit that I did try to get another blog going on another site with a slightly different focus but that didn't work out like I had planned so I'm back here for a while. And I have to admit, that it does kind of feel like coming home.
So it's Ash Wednesday and all of Catholic media, social and otherwise, is buzzing with Lenten devotions and journeys and readings and ideas. My email account and timeline are brimming with ideas for this season of preparation. If I honestly look at my journal and think about all the reading and learning and reflecting that I want to do this lent, I need to go to a dessert for the 40 days and do nothing else. I am super excited about continuing the ladies bible study at my parish, Loyola Press' Living Lent, Best Lent Ever from Dynamic Catholic, and the online book club with WINE (Women in the New Evangelization). I am attempting to do all of these and do them well. Plus, I do love going to daily mass 2 or 3 times a week and I don't think Lent is the season to cut back on that. So if I am really going to stick to this, I will be automatically cutting back on social media and watching TV.
Don't worry, my challenge for you has nothing to do with being as overzealous with Lenten practices as I am. My challenge comes from a conversation I had with a woman who is a fairly new Catholic. This woman, who happens to be African American, truly blessed me this afternoon and without knowing it challenged me to rethink all of my Lenten ambitions. The two of us were chatting about something completely separate and she mentioned her Catholic Faith. I shared that that was something we had in common. She had grown up in predominately black, bible churches. But she shared it wasn't in the music or clapping or preaching that the Spirit found her and won her heart. It was in a predominately white, Roman Catholic church that the Holy Spirit spoke to her and she told me, it was just so different. She looked at me at that point and asked if I knew why. She was so honestly passionate about it that I didn't want to interrupt her, she continued and said, "It is the Eucharist! It's..." and I filled in "the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord". And at that point she apologized because she was in tears and had to sit and pause for a moment. When she composed herself a bit, she told me that she had just been confirmed in 2016 and it was still so new and so overwhelming and beautiful to have such a gift. Her reverence and love was so inspiring. We spoke for a few more minutes, but then we both had to get on with our days.
Throughout the rest of the day, my mind (and heart) kept going back to the amazement and joy in my new friend's eyes. And it made me think about my daughter when she was in first grade and couldn't wait to make her First Communion because then she would be able to receive Jesus. Then it made me think about my son the first time he told me he thought he had a vocation to the priesthood and he said "Mom, think about the joy on Fr. Bob's face (my uncle). Who wouldn't want that joy?" (Disclaimer, my son denies that this was a real vocation conversation b/c he was only about 6 but I'm counting it). Hopefully, most of us have had the experience of sharing a First Communion day with a second grader who was just so excited about finally being able to join the community at the table of the Eucharist. And the conversation and these thoughts bring me to my challenge.
I want to go into Holy Thursday and the Triduum with the awe and reverence that my friend had today. I want to use these devotions and reflections as a way to learn and grow closer to Jesus. I want to learn so that my faith and wonder will grow to appreciate even more His love and sacrifice for me. I'm challenging myself and you to use this time to fall in love again with the Eucharist, the greatest gift any of us will ever receive.
