Some of my posts coming are going to be about Divine Mercy. Some of you, perhaps many of you, are aware of this devotional, chaplet, and novena. My posts may bore you to smithereens . . . or not. I am sorry if much of it is repetitive, but more sorry if you don't at least admire Divine Mercy a little. Few of you may have heard of it, but don't know much about it. I reckon, even a few have heard about it and dub it "another time wasting devotional". I know I did, at one time, believe it to be a time wasting devotional. I thought it was lovely - especially when sung! - But, to pray it every day, precisely at three o'clock in the afternoon? . . . Well, I am too busy for that! That's when the kids come home. I can't devote that hour to pray the chaplet. The house is chaotic then.
Life has recently taught me that one should just pray the chaplet any time. Not just three o'clock. I believe it's always three o'clock somewhere . . . so any time is a good time to pray the chaplet. God is always available to us at any time. I'm a rule-follower (to an extent that it gets too close to "scrupulous", which means: I'm praying because I feel I have to rather than because I want to and am moved in the Spirit to do so) and this "three o'clock thing" had me really frustrated.
My friend, Dawn, introduced me to the chaplet via the recorded song. Dawn has an angel's voice and music has always been a "seal the deal" thing for me. We would occasionally sing the chaplet together. This was in our earlier years, in the midst of our discovering friendship, as well as what I refer to my learning about the Faith. My RCIA was seriously lacking, but that fault lies both with me and with the program. A story for another time, perhaps.
Rolling forward to 2008 . . . I somehow managed to get involved as a "suffering servant" of Divine Mercy. I was a little annoyed by this, because I attended a few meetings and then wasn't able to attend for a long while. I didn't particularly care for the facilitator (and it wouldn't be polite or good to list why here, just suffice to say, perhaps the Suffering Servant title was fitting). In the interim, I became chapel MCCW president and subsequently (and happily) occupied. I simply put Divine Mercy to the side. It was convenient for me, even though He kept tugging at me to get more involved with Divine Mercy.
I believed that everything at conference was about Divine Mercy. It was in October, it was DM and St. Faustina's feast days . . . one of the speakers was giving several talks on Divine Mercy . . . I was worried about attending and it being, dare I admit this? bor-ring!
Believe it or not, no one else I have ever spoken to (that attended as well) felt that way about conference. They all say that the talks were about many things, not just Divine Mercy. Huh. I believe I believed this because I was so dead set against Divine Mercy at that time. It was like "you'll have to force me". And, He did. I went to confession and Mass before flying to conference and after receiving Holy Communion, I heard the Holy Spirit direct me to attend the first Divine Mercy talk, and, I agreed. After all, I do want to do what He wants me to do (most of the time. Ahem.). Here's what I wrote back in 2008:
Here we go: Divine Mercy. Here is what I used to think of this devotion: lovely, but not for me. It's that simple. I used to think it was "just another devotional time-waster". I know! But I did not "know", you know? Please. Jesus cut me some serious slack here, so please do me the same favour. It gets better (my story, I mean).
Last week, I went to confession. I had much to shed and did so with a priest whom I trust and admire greatly. I decided to stay for Mass. Having the privilege to lector, I really let the words sink in when I got back to my pew and listened to the homily. In a nutshell: If we can help mere animals in tricky situations (because we want only their own good), the angels are no different in helping us. It was the Feast of the Archangels. I believe I heard the Holy Spirit tell me to attend the Divine Mercy talk at the upcoming conference in San Antonio. I readily agreed, wanting to be obedient. Mind, I wasn't thrilled about it, because I figured, having read the Diary (finding it beautiful) and having prayed the chaplet before: bor-ring. BUT, I would go.
A couple who have been on EWTN would be speaking about family and I really wanted to go to that talk. And, it was not going to be a repeated talk; they were doing the one session and would be leaving. It was a "now or never" situation. I promised to go to Divine Mercy.
Leaving my nine companions with the Family speakers, I went to Divine Mercy.
It pierced my heart with many truths. I bought an additional copy to gift to someone at some time in the future. When the Spirit guides me "just so".
Mind. I did not go there to "pick up" any more "jobs". I figure God's keeping me pretty busy with other stuff. But, I am not anxious about it. Either I am or I am not and only pursuing it and being open to it can tell me that. I would not be surprised in the least if it were to be so, because God does things in patterns (ever notice that?) and He's done this kind of work in me before. So.
I was given a very special rosary by this priest . . . But, what moves me the most in this gesture is what the priest said to do with the rosary: Pray for vocations, not just for your children. If either of my kids become a priest or religious, I am to give the rosary to the first one to do so. If neither of my children decide God is calling them to the Priestly or religious vocations, then I can keep it myself or find a spiritual child to gift it to.
It is difficult to share this wonderful life-changing stuff without profound, tearful gratitude to God Who has assured me of His Love and Mercy.
It is in the searching that we have the finding.
So, there it is. And, here it is again.
I've neglected joining a group or starting one . . . oh, I don't know why other than I make a million and one excuses not to. I'm human, and, I'm weak-willed! I want to set out into the deep. I know He's my Life preserver . . . but, but, but!
I'm reading the formation manual (number 1) and going through the first steps . . . praying about calling a local group, here, in Honolulu. If they meet at night (can't drive too well in the dark), it's likely I will have to start a group (keeping day time hours) . . . so I'm praying and letting Him lead me . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment