Can you believe it is already January 17th!? Craziness I tell you. Usually January is a pretty calm month school-wise, life-wise and FFA-wise. This go around it has been more of the same but spiritual-wise it has been all but calm. Which is a great and wonderful thing!
Throughout this past year I have really enjoyed getting away a couple of times a month to catch an evening mass in Wichita. Sometime during the first week of the year, I got this idea that I wanted to make two masses a week. Preferably, a M-F daily mass and then Sunday. It really wasn't a new year's resolution it just was something I wanted to do. The times I go to mass mid-week actually help me. I know it sounds stupid, but if I just go on Sunday, by Thursday I am usually in need of a little spiritual pick-me-up.
For this week, I went to my additional mass on Saturday. No it didn't quite fit into the M-F time frame, but it was gonna have to work! :) Actually Saturday was one of the most perfect days of the year so far. The weather was beautiful, and I had planned a couple of weeks before to visit Sr. Mary Catherine again. Our visit was pretty great. Honestly, what I enjoyed most out of our conversation was being able to openly and honestly talk about faith. I know that each person's faith is deeply, deeply personal but when people share......... well, wonderful things can and start to happen.
So after my little trip, I had to decide between St. Anthony's and St. Joseph's for a 4 pm mass. I had never been to St. Joseph's, so that is where I headed. It was an awesome choice! I actually got there really early on accident but I went ahead and walked inside anyway. As I was kneeling, I felt prompted to go to confession. I came to mass not intending or not really "needing" to go to confession but the more I kneeled the more I just really felt like I should go.
It's funny how me not really "needing" to go to confession turned into what had to be the longest confession ever. Not because of my long list of sins ;) but because that priest at St. Joseph's is awesome! He just kept asking me question after question, what my opinion on what trust actually was, and then he'd put in his two-cents. He made me smile lots and gave me a lot of hope. Best of all, right before he gave me my penance, he asks, "You love our Blessed Mother, right?". I think I was a bit eager with my YES! Actually, how can you bee too eager to say yes to that question? :) Plus, with all my reading I did to learn how to go to confession, I have noticed all the priests always leave out the part right before we say, "His mercy endures forever". But this guy didn't. Legit. Go confess to him if you ever get the chance.
The rest of the mass was simply beautiful. Coming off that confession I was already so free. Then the readings about Samuel were perfect. I really felt like that, "Speak, Lord your servant is listening!!" Then we get to the psalms, "Here am I Lord; I come to do your will," and it brings more chills. Finally, I am left wanting to run out into the world to do something, anything for God when I hear, "Come, and you will see." God was bringing his "A game" for sure today. Then we got to Father's homily. That little turd was throwing in stuff that we had just talked about. :) Hmmmm. Of course, you can imagine he talked a bit about vocations but also about bringing other people to the faith. The Eucharist had me floating through air. Then we sang The Summons. It was like, how does God orchestrate all this again? One of the most wonderful masses I have ever celebrated.
You know, maybe God didn't physically call me like He did with Samuel; but I sure was getting the message! So glad I had to wait until Saturday to attend mass.
Peace!
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