There are many children beyond the normal age for receiving the sacraments, and Parish Visitors are often blessed to help them. Not long ago Sr. Jhoan Marie witnessed the Baptism and First Communion of a group of these children whom she had prepared.
Of course these overaged children preparing for First Communion were to have their First Penance ahead of time, and Jack was really nervous about this. Sister tried to help him with his nervousness as he was waiting for Father, telling him it would be like speaking to Jesus.
He came out of the confessional smiling! “Sister, it’s hard to explain what I’m feeling now! I feel life! It was really Jesus there! I feel so new! I’m forgiven!”
Sister tells us how beautiful it was to see the transformation on his face from nervousness to happiness, and his excitement to share his experience in confession. He even told his brother, who also was to go to confession for the first time, “It’s useless to feel nervous, because it’s really Jesus who is there!”
Let’s pray for Jack and all these children, and for so many other children who need to meet Jesus!
With Thanksgiving approaching, we can thank God that we ourselves have met Jesus in the sacraments. We have so much to be grateful for!
Yes, let’s stop and thank God for our baptism! For the Holy Eucharist and all the sacraments! For our Catholic faith!
We thank God for our family, too. No family is perfect except the Holy Family, but to have grown up in a decent family that cared about me is a great gift from God, which many people don’t have.
Let’s thank God for the food we have every day, for shelter, for clothing.
Thank God, too, for living in a free country, with the freedom to openly practice the faith.
There’s so much more, too, to thank God for–my friends, my health, my education–and the list could go on and on.
How about thanking God, too, that you are discerning your vocation, trying to see what His will is for your life? The fact that you’re even considering giving yourself totally to God is a gift from Him, and He is certainly pleased with that!
A vocation is a precious gift from God and a cause for great thanksgiving. It’s a great privilege to be called to be the Spouse of Christ. Do take it seriously, and act on it as soon as you know what He wants and as soon as you are able to follow. Be generous to Him! God will never be outdone in generosity, and your list of what to be thankful for will grow and grow!
Have you seen our recent video, featuring Sr. Alina Marie, Sr. Theresa Marie and Sr. Mary Emmadona? Here’s the link for it: Behind the Veil #4 – Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate in Monroe, NY – YouTube. Enjoy!
We Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate are so grateful to God for our contemplative-missionary charism. Our combination of contemplation with missionary outreach to those who are straying from the faith, and giving instructions in the faith to children, youth, and adults, is such a gift from God. Contact us to learn more!
God bless you as you continue to discern His will! We’re praying for you! Happy Thanksgiving!
The Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate