Friday, June 30, 2006

Comfort, O Comfort My People


Last October I went on a Retreat at Bellarmine Hall a Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington Illinois (near Chicago). I was using the time as discernment about the changes in my work situation. One of the activities that my spiritual director invited me to do as part of the retreat was to write a letter to myself from God that he would keep for me and then he would send it to me in the spring.

Actually, this is an activity of which I am quite familiar. I often do this in adoration or journaling. In those times I usually begin with a letter from me to God and then with a response from God. I don't pretend that it really is from God, but I do open myself up to allow for the fact that the response isn't wholly from my own conscious thought process. Often when I do this, the response gives me insight in a way that I never would have allowed myself if I had tried to think of it on my own.

So I did this very same thing when it came time to write a letter from God. I opened my heart and tried to empty myself of myself and tried to let the words flow onto the paper without even looking or thinking about what I was writing. Then I closed the envelope, wrote my name and address on the outside and handed it over and never (and I mean this NEVER) gave it another thought.

A little over a month ago that letter came to my house. I have read it probably ten times in the last month. Considering what has happened; my leaving the parish and the hurt feelings I have carried due to how my leaving has been handled at times, the words in this letter are really amazingly prophetic and lovingly consoling. Even mrangelmeg sees them as such.

It just proves the old adage that God is good, all the time.

Pax

1 comment:

Suzanne said...

Oh, wow! Oh and thankyou for sitting and being with me for breakfast, coming by to visit my husband who is not all well, and taking my son for the day to be with his friend. God bless you! It was a wonderful day with your adding so much "salt" to it! :)