Are you listening? Can you hear Jesus calling? If not, you might want to take a minute or ten to quiet yourself and listen for His gentle voice.
That's exactly what I got to do tonight. We had a healing Mass - an opportunity to bring our pain, sufferings, challenges, fears, and give it all to God.
It's not as easy as it sounds, but it's worth the effort to try.
The setting: a darkened church, with votive lights flickering. Soft music playing. Jesus, exposed in the monstrance, beckoning us closer.
Mass began with song, asking for healing. We acknowledged our sinfulness, our failings, and our mistakes. We heard God's Word encouraging us, reminding us that we are not alone. After the homily, we had the opportunity to name what needs healing in our lives by writing it on a piece of paper. Then Jesus came to us, in the monstrance, to gaze lovingly on us, sinfulness and all. Even, and most especially, the parts that we would rather hide from Him. All of the papers were brought forward and presented to God, symbolic of our letting go. We were reminded that we might encounter healing, or it might come in ways we didn't expect, or we might be asked to carry our cross as a way to share in Christ's suffering on the cross of salvation. Next, we internalized our experience by receiving Jesus in the Eucharist. Then the papers were burned, smoke rising, like incense to Heaven. It was a very symbolic way to release burdens we are not meant to carry.
As Mass ended, we closed with the song City of God - re-emphasizing that we are no longer in the darkness of our hurt and suffering, we have been freed and given a new and deeper understanding of our purpose. It was a beautiful experience during Lent and during this Jubilee Year of Mercy. May we always strive to extend this same love and mercy to others.
One of the main songs during our reflection was Sacred Silence by Tom Booth. It is absolutely beautiful, and it gently invites us to mediate on God's unfailing love for us. Check it out:
Gentle waters, washing over me
Help me listen, Holy Spirit
Come and speak to me
God my father, Christ my brother
Holy Spirit, sanctifying me
Lord I'm sorry, please forgive me
Come and set me free
Sacred silence, Holy ocean
Gentle waters, washing over me
Help me listen, Holy Spirit
Come and speak to me
Holy Mary, Gentle mother
God's pure vessel, praying for me
Saints and Angels, all in heaven
Come and be with me
Gentle waters, washing over me
Help me listen, Holy Spirit
Come and speak to me
Come and be with me
Come and speak to me
Prayer: Lord, we are not worthy, nor can we earn Your love. Help us to accept this gift, freely given. Open our hearts to You. Let us catch even a glimpse of Your mercy as a way to win our souls. May we never lose sight of our true goal.
1 comment:
Great song!
Post a Comment