Fiat

I often pray for the desire and strength to do God’s will, as Mary did. She responded to the angel Gabriel, with one word, “Fiat.” A small replica of Fra Angelico’s famous painting of the Annunciation is hung on the wall in my bedroom.  On this splendid Feast, I received a lesson and a great gift.

                I awoke this morning, with a heavy heart.  Last evening, my mother in law reminded me at dinner that she needed to be taken to Bethesda Naval Hospital to pick up one of her medications.  When I ordered the prescription last week, we had talked about picking it up on the 26^th, but I forgot. My response to her was not kind and was laden with the impression that helping her with this was a burden. 

 I tend to be protective of my Monday mornings, as most often as not, a productive Monday morning leads to a productive week and non-productivity on Monday leads to the same for the week.  I had scheduled a long awaited meeting for the middle of Monday in Georgetown which would take a huge chunk of the day - something that I was also viewing as a burden.  I was angry and aggravated with this the need to drive 15 miles to get medicine, when I can walk to the closest CVS.

                While speaking to a good friend last night about my reaction, I realized that my mother in law’s most important activity of the week wasn’t even on my list.  My mother in law became a widow last August, she is elderly, and not in good health. I grasped that I don’t need to go across the world or even across the street to accomplish Corporal Works of Mercy in the name of the Lord.   My mother in law is a widow, aging, grieving and ill.  That work that I pray to accomplish in the name of Christ is sitting in my family room.  And so, I resolved to take her to get her medicine before I headed to my lunch appointment.

                At Mass this morning, my pastor stated that is was obligatory for us to celebrate today’s feast.  With that in mind, I picked up my mother in law and you would have thought that taking her on this errand was the equivalent of taking her to Disney World!  She was so happy!  Her joy was such a wonderful reward and was humbling.

                As my day progressed, I thought about those words from my pastor, that I was obligated to celebrate today.  I slowed down my day and thoroughly enjoyed the scrumptious seafood lunch in Georgetown.  The friend I met for lunch is a new Catholic.  This is his first Feast of the Annunciation and we had a wonderful discussion about our faith as well as accomplished the business at hand.

 I then strolled to the Georgetown Cupcake shop.  My niece in Michigan has a great fondness for this shop, although she only knows of it from the television show. I got in line (outside the store) and was entertained by the employee who would accurately and deliciously describe each of the cupcake flavors for the clientele (for instance the difference between vanilla and vanilla birthday).   I purchased a Georgetown cupcake mug to mail my niece and bought cupcakes for my family for dinner.  We don’t normally have dessert during the week, but we are obligated to celebrate!

                Walking back along the C & O Canal to my car, I thanked Mary for her example and said a prayer of thanksgiving for the revelation I received about my mother in law.

                Now the only decision left for the day is, will it be honey banana, cherry blossom or red velvet cake for dessert. I suppose I will be obligated to enjoy it!

Hello readers.  I wrote the message below to my women's prayer and bible study group at home.  I thought it was worth sharing more broadly.

Hello Women of St. Bernadette from Rome!

Courtney, Karen and I are three of 38 pilgrims being led by Monsignor Smith on a pilgrimage to Italy.  Today (Thursday) was a highlight.  We attended the Deaconate Ordination of Pat Lewis, a man who grew up as a member of St. Bernadette.  Thirty-five young men make their vows as a Deacon today in St. Peter's Basilica. God willing, they will all become Priests in May and June next year.  These young men can now preach, bless things (not people), and baptize.  They have also chosen a lifetime dedicated to Christ and therefore a celibate life.

I can't even begin to describe the joy and love of that Mass.  Monsignor Smith was one of 150 or more co-celebrants.  Sitting just a little left and a story above the tomb of St. Peter was an experience that I would wish for all of you! 

This afternoon, I took a walk across Rome.  My goal was to pray a decade of the Rosary in five different churches.  The focus of my walk was to get to Santa Sabina, a church build in the 4th century.  It was there that St. Dominic built his monastery in 1220 and where St. Thomas Aquinas studied and prayed. 

As I walked along the Tiber River, I realized that Basilica S. Bartholomaei in Insula (the church of St. Bartholonew) was on the island.  I walked over the bridge, resisting the call of the souvenir peddlers and the gelato shop, to the church.  It houses the remains of St.  Bartholomew and has two beautiful paintings - one of the visitation and the other the annunciation. I found the Annunciation unusual in that it has both God the Father and the Holy Spirit in it.
There, I paused to pray a decade of the rosary and then lit a candle and prayed for the Women of St. Bernadette.  Specifically, I prayed that through our work, we would strengthen our relationship with Jesus and that we would bring many women to a better understanding of the Catholic faith.

I wish every woman in our group could have experienced this trip.  We celebrated mass in inexpressibly beautiful and sacred surroundings.  We walked in the places that St. Peter and St. Paul were martyred.  We saw the light go off in the papal apartment at 11 one night and saw him in person.  We prayed in front of the crucifix that St. Catherine of Sienna used.  We walked into the tiny, one room chapel used by St. Francis.  And we ate delicious food, laughed until our sides hurt and toasted our new friendships with smooth Roman wine! Our pastor poured himself out in homilies that touched our souls and challenged us to life faithful Catholic lives.
I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Your sister in Christ,

Mary Ellen