I love weddings; they
are always moments of grace. From the Wedding feast of Cana, to the Wedding Feast
of the Lamb, Jesus is present. In fact if He is invited to be the center of the
event, grace abounds. Our Catholic teaching reminds us that, “A sacrament is an outward sign, instituted
by Christ to give grace.” Every time you witness a sacrament being
administered, you are witnessing a Holy Moment. Jesus Christ is never too busy to
show up in power, if you but open the door of your hearts to Him in an attitude
of prayer. No wonder my heart leaps for joy when I receive the invitation to a
wedding. I immediately place the card on the bulletin board where it is visible
so I can pray daily for the couple about to wed.
As I was praying about this blog, the Holy Spirit brought
into remembrance the wedding of two friends of my daughter Amanda Joy that I attended. It was a moment of grace, a Holy
Moment uniting a man and a woman who had known each other all of their lives.
As the bride and the groom approached the altar, and joined hands to confess
their love and proclaim their vows, the Holy Spirit filled the room with His
sweet presence. Tears welled up in my eyes and the eyes of others. As we focused
on the beautiful bride and the dashing groom, I prayed silently in my
heart for the couple. Decades of marriage has taught me
most couple are unaware of the “quantum leap” they are about to take into the
land of forever. Oh the joy that filled
the room as the priest said the words, “I
now pronounce you man and wife.” Their first marital kiss sealed the love
they had in their hearts for one another.
The sacramental union of our friends was followed by the
Holy Mass. As I received the Eucharist
and drank the blood of my Savior, I prayed for my marriage and for our seven
adult children. I thanked my God that we
had the done the journey, my husband Deacon Pat and I, from young love to
maturely united in the Sacrament. God’s grace has been sufficient to walk together
no matter what season we found ourselves in. We had done the journey in good times,
climbing the mountains with high joy filling our souls.We stood by each other
in the bad times, walking hand and hand together through the valley. In sickness
we cared for each other and in health we enjoyed each other. The “I do” stood the test of time.
As I filed into my pew and knelt down to pray, the Holy
Spirit came upon me and spoke life giving words to my soul. He said, “Ellen,
would you rather bask in my love or work in the fields.” I knew just what God
meant. Deacon Pat and I had just moved to Macon,Georgia to go into full time
ministry. We had left behind our homeland where we had lived for thirty years;
family, friends, church, ministry, community and life as we knew it. I was
exhausted, lonely and homesick. Being back in our old Church for the wedding,
where we knew everyone and had so been a part of, brought tears to my eyes. I
had been crying out to my Heavenly Father for refreshment.God was answering
that pray as only He can do by filling my soul with His love. In an instant the
answer came for my Heavenly Father’s question. I am sure that it did not come
from me, but from the heart of God. The words came in reply, “Lord, I cannot work in the fields, if I do
not first bask in your love.” Mass
continued on, but I am not sure I was present. I was deep in prayer
contemplating the profound reply.
“I cannot work in the
fields Lord Jesus, unless I first bask in your love.” This one sentence has
formed my ministry as a speaker and a writer. I have learned that if I want to
speak or write from the heart of God I have to spend time basking in His love.
I have to be still and know that He is God. I must listen intently, then go
forth, and “Do whatever He tells me.” I know that apart from God I can do
nothing. Whenever I find myself exhausted
working in the fields; trying to give when I do not have anything left to give,
I am reminded of this moment of grace. I know that I have to get alone with
God, retreat to a quiet place to pray. No one can give out without waiting on God to pour His grace and His love first into them. "If you want to work in the fields, you too must bask
in His love."
Everyone knows that after a wedding comes the honeymoon. The
long awaited honeymoon begins when the groom beckons his bride with the words, “Come away with me, my love.” It is a
time for the couple to unite as one. A time to rest, relax, refresh and enjoy
one another’s company. It is a time to let the world pass by and bask in the
love for one another. It is a time to get to know each other better and to
discover how to love each other more. Alone together you learn to listen to each
other from the heart.
When your Savior Jesus Christ beckons you with the words, “Come away with me, my love,” it is like
a honeymoon for your souls. It should be an essential part of your walk with
Christ if you want to be guided by His Spirit and walk in His grace. Retreats refresh, renew and restore your heart. When you are apart from people and your daily life, your ears are little
more attuned to God’s voice. Basking in His love brings new gifts, new
direction and a new skip in your step as you talk heart to heart with your Beloved Savior.
When you hear the voice of your Beloved calling you to come away; do not delay.
He is the one who tends your heart. He is the one who knows what you need.
How long has it been ladies since you basked in the love of
your Savior? Are you working in the fields way too long. Are you growing weary? God wants to refresh you. He wants to
accessorize you with virtue so you can bless others in the field. Do you hear the voice of your Beloved calling,
“Come away with me, my love?” Answer
swiftly. Go and bask in His love. Let Him refresh you. Let Him bless your heart!
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