To Live in This Moment of History
“Dear friends, may no adversity paralyze you. Be afraid neither of the world, nor of the future, nor of your weakness. The Lord has allowed you to live in this moment of history so that, by your faith, His Name will continue to resound throughout the world." ~Pope Benedict XVI
I've had the great grace to be able to spend some time with family in California. I've treated it as a bit of a retreat, blessed to be able to attend daily Mass at Mission San Juan Capistrano, either in the beautiful basilica or in St. Serra Chapel, the longest-standing chapel where St. Junipero Serra offered Mass.
Our flight from California back to Michigan was delayed last-minute by a couple days. It turned out to be an unexpected grace! Not only was I able to reconnect with family and new friends, we had the chance to spend our New Year's Eve with Our Lord and the Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey in Silverado, California.
It's the newest abbey in the world, built a couple years ago, with nearly 50 priests and 30 seminarians. The Norbertines, with a 900-year tradition, have been serving Orange County, California for half a century.
As their website states, "The priests of our canonry operate parishes and teach in schools. We provide chaplains to colleges and communities of religious women. Some of our confreres write books and articles, while others have ministries through internet and radio. We celebrate the sacraments and teach religious education in prisons, youth facilities, hospitals, and nursing homes. Our abbey is the site of numerous retreats and Bible studies, as well as a popular summer camp run by our seminarians.
In short, we are an abbey of Catholic priests, united in love to praise God and serve His faithful people. Come and pray with us sometime. Peace be with you, and may God bless you always."
Kneeling before Our Lord exposed in the golden monstrance, the priests solemnly intoned the Te Deum, welcoming in the new year, while our prayers rose together like incense to Heaven.
Time seems to stand still when in the presence of our Eucharistic Lord in adoration. Looking into that Sacred Host, one feels as if one is gazing into eternity. It's a glimpse into our destiny: to be united in an eternal communion of love with the God Who is Love.
Until then, we labor and suffer in this vale of tears. In spite of the trials, pains and upheavals of 2023, I knelt and thanked God for all of them, as He can bring greater good from our sufferings. We only need to trust Him.
I prayed for His guidance in 2024, most especially turning to Our Lady, Star of the Sea — Stella Maris — asking her to guide and direct our steps. I also remembered all of you, my friends and supporters, asking God to bless and repay your kindness and help you now and always.
Wishing all of you an abundance of God's graces in the new year.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight."
~Proverbs 3:5
