As Fr. Bill said during our tour of the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, it takes a special desire to get up early as a college student and spend the day Shrine hopping. Yeah. Actually, I would have been up anyway and at Mass. But I mean, you can tell me I have a special desire and you'll be right. So here's the truth: I switched my work day so that I could go to the shrine with a few of the campus ministry "groupies." As religious of a fanatic I can be at times, my main motive was just getting off campus and going into the city. The shrine was beautiful, don't get me wrong. But I already knew Catherine Laboure's story and I wear my Miraculous Medal proudly with devotion in French, mind you, my original foreign language. It was lovely to be among so many devoted people praying the Novena I've had memorized since I started going to daily Mass. And to have beautiful music in addition to a great homily on the Magnicat (my favorite Mary prayer). But something just wasn't hitting my heart yet. Then we all got in the van to go home when Father said we were making a surprise trip the Carmelites. HOLY WOW! Nothing like high heaven!!!
Teresa of Avila has always been my favorite saint (in addition to the other carmelites, Therese and Edith). Her go-get-her attitude, independence, sass master ways and realness just defines me to a tee. She's a mystic, a reformer and had such a real relationship with God. Oh and she suffered from severe migraines. Her life story=my life story. I love her and I always, honestly, wanted to live the life of Carmel. I've always desired the silence and strict lifestyle of Carmel. I know, BIG SHOCKER, right? I'm loud, boisterous, out-going. Why on EARTH would I cloister myself? Honestly? I don't know why. I just live their lifestyle. Now the tradition is, that every time you visit the monastery, you bring an offering to the nuns. Since it was spur of the moment, we didn't have an offering. So, I volunteered. Just put me in the TURN! Father and I laughed, since we were the only ones who understood until everyone finally saw the TURN. "See, you could really fit in there. Get in. We're leaving you here." I had no objections. But then I thought about my siblings and all the others I would leave behind. My blog right now is clear indication that I didn't stay but oh how I wish I had to courage to enter Carmel.
Holy Spirit Chapel, Carmelite Monastery, Philadelphia
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