I count it
as a special gift, that my sister Kalin chose my baptismal candle as that which
would be the symbol of the consecrated life during the Mass in which I gave
myself to the Lord as His bride.
It is a
candle that I grew up with. Not only symbolically, in the sense that it was
present since the beginning of my Christian journey but also practically: it
was always on display in my bedroom. The famous candle that was never again lit…until
the day of my consecration!
To have
these two most important events of my life connected through a common candle is
not necessary but a nice touch. The events would have been connected anyways
through something much more profound: their nature. It is in our baptism that
the seed of our vocation is planted. A vocation that is first and foremost a
call to love God and neighbor. A love that, with time, takes on its own unique
form, in some shaping into marriage and in others, as in my case, into
consecrated life. And it is through this vocation that we continue to live ever
more fully and more personally the promises of our baptism.
As I reflect
on this first year of consecration, I find within me a desire to be led by the
light of that candle. The light that represents the Light of Christ that has
shone long before my existence and will shine on long after. The Light that
gave life to a candle of a baby girl not yet aware of the loving gaze of the
Father that would bring her to the altar 26 years and 9 months later as a
living offering to the Son with the promises of Chastity, Poverty, and
Obedience that she is able to live only with the help of the Spirit.
Today, in thanksgiving and praise, I make mine the beautiful words of St. John Henry Newman.
Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th'encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from
home,
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to
see
The distant scene; one step enough
for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that
Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path;
but now
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite
of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not
past years!
So long Thy power hath blest me,
sure it still
Will lead me on.
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and
torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces
smile,
Which I have loved long since, and
lost awhile!
Meantime, along the narrow rugged
path,
Thyself hast trod,
Lead, Saviour, lead me home in
childlike faith,
Home to my God.
To rest forever after earthly strife
In the calm light of everlasting
life.
No comments:
Post a Comment