As some of you know for the past four or five years my family has picked a Saint's Name out of a bag and each paper has something to pray for throughout the New Year. For example, it may say (St. Paul, pray that all may overcome temptations). So throughout the year, this would be each individuals running theme in prayer.
I believe this has been the best thing to happen to all of us, not only have we learned a great deal about the Saints and their lives, but are often inspired to live as they lived or practice the heroic virtue they were able to attain through God's Grace.
As some of you know, I've been discerning a vocation to the Secular Carmelites and have
received what I perceive to be an "engraved invitation" but with my human weakness and doubt, I still have my doubts. This is because I feel so torn between the Fransicans and Carmelites, even though in my heart I believe I belong with the Carmelites, I have been waiting for a sort of "push" from God to give me the assurance I needed to know I was making a correct decision and going where He was calling me to be.
The first year we started this "Saint for the New Year" tradition I chose St. Patrick for myself and Padre Pio for my husband. Well it turned out I ended up praying for both of their intercession's and St. Pio adopted me as his spiritual daughter. To make a long story short, because of his intercession I was healed enough physically to go back to work and was literally handed a dream job for myself as a Kindergarten Aide at St. Francis of Assisi School! What made this such a miracle, is I hadn't been able to work in a few years and I had absolutely no experience working at a school but was given the chance and am still there working very happily!
Many other miracles have happened since then, but I wanted to post this today to Praise God in all His Glory for giving me the small sign I needed to enter and pursue the Secular Carmelites!
Last night was a sad night for our family as we had to put one of our pet cats down who was suffering from Congenital Heart Failure due to a leaky heart valve. We praise God for sending us little Cubby and being able to enjoy such a wonderful creation for almost twelve wonderful years!
In the midst of all this, my mother says, "wait, we still have to pick our Saints for this year!" So my sister found the bag of papers and we said a prayer to the Holy Spirit to help us to pick the Saints we were meant to pray with this year. My Sister Amy went first, and she chose Louis and Zelie Martin, (St. Therese's parents), My Dad chose Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and I chose, drum role please........St. Therese of Lisieux! I was completely shocked! What are the odds of three out of five people in my family choosing from the Carmelite family? I definitely took this as a sign that this is where God wants me and I thank Him for it. He knows I need to be beaten over my hard head with the obvious! Thank you Jesus!
My mom chose Blessed John XXIII and Melissa another drum roll please.... chose Padre Pio! Yikes! I mean that in the most respectful way possible! Padre Pio and Therese have become my dearest Saint friends and Patrons over the last five years or so and I know All of us have many graces in store for us this year if we follow God's will for us.
I just wanted to share this with you to let you know God is in everything around us even in the smallest things, and even though you mat think it is a coincidence nothing could be farther from the truth! Listen to the stillness in your heart and you will find him waiting to speak to your heart!
I encourage all of you to do this for the New Year, an every year after! You can only gain eternal things by doing this!
"Happiness is not found in the things around us. It is found in the secrecy of the soul."~ St. Therese of Lisieux
Happy New Year!
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