The Imitation of Christ

It has been such a holy week.

I sat behind my sweet Catie, whose parents came to her confirmation and reception into the Catholic Church. She was dressed all in white. The three days before, she wore black. But that night, she was dressed as a bride. She was the first to be confirmed and the last of the confirmands to receive the Eucharist. I tried to watch without her knowing I was watching her. I watched her receive Holy Communion,just as I saw her face rattle a little bit as the priest 'slapped' her on the cheek to remind her that she was to fight for Christ. Catie is already a fighter, that I know. Perhaps in that moment, she might realize that she is going to become even more than she knew she was supposed to be. That's what I think...time will tell.

I felt the energy of all the love in the church that night, from the fire at the beginning to the procession out of the church to the party almost four hours later. I don't think anyone felt bored or tired during that time. One dear young man compared the before and after of the vigil as seeing God through a screen door at the beginning of the service and finally having the door opened for him by the end of the Mass.

Notice I said 'service' and then Mass. That is because the vigil truly lasts from Thursday night with the institution of the Eucharist until midnight on Sunday morning. It has already been spoken of, but four cups of wine are shared at the Passover meal. Jesus did not complete the Passover celebration on Thursday night. After the third cup, he went into the garden and prayed and was then betrayed and then crucified. In his last moments of human life, he took a sip of the wine offered on the sponge and spoke "It is finished." And he died.

And that is what I saw in my "vision" back in 1997. I saw Jesus die on the cross. I was sitting on the hood of my car at First Methodist in Plano, waiting to talk with Keith about something...who knows what now...but I watched the sky and there He was. What struck me most about what I saw, which I didn't really understand what I was seeing while it was happening, was that He raised His head, seemed to look around and He smiled. Then He lowered His head and was suddenly gone from me.

It was the smile that held me. He wasn't looking at me. He was looking at them...and I could tell from the smile that He died knowing that it worked. That is was worth it. That nothing would ever be the same. We needed to trust that what He did was perfect. It was enough.

I was blown away. And consciously or unconsciously, I have been living off that vision ever since. I had been completely seduced by God. What I know, I can't explain to you. I just know. He wins. No matter how much we screw things up for ourselves, He wins anyway. You just have to quit fighting Him. Accept His love. It's okay. It was given to you, for you...and through you it can be passed on to every single person you meet. That's why I am not afraid to look everyone in the eyes.

I will look so deeply into your eyes that it might hurt, or make you feel a little afraid...but I don't know how to tell you what I know to be true any other way. Words just make it smaller...and what we have been given is great and powerful and perfect and exactly what we need.

It is enough to stop all the evil in this world. It is enough to heal every heart. It is enough so that no one will ever ben hungry again. No one will ever feel lonely again. It will bring the people you truly desire and need. It will cast out all evil desires. It is enough.

It is fire and water.
It is body and blood.
It is soul and divinity.
It is intimacy without fear.
It is truth and hope.
It is perfect love.
It is enough.

Love,
Cindy