This past weekend, I had one of the most amazing and powerful experiences of my life. It’s something I never imagined I would have the opportunity to do. As I reflect, I am reminded that every “yes” that we give to God leads us to have experiences and adventures that only He can make possible. From one small “yes” to attending a CEW retreat, to other “yeses” to giving talks and having other roles, each one has opened up the door and led to the mountaintop experience of being a rector for a CEW. Answering God’s invitations leads us to experiences and opportunities that we could’ve never imagined.
Over the past year of praying, planning, and preparing, it was a journey to get to this point. It was like a long and steady hike up a mountain, slowly making my way up. And Friday night before the retreat started, I was given a blessing and prayed over in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. In those moments, I was quickly and immediately, lifted up to the highest point of the mountain by the Lord through the prayers of others. And this reminded me that I had been being carried up the mountain by the prayers of other community members for the past year. I have never experienced and been aware of so many people praying specifically for me in my life. The Holy Spirit used those prayers so powerfully, allowing me to feel the effects many times throughout the journey.
As the retreat started Friday night, it truly felt like Jesus led each and every candidate and team member up a mountain. And He allowed me to have the best and highest view. To stand at the front of the room and be able to see Jesus in each and every person was unbelievable. To be able to watch how the Holy Spirit was working, moving through the conversations among tables, through the speakers and team members, through the tears and laughter of everyone there, and in every moment throughout the weekend was a real gift and blessing.
In the Gospel from Sunday, Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up a mountain. And Peter says to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here” (Matthew 17:4). Hearing this In the closing mass of the retreat, I was struck by this line. It truly seemed to capture the spirit of the whole weekend. From early on in the weekend, it appeared the group was embracing just that: recognizing how good it was to be there, up on the mountain of CEW.
There will be a lot of graces and blessings to unpack from this for a long time. To have been entrusted with this role by the community and the Lord was an honor. It was something I never thought possible and something that I never would have imagined doing. But Jesus leads us on adventures in our lives that we would’ve never come up with on our own. So, say yes to promptings and invitations from the Holy Spirit. The adventure will be greater than you could’ve imagined, the views will be amazing, and it may just be the one of the best experiences you ever have!
Faith and The Good Stuff 