My experience happened in 2004. It seemed like ages ago, but no one ever forgets a moment like that. It may have been a simple moment, but these moments often seem to be the most significant for me. I was 15 years old at the time. And at that age, no teenager wants to be in a place their parents forced them to be, or in my case, a church retreat. My life at the time had no clear direction. I was just existing, and I didn’t really seem to mind that. I wasn’t a problem child. My life wasn’t reckless. I just wasn’t interested in being at church. I always thought I had better things to do. Little did I know, something… someone was going to change my life forever. Funny how God works.
As the retreat progressed, the more my heart and mind opened. It wasn’t until the Saturday night of the retreat that things really took a turn for the amazing. There was a reading and meditation about the hemorrhaging woman who touched the ends of Jesus’ cloak believing she would be healed of her afflictions. This meditation was followed with the procession of the Eucharist. In this moment, there was no doubt in me that God was real. The closer He got to me, the more difficulty I had breathing. It was inevitable. It was like I was paralyzed from shock. And all of a sudden, there He was right in front of me. I kissed His cloak and a weight lifted from my body. A weight I never even knew I possessed. I had never felt so at peace before. It felt like all of Heaven came down on Earth just to kiss me on the forehead. Jesus present in the Eucharist filled a hole in me that nothing else could fill because only Jesus belongs there.
I left the retreat that weekend with a new sense of belonging and purpose. I wanted my life to reflect a life of love and service to my community, to those around me. Since that first true encounter with the living God, my journey has been difficult and filled with many trials. I have lost my way too many times to count. But God’s mercy is abundant. And he has stood beside me patiently, with an unfailing, unconditional love that has helped me persevere in times of trouble.
Since my initial brush with the Almighty, I will never forget the things He has done for me, and what He continues to do for me. I will be forever blessed, and forever grateful.
