Baptism
One year ago today, on the Feast of the Divine Mercy, my niece became a Christian.
This day was significant to me not only because Norah is my niece, but she is also my godchild.
I went through a very difficult Lent this past year. The Saturday before Lent began, two students from Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, both of whom I loved very much, died in a tragic car accident. When Ash Wednesday followed that week, the sense of usual sobriety of Lent was intensified with unspeakable tragedy and sorrow.
I spent much of the next forty days contemplating death and how much I felt unprepared to face my own. It was a Lent unlike any other I had experienced.
Easter Sunday itself was still thick with the haunting thought of these students' death. I ate a delicious Easter brunch with two friends and my then fiance, feeling solemnly, hesitantly festive for the Easter season; we looked from our dining table onto a spectacular view of the same lake that took these two young people so suddenly.
Easter didn't feel like a season of new life for me.
Yet that following Sunday, I was privileged to watch the tiny, beautiful Norah be reborn with Christ. Her own death of sorts in the water and rising to new life in Christ brought tears to my eyes. I never felt so proud then when I was able to hold her, minutes after Mass, and realize she has been forever marked with the sign of Christ. My little niece was a Christian.
The baptism also played a part in healing some of my grief over the loss of Paul and Janine. While baptism involves a "death", but brings about new life, so too do I hope in their everlasting life. I literally have never met any person as holy as these two young people. I can almost see their faces in heaven.
So, too, do I see my sweet little niece's face there.
God is faithful to His promises, and He has already poured out so many graces on His beloved Norah. She is a remarkably sweet, imaginative, darling, obedient child. Watching her and loving her has played a key part in the final inspiration for me to say "yes" to motherhood .
I love you, Norah.
Paul and Janine, pray for us.
This day was significant to me not only because Norah is my niece, but she is also my godchild.
I went through a very difficult Lent this past year. The Saturday before Lent began, two students from Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, both of whom I loved very much, died in a tragic car accident. When Ash Wednesday followed that week, the sense of usual sobriety of Lent was intensified with unspeakable tragedy and sorrow.
I spent much of the next forty days contemplating death and how much I felt unprepared to face my own. It was a Lent unlike any other I had experienced.
Easter Sunday itself was still thick with the haunting thought of these students' death. I ate a delicious Easter brunch with two friends and my then fiance, feeling solemnly, hesitantly festive for the Easter season; we looked from our dining table onto a spectacular view of the same lake that took these two young people so suddenly.
Easter didn't feel like a season of new life for me.
Yet that following Sunday, I was privileged to watch the tiny, beautiful Norah be reborn with Christ. Her own death of sorts in the water and rising to new life in Christ brought tears to my eyes. I never felt so proud then when I was able to hold her, minutes after Mass, and realize she has been forever marked with the sign of Christ. My little niece was a Christian.
The baptism also played a part in healing some of my grief over the loss of Paul and Janine. While baptism involves a "death", but brings about new life, so too do I hope in their everlasting life. I literally have never met any person as holy as these two young people. I can almost see their faces in heaven.
So, too, do I see my sweet little niece's face there.
God is faithful to His promises, and He has already poured out so many graces on His beloved Norah. She is a remarkably sweet, imaginative, darling, obedient child. Watching her and loving her has played a key part in the final inspiration for me to say "yes" to motherhood .
I love you, Norah.
Paul and Janine, pray for us.
Beautiful, Jenna. One more thing to add to the massive list of things I love about you.
ReplyDeleteDid I ever tell you that we chose you to be Godmother to our first child, long before Norah was conceived? That instinct was just confirmed by the news that our little baby was on the way. I always knew you'd be the right woman for the job. And (as usual!) I was right.
jenna, patrick and noah, a big (if late) congratulations. we were praying for you and will continue.
ReplyDelete