It moves me
October 1st is the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux, the patron saint of our parish. This year the bishop celebrated a special mass in her honor in the morning, allowing all of the school children to attend and participate. It was beautiful. The excitement had been building the entire week before as the children prepared for the special day. In the past, this special mass has been offered in the evening, but this year because of some schedule conflicts, it was held at the normal time for daily mass.
The junior high boys had the privelege of being altar servers. The junior high girls part of the honor guard and choir. The 5th grade class helped serve coffee, juice and rolls for the reception that followed mass. Many students helped with readings, and any of the girls who wished dressed as St. Therese. It was all a magnificant sight. I'm sure there was enthusiasm just because it was out of the ordinary, but I'm positive there was much excitement based on the idea that we really get to celebrate the life of an extrodinary young woman who was entirely devoted to Jesus and had such incredible wisdom and insight on doing little things with great love. I am thrilled that our children have the opportunity to have a deeper understanding of the beautiful love of Jesus through these amazing saints.
I was armed and with my camera of course and recognized again that I wish I would just find the courage to put myself center stage and capture the really great pictures that I really want, but I often feel like I would be a distraction and then come home with distant shot or half of the subject in focus, etc.
Jakob was given the honor of holding the bishops mitre. He (Bishop Bruskewitz) has reached the age of mandatory retirement, so this may be the last opportunity any of our children have to partcipate in such a celebration with him. (Proud mama here! :) )
Maybe the things that our children did could seem so trivial, but each of them were giddy about all of it, including Benjamin whose Kindergarten class got to go to mass that day. (Kindergarten doesn't go to mass until 2nd semester.) It made me so happy to see my children eager to praise God, serve Jesus and honor St. Therese in such a beautiful way. As 8:15 approached and the school students began to file into church, squeezing in tight to make room for more of our church family, I was, for lack of any better word to adequately describe the feeling, MOVED. Deeply touched. Humbled to see each pew of the church filled to maximum capacity on a day that was not an "ordinary" day of worship or a day of obligation. All these people gathered for the same reason...because we love the Lord, and all that he provides for us and wish to beg St. Therese for prayers on our behalf and shower us with roses.
The junior high boys had the privelege of being altar servers. The junior high girls part of the honor guard and choir. The 5th grade class helped serve coffee, juice and rolls for the reception that followed mass. Many students helped with readings, and any of the girls who wished dressed as St. Therese. It was all a magnificant sight. I'm sure there was enthusiasm just because it was out of the ordinary, but I'm positive there was much excitement based on the idea that we really get to celebrate the life of an extrodinary young woman who was entirely devoted to Jesus and had such incredible wisdom and insight on doing little things with great love. I am thrilled that our children have the opportunity to have a deeper understanding of the beautiful love of Jesus through these amazing saints.
St. Therese , the little flower, please pick me a rose from the heavenly garden and send it to me with a message of love. Ask God to grant me the favor I thee implore and tell him I will love Him each day more and more.
above photo from Jackie V. Thanks for letting me steal this photo to use Jackie!
