Photo used with permission, Google Search Creative Commons License.
I recently visited Toronto and had the privilege of participating in Mass on a Marian feast day. The celebration was unique, with special prayers in honour of our Blessed Mother Mary. We prayed the rosary, but in a celebratory manner. The lights were dimmed, candles were handed out to each person, and then lit, creating a beautiful candlelit atmosphere in the church. We stood as we prayed each decade of the rosary, which was intonated and intermingled with lovely Marian hymns.
As the prayers of the rosary went on, I had a brief moment when I experienced such a deep sense of pure joy and was overwhelmed with God’s love. Our voices blended into one voice, creating a symphony of praise that echoed our praises to God. Tears of joy welled up in my eyes as I beheld the beauty of the heavenly melodies that reverberated in the church. It created unity amidst diversity as we blended our voices and embraced our shared faith. What music to the ears!
At that moment, we were one: one people, one faith, one body of Christ, one Church, one family of God. I was many miles from home, yet this was home and everyone was welcomed, despite differences in nationalities, social class, culture, race and ethnicity.
It reminded me of this scripture from St. Paul:
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” – Ephesians 2:19-21
This scripture reminds me that I have brothers and sisters on earth and in heaven who are cheering me on my journey. We often feel at home when we experience a sense of belonging, and we’re accepted as we are. Home is a place where we live as members of a family or household. At home, we are sheltered, we experience companionship, friendship, freedom to be ourselves, and are loved. The Church is home for us as Christians and where we have shared common values, beliefs, faith and are all brothers and sisters in Christ. I experience all of these things in the Church.
Belonging has another name: family. The Church is our mother, and our Heavenly Father is our daddy, and he cares for all of us as his children. The Church, as our mother, nurtures, cares, feeds, loves, and teaches her spiritual children to grow in holiness. We are spiritually reborn in her, through the sacrament of baptism, and we receive ongoing nourishment through the rest of her sacraments. Human life goes through stages of growth as we mature into adulthood. In the same way, our souls grow as we journey through spiritual life, through which the sacraments accompany us.
As I further reflected, another recent memory came to mind, which was an experience of the Church as an extended family. I celebrated my birthday recently and happened to be home alone, because my household members were away at different ministries. After Mass that morning, we gathered at the back of the church and Fr. Jonathan began singing a happy birthday song, and everyone else joined in jubilation, then they prayed for me. This was such a lovely gesture of love among members of my local church and it touched my heart. This was a simple way my church family expressed their love and I felt appreciated.
Families often celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and other meaningful events of their family members. The Church, too, celebrates members of her mystical body who have journeyed through their earthly lives with heroic virtue and are good examples to us in this life, as we did on the Marian feast day in Toronto. We celebrate memorials, feasts and solemnities of saints who conquered sin, grew in grace and are now seated with our Heavenly Father in our heavenly homeland, where we hope to join them upon completion of this earthly pilgrimage. We also celebrate and commend those who have finished the race and have entered into the Father’s embrace.
It also reminds me of this scripture:
“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” – Revelation 21:3-4
Last year, I experienced the support of the Church when our foundress, Sr. Anna, went home to the Lord. As a Community, we had many friends who journeyed with us in our grief, as we mourned our loss. Our Church family was there for us in all the ways that we needed help and support, such as the funeral Mass and burial preparation. At that time, too, I experienced the Church as Mother.
To conclude, I am amazed at Mother Church and her care for us, her care for me. It reminds me of this quote I saw recently:
“In designing his Church, God worked with such skill that in the fullness of time it would resemble a single great family embracing all men. It can be identified, as we know, by certain distinctive characteristics, notably its universality and unity.” – Pope Pius XI
I invite you to join me in a prayer of thanksgiving to God our Father, for gifting us with such a noble, generous gift of his Church, our Mother, of which we are members in Christ. I thank God for the gift of faith and salvation won for us on the cross by our Lord Jesus Christ, especially for the sacraments that journey with us through life.
Have you ever experienced a sense of belonging in the Church? I invite you to allow God to love you and minister to your needs through Mother Church. Kindly give God permission to bring healing, health and wholeness to your soul through his Church, our Mother.
Related Posts
