"A Little Breath of Fresh Air"

We had an awesome Challenge Retreat last weekend with twenty-six fifth-grade girls.

Inspirational Moment:

I am sitting in the chapel after adoration.  The candles are still glowing in the dark. The girls are filing out reverently one-by-one, and I nearly step on a girl when I get up to genuflect.  To my surprise, there's a huddle of fifth-grade girls sitting close to each other on the floor in front of the altar.  I smile down at them, surprised.  

I'm even more surprised to hear their excited whispers as they tell me in their enthuasiastic awe, “Jacquie! We have to tell you something.”  I raise my eyebrows, kneel down, and ask, “What’s going on?”  Part of me is actually suspecting a little friend drama -- that happens now and again.  Or, maybe an emotional memory of a grandfather who has passed away that they are feeling sad about.  So… imagine my surprise when the seven girls look up at me with little eyes shining and say, "Jesus talked to me!”

There were a few tears... a lot of excited giggles... and for me, an overwhelming sense of reality, as I see this little huddle of girls in the shadow of the crucifix, which, to me, looks particularly alive at this moment.

For all of you who work hard everyday and don’t get to see these moments sometimes, I just wanted you to know that they are happening.  From that group of girls, two of them woke up early the next morning to see Jesus in the chapel before breakfast.  A few of them asked to miss night activity, so they could stay with Jesus.  And, in a brief moment of surprise, I found that our little girls were evangelizing me.

Keep doing what you are doing, men and women of faith.  Jesus blesses these girls with the graces you are drawing down in your daily sacrifices.
Thank you too for being the apostles of his heart!
I Pray that he touches you with his love this morning... and always.

God bless you!

Jacquie