Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Where to start?

It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.
St. Francis of Assisi

It is said that every journey begins with just one step. So my journey to the one Holy Catholic Church must have had a beginning; I'm just not sure when it began.

It would be easy for me to say that the journey began the evening I attended my first Mass -- November 1, 2006. But it could not have -- part of the journey had to lead me to the Church door in the first place.

The truth is, I believe I have been "on my way" for my entire life. The little girl who lay in the grass and spoke to God was already on her way. The young woman who greeted her newborn children with wonder at the miracle of their existence was on her way. The almost-40 matriarch who sat by her father's bed as he lay suffering was travelling "the road". She just had not bothered to read the signs.

I hope to trace (or retrace) through these pages and these words the various "signs of grace" in my life that have lead me to this place -- this faith, this longing for baptism, this hunger for communion. If you are so inclined, come walk with me. We will look for the signs together.

Next Installment: Deep Roots

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love your mental picture of the little girl lying in the grass, talking to God. Those of us who were fortunate enough to wonder and contemplate at that age, have a storehouse of conversations with Him in our hearts.

Anonymous said...

I'll be reading these with much interest.

NanaR said...

@Credo Catholic:

Thanks!!

I love your comment :-)

Jeffrey Pinyan said...

This is japhy from CHNI. I'll be reading along, and I'm adding your blog to my daily list.

Benedicite!

Anonymous said...

I still sit with him in the grass a little girl. When I just want to be with him, I close my eyes and see myself, a little girl, sitting in the grass with him, under a tree and by a brook, just talking, and sometimes even not talking at all. Sometimes I go to his house and bake bread with Mary...

Racaela Fultz

Anonymous said...

I can't wait for the next installment. God bless you Ruth.
Joan B.

Russ Rentler, M.D. said...

Great writing !Welcome home!!!

Odysseus said...

I just discovered your blog and decided to start at the beginning. I am looking forward to it.