Carmel LIGHTS
By Sister Timothy Marie
As February’s days slipped into eternity and March appeared just over the horizon, the Carmelite Sisters came together to pray for an end to our Southern California drought. For nine days we prayed to St. Joseph. February ended and rain fell on February 28, 2014 and continued throughout the weekend. Now, you may or may not know that the month of March is St. Joseph’s month and his feast day falls on March 19th each year.
So, we Sisters believe…no, rather we know, or better said yet, we are convinced that St. Joseph brought rain just as our novena ended. Several of us found our way to the veranda and sat in the chairs and just enjoyed. No talking. No singing. Just the pure, unadulterated echoes of droplets of water falling upon our inside patio. We had a glorious time.
And as we sat there, or at least sat there, I thought about how very much we take for granted and it is not until we no longer have it that we finally recognize it by its absence. It was so fulfilling to sit there in the quiet watching and listening. Both body and soul were nourished and rejoiced in that nourishing.
Then only a short time later, it seemed like the manna that covered the ground in one night, an explosion of color greeted us as we came out of the chapel at the conclusion of our Mass and morning prayers. (Of course, we didn’t see the color as we went in because out we arise much earlier than that. Our flowers had sprung up overnight. They are so beautiful. Look at what the rain did.
Prayer is like rain as it nourishes our souls, isn’t it?