Anam Cara

Last night I went to my weekly Journey in Faith (RCIA) session. After the usual preamble about the Creed and faith/hope/charity, Fr put on a cassette about friendship according to celtic wisdom. I found it a little strange at first because there was a lot of talking about stones, trees, flowers, dawn, dusk, light and darkness and so on (which sets off alarm bells in the mind of any Orthodoxish type person) but then things began to get interesting.

The thing that fascinated me more than anything else was the idea of an ‘Anam Cara’, a ‘soul friend’. Someone who you are completely open with, that you trust, that you would confess to and confide in, who knows, appreciates and accepts your inner beauty. How your soul draws very close to theirs, the light of your souls begin to flow together and you become part of one another. The notion of an ancient and sacred bond. (I think this is what John O’Donohue says).

I hope so.

All Saints

When I was first learning about Catholicism, I came across a prayer titled ‘All Saints Prayer’. I wondered what it was. ‘Oh,’ I thought, ‘it’s probably someone who needs a lot of help and wants to call all the saints at once.’ So I wrote it down.

Now I discover that All Saints is a day, and that this prayer is just part of it. At vigil Mass last night we heard about a vision of people in white robes cleansed with the blood of the Lamb and Jesus, Mary and John the Baptist in the middle. (Sorry if I’m getting confused between All Souls and All Saints – I still have a lot to learn.)

My goal in life is to be a saint – someone who loves God entirely and so loves His people, too. Someone who can point the way to Christ and give glory to Him. As I’m walking towards this, I’ve found words of saints gone before – St Therese, St Augustine, St Ignatius, St Teresa of Avila, St Francis and St Clare of Assisi, St Rose of Lima, Mother Teresa etc. It is possible to learn a lot from them, and I will try my hardest to learn more and more.

Thank You, Lord, for Your friends, the saints. I pray that we may all learn from their ways and ,with Your guidance and grace as well as their prayers, reach heaven.

*All Saints Prayer*

Father, All-Powerful and ever-living God, today we rejoice in the holy men and women of every time and place. May their prayers bring us your forgiveness and love. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Thank you, Master.

I went to see the relics of St Therese of Lisieux five days ago, and it was a wonderful evening (even the part where I was told off by the steward for snoring.) I have adopted St Therese as my confirmation saint and now carry The Gift of Therese of Lisieux everywhere with me. *dreamily* The Little Flower…I went to see the Little Flower…

I will try to offer You lots of flowers, too. Tidying flowers. Studying flowers. Patience/tolerance flowers. Lonely flowers. Silent flowers.