A relic of Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos was the
focus on the shrine in the Gruber/Lee Home.
Last night's meeting of Our Lady of Fatima Prayer Group made me more conscious about the importance of Christian Fellowship; how truly satisfying and comforting it is to be part of a good group of people who come together in the same spirit of faith and love for God. One doesn't feel so "alone" in this world that is becoming increasingly hostile towards matters of Christian belief. We encourage each other and give each other strength to move forward along life's uneven path.
So at our prayer meeting there were several people who participated that we hadn't prayed with in quite a long while... but despite the time that has passed since we last saw each other, there is still that special bond that keeps us feeling closer than ever... and I know it's because of the Lord, who acts as our spiritual "glue".
Our July meeting progressed in the usual manner... we did our Bible scripture reading and reflection; read a message from Our Lady of Medjugorje; venerated the memory and 1st Class Relic of our Saint of the month (Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos, d. 1867); and prayed the Holy Rosary before enjoying a potluck dinner while having an impromptu catch-up session, which I think we all look forward to as an important social aspect of our monthly gathering.
Our conversation flowed smoothly and centered around one of the married couples present. They recently returned from making the "El Camino de Santiago" - the almost 500 mile walking pilgrimage route from southern France to the shrine of St. James the Apostle in Galicia, Spain - and they shared interesting stories about their personal adventures along their journey.
A traditional map of the "El Camino
de Santiago", the Way of St. James.
Needless to say, the night ended with everything being simply gratifying - the prayers, the food, and the company. I left for home feeling highly blessed [again] for having such great friends in Jesus Christ.
"For where two or three are gathered
in my name, there am I among them.”
~ Words of Our Lord,
Matthew 18:20
No comments:
Post a Comment
[Your comment/feedback is welcomed. However, business advertisements of any sort are not allowed and will be deleted. Thank you.]