There are times, that I am acutely aware of the prescence of evil; the sensation that Satan himself is working to control some part of my life. He's been pulling at me recently, directing me away from a pilgrimmage I'm intending to make tomorrow. But I'm going anyways. A good friend of mine and I made the same trip last year, a pilgrimmage to the Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Bellevue, OH. It was wonderful! A full day of prayer, reflection, mass, confession, walking rosary. Just beautiful. The two of us decided to do it annually if the trip came around again...and so here we are. This time around though, knowing full well the goodness of the trip, I'm lacking desire to go....except that I know I need to. Our home schedule is packed full, both John and I working more hours with more meetings scheduled. The kids have things going on, more-so than usual. I'm feeling horrible about leaving for the day. The trip was nearly cancelled twice, first for lack of people going and then for lack of a priest. But things are falling into line thanks to the grace of God, and so I know my place is there. I must draw near to our Blessed Mother, honoring her, and asking her to bring me and my family ever closer to her son Jesus. As she was there with me in my Bethlehem, so too may she be there with me in my Nazareth.
In the mean time I simply pray: "Away from me Satan. For I choose to shield myself with the love of Christ, my saviour. As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord."
