(The imagery used may be a little graphic)
The HOLD conference was recently held in Ottawa and I had the privilege of serving as part of the production team.
We had mass every day and during the second day, after having received the Eucharist, I kneeled and began to pray… As I had my eyes closed, I saw an arm laid flat against a wooden plank, and so vividly I watched a large nail get hammered into it and the hand clench tightly, in pain. I watched as blood, dark and fresh, trickled down from the wrist and onto the wood behind it, then into a chalice that waited at the edge of the plank.
This image shook me and with my hands pressed together, I curled forward and began to cry; seeing the great amount of pain experienced by Our Lord.
Then suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and Ellen calling me, “ChrisAnn? ChrisAnn? Is your headset on?” I looked up at her and instantly a look of concern flashed across her face as she saw how upset I appeared. I stood up and quickly cleared by throat and checked that in fact, my headset was on, but I heard nothing as I was kneeling and only then did Ate Candy’s voice come through. “ChrisAnn, can you hear me? Please keep your headset on at all times.” And I couldn’t explain how my headset was already on, but I somehow was unable to hear anything or anyone. I simply apologized and continued on, but my heart, although a few moments before was in pain, felt nothing but an overflowing of love.
Oh Lord, how You love us.