This past February I had the opportunity to embark on a journey in the East coast. I’d like to think of it as a ‘Discernment Pilgrimage.’ My journey started in Montreal and then went from Downtown Toronto, to Waterloo, to Cambridge (to attend the SOLI Sisters Come and See), and then finally to Mississauga. Prior to my trip, I experienced about a 3 month of utter dryness and desolation. However, despite my emotions, I still tried my best to remain faithful to Lord in prayer and actively pursue holiness.
The blessings from this journey are beyond measure. It was such a humbling experience to from the beginning to the end, the Lord has relentlessly pursued me and spoke my soul–giving me answers to the questions I had been so tirelessly searching and listening for. The impact of this journey still deeply resonates within me (and I hope it always will). I am still pondering and unpacking the Lord’s messages to me. One thing that I have been continually pondering since was how the Lord calls us to continually give of ourselves. He depicted this in the image below:
(Lolz.. please excuse my Instagram Screenshot, I wanted to capture the caption as well).
When I had returned home and place that crucifix on my personal altar (it was my souvenir from the St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal, QC) it struck me that all the answers I was seeking was spoken for through this depiction of this Holy Cross. Among many answers I received through this moment of clarity, it was quite clear that those 3 months were so dry because the Lord intended to remind me that I should always thirst to drink from the Cup of Salvation.
Since then I began to ponder. I have been in this continual discussion with Christ, asking Him, “Lord, what does it mean to drink out of Your cup of salvation?” What He has revealed to me thus far is that to drink from His cup is the following:
1) We must first empty our own cups. We often pass up opportunities to drink from His cup because our own cups are filled to the brim–sometimes overflowing–with our sin, pride, selfishness, greed, and resent, and
2) We must not only die to ourselves, but also be willing to bleed out of Love for others. This, this is true charity. It is through our willingness to bleed for others that we begin to drink out of the cup of salvation.
This manifestation of charity and outpouring of Love calls us to be both Christ and Mary depicted on the Cross. Like Christ, we too must die out of Love for God and His people–but like Mama Mary, we must also be willing to accept this cup and share it with the world to drink from.
It isn’t too hard to see that the world is thirsting for more. We see it in media, our colleagues, classmates, community members and even our own family members. More often than not, the world (ourselves included) seeks to quench this thirst in all the wrong places. It is then our calling as Christians to offer them the cup of salvation–but first, we must drink for ourselves. We cannot give what we do not have.
What is that Lord is calling you to empty your cup of before you can drink from the cup of salvation?
In what way is the Lord calling you share this cup of salvation with others?
Eternal Father, we offer You the body and blood, soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in antonement for our sins and those of the whole World.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
St. Faustina, pray for us.
St. Joseph, Pray for us.
Amen.
