This photo of Warner Cricket St. Thomas Hotel is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Easter is a time of new beginnings. A time for reflection, contemplation and of starting anew. In the last two weeks, I have taken time to go away to do this very thing. I stayed in two different parts of the country for a few days each time. The first time alone, the second with my husband.
The last hotel had a church in its grounds, so I was able to sit alone in the beautiful old stone church each day. It was just a few doors from our room at the hotel and had a magnificent statue of Archangel Michael that can be seen in the picture above. On the way back to our room each night, my husband and I made it a habit to visit together and say a few prayers before bedtime.
Even my husband, who isn’t really sure whether he believes in anything or not, sat with me, lit candles and prayed. It had the most beautiful feeling inside and was filled with the most tremendous peace and tranquility. A perfect place for me to sit and reflect, contemplate, pray, speak to God and seek answers. Just what I needed right now to reflect on my work and life.
On Maundy Thursday, I also sat with Jesus for an hour while reflecting on the agony in the garden and what He suffered for us. Good Friday is the most important day of the Catholic year, but to me, The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane is the one I relate to so much – and always have.
Those of you who have read my books, will know about the experiences I had many years ago during one particular Easter. How I was given the incredible Grace of understanding that suffering and how I was allowed to share in and feel His pain.
Mine was akin to one tiny grain of sand taken from one of the many beaches and deserts of the world. His was a pain akin to every grain on every beach and desert, then multiplied millions of times over.
Although mine was so tiny and only able to be felt off and on for just three days, I still knew that pain was more than any human could bear and still live. Imagine then what Jesus’ pain must have been like. That knowledge, plus the suffering felt, was given to me as a Grace to have an understanding of what it was like for Him.
Although I had no idea at the time why I should be given such an incredible gift, I now know it was in order to be able to talk to others about it all these years later. It took me that long to be able to share such a private and very special experience with anyone.
I had always felt Maundy Thursday to be special, just as I do Good Friday, but understanding and feeling His suffering in the way I was allowed to experience it, means it is easy for me to believe and to sit with Him as asked, but in some ways, also more difficult due to what I know.
I have asked for guidance in my work and to know if what I am doing is pleasing to God or offending Him. Should I carry on as I am or should I be doing more in some way? I also wanted guidance on whether I should re-publish my original books about supernatural gifts or not due to how they differ so much from recent ones.
Always I test, always I pray on my work and ask for His help. Some answers have been given to me, others I wait to see what I’m to do. In God’s time, I will be told what I need to know and maybe do, but until then, I have been given some answers and guidance on a few of the things that have been confusing me for a while.
My way forward is clear again and I wish the same for all of you. To get answers remember what we were told…
“…7 ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.8 Everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened…” Matthew 7:7-8
For now, this is all we can do and what better time to do it than at a time of renewal? I wish each and every one of you a blessed and happy Easter and for peace, love and good health to be yours. I also ask that you pray with me that those things might also touch the lives of others.
God Bless, Lorraine x