Good Friday

It's Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified.  "Good" seems a misnomer, doesn't it?  but yet it IS good...it's beautiful because God loved us soo much that he let His only Son die for us.  For us!  For all of us.  Every last stinking one of us.  No matter how bad we are, no matter what we have done, all we must do is repent, ask for forgiveness and turn our hearts for good, towards Him...and we are saved.

  I have managed to convince the family that we must return to Mass, so we are planning to attend Easter Vigil tomorrow night at St. Michael's.  I was unable to yet talk any of them into going to Reconciliation, or confession, though.  Doing so is an intensely personal decision, though, and they will just come to this as they are ready.  I was ready yesterday when I came home from work.  I was hot, tired from a stressful week at work, one of the most stressful I've had since I went back to work.  However, I felt this strong tug towards the 5 pm Holy Thursday confession session, and so after talking Taylor into going along for mere company on the drive, we set out.

  God placed a friend in the lobby of the church for me to encounter and further strengthen my resolve.  We talked and she was so kind and encouraging about what I was doing, and we planned to see one another on Saturday night at the Vigil.  I went into the
church and stood in line.  Fortunately due to the high volume of people wanting confession, both priests were occupying the two confessionals, so it didn't take long for my turn to come.  I'm so thankful I went.  I felt clean and good when I left.  I can only pray that my beloved family will follow suit as God leads them to do so.

 I don't blame my family for believing that this will not last.  For the past few years I have led us AWAY from the Catholic church...but I pray that "Margaret" is back and nothing will deter me from being where I need to be...at Mass.

Happy, Blessed Easter!!