GRACES FROM ST. JOSEPH, THE MATCHMAKER
“Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord* appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,* because he will save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:20-21
I just got back from my 4-day silent retreat. For years, I have struggled with loving and accepting myself and fantasizing with the “ideal” love that I thought I deserved. I took it to the Lord and fought hard to get the therapy and healing I needed, in loving myself but first surrendering myself completely to the Lord. I also questioned why I was born with cerebral palsy and how I was made differently from everyone. Also the thought of dating? It never crossed my mind that I would date again… It wasn’t until I started accepting my cerebral palsy and starting seeing it as a gift. Through my lived experiences with cerebral palsy, I recognize God’s unconditional love for me, that the crosses that I carried, reminded me that His quiet voice echoing in the depths of my soul: “I am here with you, my beloved daughter, rest in me. Do not be afraid.”
I am in no way glorifying my disability. It is not something I think about, now that I realize that my cerebral palsy helped me realize my gift of advocating for other disabled individuals and by walking strongly in my faith, I am able to see how God works in my life. There’s three possible answers to prayer: Yes, no, not yet. The surrender comes from asking for the graces to accept whatever answer that God gave me. I realized that it was the fear that kept me from moving forward and loving myself in God’s image. St. Joseph helped me surrender completely with God and eventually gifted me with Patrick.
This Lent, let us ask St. Joseph to give us the courage to walk with Jesus as we seek to do His Will.
Sue Do