Witness and Love

Oh Edith, you are such a good witness for us. It has been so hard for Julian and I, separated from you as we are by thousands of miles, to know how to show our love. For my part, quick text messages and little offerings of prayer throughout the day hardly seemed worth it--they were so not enough.

But yesterday you reminded me that every pain and every cross, born well, for the sake of Christ, has ramifications for the entire world.

When I first heard the news, all I wanted to do was run to church...but there was a blizzard outside, and I couldn't get out. In my sadness, I turned to our old friend, Francis de Sales, and found (and posted) this quote:

Never think that geographical distance can ever separate souls whom God has united by the ties of His love. The children of the world are separated one from another because their hearts are in different places; but the children of God, having their hearts where their treasure is, and sharing only one treasure--which is the same God--are consequently always united and joined together.

You reminded me yesterday that not only are friends united in Christ through our love of God--but all those who suffer and are in pain are united as well. It is easy to be overwhelmed by sorrow, but Christ has conquered that sorrow and redeemed it by his blood.

I think of our patron, Magdalene. She loved Christ so fully and completely. In the painting above (by Masaccio) we do not even see her face--she is so overcome with sorrow that she cannot even stand. But she is there, and she never gives up.