Catholics Come Home

On EWTN this evening, I saw an episode of Catholics Come Home which featured a woman who was raised Catholic but left the faith while at college, eventually becoming an atheist.  After 52 years, she was moved by the Holy Spirit through a series of seemingly coincidental, random events, to return to her faith.  She found catholicscomehome.org and returned to God, and to the church.  It was beautiful to listen to her describe going to confession and receiving the Lord in the Eucharist after 52 years!  The parable of the prodigal son came to mind and I felt the joy that the father in the parable felt when he saw his son returning, even though I don't know this woman.  Still, for some reason, it moved me to hear this beautiful story of her return after so many years.  The Lord's happiness is unmeasurable though when a lost sheep returns.

He never gives up searching for us, calling our names, beckoning to us.  He loves us, each and every one of us, perfectly, and completely.  The series of "coincidences" that led this woman back was remarkable also.  Who knows?  She may have been receiving these cues since the day she became an atheist, but she never noticed them because her heart was too hardened.  It's easy and it happens to every one.  We can become despondent, consumed by daily tasks, or just spiritually disconnected from the Holy Spirit and our hearts aren't open to noticing.  It's always a great feeling when one of these "coincidences" happens to me.  I've begun saying "Thank you, God, I know that was You!" when they occur now.

God bless you.