The Veil and the Joy of Surrender

A special anniversary just went by. I thought of sharing about it since I never have before, but I talked myself out of it. "It's too personal," I told myself. "I don't need everyone to know." 

But then, the Holy Spirit convicted me when I heard our priest's Sunday homily. Something that changes our lives shouldn't be kept hidden, he said. And I realized that if I could invite you to do something that powerful, it would be worth it. 

It was never my own, anyway. I stole it from St. Therese of Lisieux. 

13 years ago, I made an Act of Oblation to Merciful Love. Inspired by St. Therese, and knowing how much in need I was, I desired to make an offering of myself to our tender Lord's merciful love. 

What followed were years of both deep joys as well as struggles that revealed my brokenness in a way it had never been revealed to me before. And what a grace it was. Precisely through the cracks of my brokenness, our merciful Savior poured the healing balm of his love, converting shame and fear into peace and joy. 

He has become for me what St. Elizabeth of the Trinity calls a "fortress" —a fortress of love and light that dispels the darkness. An intimate fortress protected by him who came to take away our sins and the sins of others against us. 

It is difficult but beautiful, this process, to which we assent when we give our lives to the Lord. Our veils are but a little sign of the surrender. 

Today, he continues the work he has begun. I live in confident hope that his power turns everything to good, to the benefit of our souls and the souls of those around us - if we simply let it. 

"For I know well the plans I have for you … plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope." (Jeremiah 29:11) 

To learn more about the Act of Oblation to Merciful love, click here.

Photo credit: Jozef Sedmak | Dreamstime.com