Easter Healing

 I was thinking the other day about Easter 2020. It was a crazy, scary, unpredictable time. Easter Sunday came and then that night, I had a huge bout of anxiety. I was so afraid, I couldn't sleep. I kept hearing sounds below my room that felt magnified in my fear and uncertainty, and my restless mind. I had really bad insomnia. Even the evening time would stir up anxiety, as I knew bedtime and nighttime were quickly approaching. 

It was not only exhausting, as I was barely getting any sleep during the nights, but also depressing, and discouraging. I felt so triggered, and it was hard to get out of it. That lasted for a month. I believe Our Lady healed me, as I felt so trapped and helpless. 

One of my sisters was praying for me, specifically to Our Lady of Good Health and mailed me a prayer for it. I think prayer and humor went very far to help and heal (the night I slept the most soundly and peacefully in weeks was when I watched the Disney movie Mulan and couldn't stop laughing). When I woke up that morning, I realized I had slept the whole night and truly felt healed. 

I think of that time and realize how much the enemy wanted me to focus not only on myself, but also on my fears, and anxiety to control me, lose my peace and bring me down, especially during the Easter season- a time of joy and hope! Easter is such a blessed and joyful time, and so many ways to make it so. Though those weeks felt intense and a never ending of severe insomnia, I see the power of God, and Our Lady to answer prayers and to heal.  

April 16th, A New Perspective

 I was driving to my test, and the thought of the date, April 15th came to mind. The date was actually April 16th as I was driving, but April 15th was looming over my head. Exactly a year ago on that day, I submitted and was working vigorously to finish my Masters program e-portfolio.

 It was a joyous day when I woke up the next day knowing it was all done, and I completed this humongous task even while feeling anxious, depressed, off with myself and nauseous at times, God, St. Joseph gave me all the strength and graces to finish strong and do it, despite the temptations at times to give up completely. 

April 16th felt like a light, a burden no longer carrying hard and heavy on my shoulders. It felt utterly surreal. On April 16th this year, I felt like I had come full circle, as I was taking a math exam that I had taken nearly 7 in a half years earlier and attempted to study and take again more than once throughout the years. 

It's been a goal of mine for a long while to complete and pass this test that sometimes feels like it becomes less blurry in the background and takes its spot in the forefront. That's what it felt like this time. It was the timing of it all, a year apart from fishing my big project, and now on to this one, this path, mission. It all was God's timing, and I felt proud of myself- look how far I've come, look what this school year has showed and taught me. Look at what God is doing as I was walking in the strong and vibrant spring sunshine, to find the testing center. It's in God's hands. 

Mary and the Tomb

 It's not yet Easter, but we were celebrating the coming of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. It's not yet Easter, but Lent feels like it's almost over but it's not over yet. 

Mary Magdalene visits the tomb, and it looks like Easter Sunday, but in the hit TV series, 'The Chosen', it's a foreshadowing, as she glances and looks more in depth into the tomb, the one that Lazarus rose from after the great and last miracle and sign of Jesus. I personally have loved the way they have detailed Mary Magdalen's story and journey in 'The Chosen', her spiritual growth and depth, her witness to faith, her battles, her courage.

I also love how The Chosen does this- foreshadowing, creative snapshots, interesting storytelling, characters arcs, as well as clever and captivating dialogue and scenes. I was drawn to this image of Mary, so I put it as my screen saver on my computer. It's a remembering of Jesus' resurrection, His great miracle, mercy, love and redemption but also, as a reminder I guess, to pay attention, to listen. 

Mary Magdalen was paying close attention and listening, and was even there during Christ's passion. She was awake and spiritually prepared. This what I see in this snapshot. And it's not Easter yet, so just a few short days and the Tridium coming soon to prepare and be spiritually awake.