Hundreds of Catholic youths gather for prayer and fellowship at Virginia diocesan event
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Advent 2023 was the most fruitful season of preparation I've had in a long time. And I owe the spiritual growth of those four weeks to Blessed is She's devotional, "Found."
After a few years of struggling through the spiritual desert, I felt inspired (credit to the Holy Spirit and my Guardian angel) to find a few other young women with whom I could grow in holiness. At first, I wasn't sure whether to do a Bible study, a spiritual book club or something else. But when we met for the first time -- just a couple weeks before Advent began -- we agreed to try a devotional. Some had already benefitted from Blessed is She resources while others were new to the apostolate, which provides so many beautiful resources for Catholic women. I was aware of their work but had yet to be personally touched by it.
As soon as the four-week journey began, I was moved by the beautiful little book. It was filled with well-organized reflections (personal testimonies, Bible passages, space to journal) and breathtaking images, all based on the theme of the Good Shepherd. Every detail was intentionally added to the approachable book; no feeling overwhelmed by the amount of reading or the prompts to pray in different ways. I didn't realize how desperately I needed something like that before I had it -- I didn't want it to end.
The Good Shepherd theme took me back to a place in time when life was simpler and I felt God's presence more than I do now, in the heavier trials of life. When I was a child, my mother used to recite Isaiah 40: 11 to us: "He will feed His flock like a shepherd, He will gather the lambs in His arms, He will carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young."
Brought back to that place of comfort, hearing my mother's voice, I understood that I had locked the door to my heart and wandered off, like the lost sheep. I hadn't strayed from the faith or gone off in any dramatic way, but in the silence of my heart -- that personal place that only God knows -- I had forgotten that He cared for me.
During those four weeks of Advent, God opened my heart again. He kept saying, over and over, "I love you. You are mine. I will carry you and lead you, if you let me." That message of love -- intimate, unique love from the God who gave His Son for me -- wrapped me in a gentle, unforgettable caress. I was reminded of God's love for me and refreshed by His urge for me to simply rest in that love. I had been working so, so hard to do His will, serve others and grow in holiness that I had forgotten the most important thing: God gave His only Son to die for me. It's personal. It's true love.
God has that same message for you. Wherever you are -- fully immersed in His love or wandering in the lonely desert -- He wants you to know that His Son died for you, to give you hope and life. If you're feeling lost or distant from that personal love God has for you, reflect on the following passages:
He is the Good Shepherd. We are the sheep. He never forgets a single one, no matter where we are.
Those interested in finding a Blessed is She devotional can learn more about the apostolate and their resources here.
Jean is a professional writer and journalist with a background in music, communications and Catholic and pro-life media. She is a cradle Catholic whose faith journey became personal at a liberal Virginia university, where she developed a deep love of evangelization. Jean is especially passionate about crafting content to help young women understand their calling and worth as daughters of God and provide practical tips for living the Catholic faith in daily life.
