These are the words for this Assembly! When I was a little girl, even before I made my First Communion, I remember saying the “Hail Mary.” I did not understand most of what I was saying, but I liked the sound of it and the feel of the beautiful beads between my fingers. And so I followed Him, and continued to pray. As I grew older, I learned that ‘the fruit of the loom’ actually meant ‘the fruit of your womb’...and that this meant that Jesus was her Son. I learned why she was ‘blessed among women’ and also why she was called the ‘Mother of God’ and I began to understand... even though the Incarnation is still an incomprehensible Mystery...

The Resonance of Truth
In many ways, I feel as if this accurately describes many of us who heard the words of Sr. Miriam Therese Winter, and also those of Edwina Gateley. I enjoyed their presentations, learned a great deal and  laughed over many of the stories they told. I heard their voices, but did not understand all they were saying...yet, within me, I felt the resonance of truth... How appropriate that our decorations included hands folded in prayer, and the ‘Holy Spirit’ floating above...

Sr. Miriam Therese asked us, “What would it be like, if we all really embraced a concept of Divinity in whom we live and move and have our being?” And then, using science as a tool, she explained why this is actually, literally and theologically true. The Kingdom of God is at hand...in a world filled with war and hatred and killing, God lives!  Perhaps, I thought, but certainly He could do a better job than this! Then, almost immediately, I thought, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much...” (Job 38:4)

Edwina Gateley, quoting Hildegard of Bingen, said, “...the only sin is to ‘dry up’...to have no more love in you.” Indeed! And I almost laughed out loud when she was telling the story about the women in prostitution she took to Christmas Mass, especially the one who took the ‘kiss of peace’ literally – and climbed over people in the pews so she could give each person a big hug...and read her missal aloud: “...this is my Body...this is my Blood...” I laughed, but, oh how I wish such generosity of heart and simple belief could be mine! And when Edwina explained just how God brought good out of the messes we make in our lives (“when we’ve covered ourselves in dirt – well, the more dirt, the more fertilizer, the higher the tree grows...”), I felt positively comforted. And her explanation of the prodigal son (“He came home. Don’t you understand? He came home to his Father, to his family! The son understood: nothing is more important than the Father’s love!) It helped me understand why Jesus said, “...there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7)

Perhaps it is because the 99 remained faithful out of fear or mere obedience – and not understanding. Perhaps it is because, in their jealousy, they refuse to rejoice with the Father? The obedient brother wished the prodigal had never returned home? He wished he had remained in the wilderness, starving? His heart was so small that he wanted his brother to be punished?