St. Cecelia, Pray For Us!

Yesterday my family attended Mass at our parish, and I was delighted to find that, despite it being Thanksgiving, our priest chose to celebrate the memorial of St. Cecelia. I consider her a special patron.

On Christmas Eve, 1991 I was sitting in St. Anthony of Padua church with my friend Keith and some of his friends. Keith was then a recent revert, having left the non-denom fellowship where I'd met him. Even though I had decided it was time for me to bite the bullet and attend a Mass, I was still very uncomfortable with many of the external trappings of Catholic churches, like statues. Too physical for my spiritualist leanings. His friends that night asked my birthday, and tried to remember which saint fell on November 22, but could not.

At that Mass, and in the hours following, grace forever and completely changed my life. I'll have to tell that story another time...

But then it was the feast of St. Stephen, and I was on my way to my grandmother's funeral, which was why I was not with family over Christmas that year to begin with. I was absolutely compelled, however, to first go to the Catholic bookstore and purchase a breviary. I had heard there was this neat book by which everyone in the Church could pray together several times every day, and I WANTED ONE.

And while I was there, I was drawn like a magnet to the corner of the store with all the saint stuff in it. I searched.... who was that saint whose feast is on my birthday? When I found her, tears welled up in my eyes, and the words burned in my heart: "My life is not a mistake!" St. Cecelia, the patron of musicians! Music ministry was my life at the time. In that corner of the that Catholic bookstore, I felt like I was being hugged and welcomed by my special patron, and by hundreds or thousands of the court of heaven. It was like a little party broke out to welcome this lost and strayed soul who was now turning towards the Church.

Thank you, Lord, for all your gifts.