One Bread, One Body

Last year, one of the priests at my parish asked me if I would be willing to put together a healing mass for "women only".  It would be a mass in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows, whose feast day is September 15th.  It would be a mass for women to come and lay any and all of their burdens at the foot of the cross - whether it ranged from abuse and abortion to the everyday trials and responsibilities of caring for a house and family.  I of course said "yes"!  God bless this priest for hearing God's call to heal His daughters.

Tonight was the 2nd Annual Women's Healing Mass.  There were about 65 ladies in attendance, which is pretty good on a Monday evening.  I didn't care if only one showed up.  I knew it would be what God wanted it to be.  After the homily, we had a candlelighting ceremony.  Each person got a small votive, lit it from one of the altar candles, and left it in a candelabra next to the altar or on a small table in front of the altar.  The Holy Spirit's presence was powerful - overwhelming, in fact.  I felt completely swept up in joy as the burden of carrying my crosses had just been lifted.  We prayed, we cried, we leaned on one another, we opened our hearts to Jesus, we listened, we walked to the altar, and we left our burdens in the form of a beautiful light burning bright for Jesus.  Once all the candles had been placed, the lights glowed together as one.  We were united as women of God in our sufferings.  During communion, once again, the Holy Spirit was moving powerfully through the Church - through each of us.  I could feel it.  I felt every one of the ladies' pains...and then I felt an overwhelming joy to the depths of my soul.  I knew something very special was happening tonight.

The week prior, our musician had asked me for some suggested songs.  The first one that popped into my head was "One Bread, One Body", and I could not get it out of my head.  I've been singing it all week!  I can't even remember the last time we sang that song at my parish. I was hoping she would play it during communion, yet she played two other songs first.  I sat there thinking, "Darn, she's not going to play it."  Well, she began playing it just as the last few women were receiving communion, and so we sat there - in complete grace - singing that song.  These sixty or so women were singing that song louder than at a Sunday service.  It was absolutely the right song choice!  In those moments, we were all connected by the Eucharist - by our Lord flowing through our blood.  We truly were one bread and one body...and we were praying for our own intentions whilst lifting each other up in turn.

p.s.  Think about starting one of these masses at your own parish.  We women have a very important role in the salvation of God's people.  We must do all we can to lift each other up!

I found this youtube clip of this song with the words.  Enjoy!  We are so blessed to be Catholics!!!