The Veiled Connection

Hubby was home today, so it gave me the perfect opportunity to sneak away to church by myself. I worry that this may be a bit selfish, but I think The Lord is trying to teach me to be aware of my own needs. Anyway...that's neither here nor there...the real purpose of me writing this is for me to document the amazing blessings that God sees fit to bestow upon me. 

As I sat at Mass fully enraptured by all the beauty that surrounds me, Fr. David mentions that today we will be remembering the three shepherd children of Fatima along with today's Saints...St. Sebastian (and I know there was one other, that I can't remember at the moment). Being Portuguese, I grew up with a special affinity for the shepherd children and it has only grown stronger since my visit to Fatima last September...so this really grabbed my heart. Then at Communion time he asked a couple of the older ladies there to bring up the gifts...I heard him call out their names...Maria and Ana. I have seen the one that he called Maria there pretty regularly. I was pretty sure that she was Portuguese...she wears the typical Portuguese widower garb...all black...and she veils. We have often locked eyes and smiled...sharing that special connection that veiled women feel with each other...but have never had the opportunity to actually meet. At that moment, I had a strong feeling that it needed to change. 

Right after Mass as I walked towards the back of the church...I see her kneeling in prayer and we lock eyes again. I  think I became possessed by my mom at that moment...lol....she was your typical extrovert and never met a stranger that she couldn't talk to. Lol. So I addressed the woman in black and asked her if she was Portuguese...why yes...and our conversation took off from there...in my beautiful mother tongue that gets tucked away into the recesses of my soul until yearly encounters with my sisters or elderly relatives necessitate it's revival. I miss it! God knew that...of course...He did!

On the drive home as I ponder this connection among the veiled...those who Our Lady has especially called...for some purpose that is yet hidden to me. I remember another incident during Adoration at St. Joe's chapel. A special lady...a total stranger... that saw me unravel in tears during one of my dark episodes and asked me if she could pray with me. I said yes...thank Your Lord and Our Blessed Mother for granting me that moment of acceptance and humility so that they could work through it. My new friend then asked me why I veiled, I told her about how the Blessed Mother had asked me to. She went on to say that she had felt the call too...but she had been able to put it off so far by listening to one excuse or another.

 Then another veiled woman came to mind...the new woman that showed up at my Carmelite meeting this weekend....I didn't have a chance to talk to her, but someone later told me that she was from Stoneham. From Stoneham? That's interesting how the veiling 'movement' is progressing...I don't know anyone else that veils around here...

Then like a curtain lifting...Oh my sweet Jesus! Could it be? She looked so familiar.