The sky begins dark in the night, as the stars shine lightly in the heavens. The sun rises in the morning slowly as dawn approaches. The eye begins to see a line of blue brightening in the east, the blackness of night lightens as the sun edges higher But still below the horizon. Within a short period, the whole of the sky ranging up from the horizon is blue and shows the promise of day. Underneath this bright line of the sunrise, the earth still sits in darkness but trembles in expectation of the coming warmth of the new day. Suddenly, the sun breaks over the horizon. The eye blinks against its brilliance. The shadows of the earth stretch and fade away as from west to east the sky comes alive with the brilliance of the rising sun. As the sun continues it’s rise, day takes over the earth and everything seems to come alive in celebration.
When I met God for the first time, it was more like a sunrise then a flash. It took 36 years to see Him and even nearly a decade from first hint of His presence in my life. The first signs of the Son in my life came with the birth of my children. I was far away from God when they were born but He gave me the sense of His love with the first sight of each child. The skyline of faith had its first show of dawn.
The sky continued to lighten and darkness abated in the pre-dawn of Faith. The darkest hour is just before the dawn. That was found at the side of my dad’s casket. But, even in this late hour, Jesus was present to accompany me through the oppressive darkness. The sky was dark, the darkness in land around me was total. But, the hint of morning rose in my heart.
Quite suddenly the sun broke over the horizon in my life. I met Connie. We know God had His hand in our meeting, no doubt. I had posted a personal ad on AOL, before Match, Catholic Match or any other online meeting site. I said how I was a single dad of three young kids, they were my world but I expressed how I needed to find adult companionship, I posted no picture. I didn’t want a girlfriend to date, just a friend to let me be a grown-up. Connie read the ad but paid little attention to it until the next morning at Mass. She saw a man enter with 3 kids, they were slightly late. She thought, ‘he looks nice, handsome’. He left early from Mass with the kids (she never saw him before or again). But, this chance sighting led her to go home and that evening find the ad from the guy with 3 kids, me. I was going online to delete the add because the replies I had received with explicit and undesired, when I saw an email come through. It was from a single mom with one daughter. We emailed back and forth for a week then through instant message for another. Then, we decided to meet, a date! We set up to meet on a Saturday evening for dinner and movie. I stood nervously on the corner we were to meet at, when I saw this women coming down the sidewalk toward me, I prayed, “please let this beautiful woman be from you, God”. It was her! We had a great dinner as we got to know each other. I remember little of what we spoke of as I was captured by her eyes and voice. The next morning, we met again, this time with the kids. The kids hit it off right away.
Connie and I spent every moment that I could manage together. I knew in my heart that I never wanted to be apart from her. As such, she took her daughter to Mass every Sunday, wanting to be with her (and impress her), I started meeting her at Mass with my kids. More than worth the long drive to be with her. This was the first time I had gone to Mass of my free will in nearly a decade. I was there for Connie not God, but He didn’t care. Like that dawn again, He slowly took me from darkness, opening my heart first, just to be there. Then, slowly I started to listen to the readings and prayers. The Gospels came alive as my heart started beating for the first time ever. Then, I saw Him on the altar. I finally realized that was Jesus in the Eucharist. The Son broke over the horizon of my darkened soul with blinding brilliance.
Six months later on Christmas Eve, I proposed after asking her father. And, a year one the same day we first met a year earlier, we married.
I give full credit to Connie, now my wife of 18 years for my redemption. She led me to God by her example and love. So today, on her birthday I give social thanks and praise to our Lord for her birth and for bringing her into my life so I could meet Him and give my heart to both Connie and God. Meeting Connie gave me voice to what I deeply desired, to know God, to be the man who she deserved – the man the Father envisioned of me. She gives me the strength to be a man and husband, to be her ‘dance partner’ in this life, leading her and sometimes, carrying her to Heaven. She keeps me focused on Jesus Christ and simple faith and trust in our God. He is the center of our relationship and she is the dawn brightness of my faith.
Father God, Papa God, Lord Jesus Christ, my sun and Savior, Holy Spirit, Brilliant Light of the Father and Son, Mama Mary our Queen, Immaculate mother, St. Joseph, terror of demons, together Jospeh and Mary give us a spousal example of leadership, protection, sacrifice and love. I ask you to pour down abundant blessings today and every day past and future upon my bride. Lift up Connie to continue to be a true daughter of the Father, a great wife always leading me to You and a magnificent woman shining the light of Your Love upon all she meets. I know this is her day but I praise You, Father for the gift of this woman in my life. Wrap her in the Precious blood of Jesus now and forever. I ask this in the Most Precious Name of Jesus. Amen
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,”. Ephesians 5:25
Beautiful….the only response I can think of….