A Test of Faith

January 1, 2019, arrived quietly with snow covered yards. I bundled up and drove to Spirit of Christ Catholic Community for mass for the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God which is a Holy Day of Obligation. I looked at the Christmas decorations that were still up as the church began to fill up with devout persons. We all took off our warm coats and prepared for mass to begin. The hymns were beautiful all about Our Blessed Mother.

The priest mentioned that he had a cold and I noticed he coughed, blew his nose, and drank water from a small glass. As I watched him, I began to think that I would probably not go up and receive communion because he could be spreading germs with all his hacking and wiping his nose. But, then I thought: If I believed that it was Christ I would be receiving would I be having thoughts of not receiving our Blessed Father for fear of getting sick? I decided my faith should be stronger and if I really believed I would go up and receive the body of Our Lord.

Right after I decided that my faith was stronger than my thoughts, I noticed that the priest sat down
and did not distribute communion. He also commented that because of his cold he was sitting and he would not greet people after mass because he did not want to contaminate anyone with his cold. It seemed that he was as concerned about spreading germs as I had been!

I felt good that even if I had thoughts of doubt, my faith had won and I truly believed it was the body of our Lord that I would receive.

Mass ended with the beautiful hymn of : Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.
The year 2019 seemed to be beginning in a perfect way.

"This is my body."

At consecration