“Going to church on Sundays was a regular part of my childhood. I loved the stained glass windows that seemed to surround our church and flood it with multiple gems of light. A reoccurring image in many of the windows was a white dove. The white dove was an image I would see repeatedly during Pentecost. At the time of Pentecost our church would be decorated with colorful banners. One such banner depicted a dove flying over flames. In a child’s simple mind, I thought the flames would burn the poor dove. I would learn in Sunday school that the dove represented the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit was not being burnt by the flames, but was bringing the flames to us to ignite our spirits. The Holy Spirit is gentle and can come into our life softly, yet swiftly- like a dove. But like a flame, the Holy Spirit can build within us and consume us; transforming us into the person God would have us to be. It is the image of the Holy Spirit as both dove and flames that inspired this rosary. With this rosary, I pray that those who have been touched by our Lord’s flames - consumed by the Holy Spirit - go gently and swiftly into the lives of others and allow the light within them to be a beacon to show others the way to God.”
Michelle Mattingly
No comments:
Post a Comment