Chelsea knelt down and repeated her prayer from the previous week. "Lord, help me to draw closer to you this Advent season." She thought about some of the changes she had tried to make this week. Changing habits is easier said than done, but she felt like she was making some better choices. Whenever she felt like making a snide comment, she held her tongue and remembered the beauty of the garden. She pictured herself holding baby Jesus in this beautiful garden on Christmas Day. When she was done praying, Chelsea fell asleep trying to feel the incredible love she had felt in the garden.
An hour or so later, Chelsea found herself far from the beautiful garden. She found herself walking on a dusty street amid make shift houses of cardboard one right next to another. The conditions were deplorable. Who could live like this? Unfortunately, there were many living here. Old and young, malnourished and sickly, and so many different ethnicities were crying out and speaking different languages. Their voices were piercing, their stares disturbing, and the smell was unbearable. Chelsea wanted to run, but there was nowhere to run. Why was she here?
Once again she felt a hand on her shoulder and heard him speak, "Do you recognize where you are?"
"No! I don't!" Chelsea almost screamed. Chelsea slowly turned 360 degrees trying to take in everything. "I don't know where I am, but its obvious these people need help."
"Who should help them?" her angel asked her.
"I don't know who could help them," she hesitated for a minute and then added very softly, "Why doesn't God help them?" As the words came out of her mouth, she suddenly noticed that many of the people were on their knees. She looked up for the first time and noticed a roof above her. Chelsea was so confused.
"Chelsea if you look closely, you will notice you are in your church."
"What? I have never been in a church like this!"
"This is the church you attend weekly."
Chelsea shook her head. "I don't understand."
Christ came two thousand years ago to help the oppressed, the lonely, the forgotten, the poor, the isolated, the sinners. The Church continues to do the same. Think about some of the prayer intentions during the mass. We are all children of God. We need to help one another. We need to pray for one another. If only people understood how powerful prayer can be. Prayer opens a heart and mind to the merciful love of God. If only you understood His goodness and generosity, life on earth would be so different. God hears every prayer and He inspires His people to act with mercy towards each other. But when hearts and minds and ears are closed to His voice, injustice and greed and jealousy flourish. Chelsea allow your prayers not only to touch the heart of God, but let your prayers touch the hearts of your neighbors. Do not judge. Do not offer excuses. Do not let your differences make you uncomfortable. You are not different than them. At times, others have seen your face in this crowd. God heard your cries and petitions and inspired others to help you. Remember your garden will bloom wherever you allow it to grow roots."
Hours later Chelsea woke up. The vision her angel shared with her, burned deeply with in her. She had always seen her church as a building that housed the Lord. Now she understood that the Church needed no walls. The Church needed people to carry the light of Christ out into the world. After a lot of prayer, Chelsea went outside and began tearing down the fences that she had built between her and her neighbors. Then she got down on her hands and knees and began to plant a garden.
-Susan
