Christmas Came Early This Year

...for those of us who were blessed to be present at the Chrismation of Ben, Emily, Evelyn, and Dominic.  See photographs on their blogs, here and here.

I thought I saw Ben, then Emily, choke up as they were being anointed, and that in turn brought me to tears.  Little Evelyn saved the day by giggling because the small brush used to put on the oil was tickling her.

These people truly have sold everything they had to buy the Pearl of Great Price. 

They were no strangers to the Holy Spirit before Christmation; in fact, they were already on intimate terms with Him for I don't know how long, perhaps all their lives.  But now  and evermore, the Holy Spirit deals with them from inside their own innermost beings, instead of from outside, for that is what Chrismation is.  (It is no coming of age ceremony or merely an "I've finished my catechism" rite.)

Another huge joy this weekend was meeting the Harjus and their other sponsors in person instead of just via Internet and/or telephone.  It seemed miraculous that few of us had ever met each other in person before, yet the love began to flow immediately and our cups kept on overflowing.  To me, Fr. Gregory and Fr. John and Julia and Ben and Emily are all awesome examples of faith and courage and integrity.  (Do not believe any of the slanders you may have read about any of them on the Internet.)  And Rosemarie, you ROCK!  I expected to like all these people, of course; but I didn't expect to fall in love with each of them, as I have, and the children, too.  We have promised to have reunions now and then.

The whole weekend, it seems, was spiced with smiles and watered by tears.  And of course made glittery by snow, befitting the scene as the parish of St. John Chrysostom became Bethlehem for Ben and Emily and Evelyn and Dominic.

Glory to God for all things!

God grant them and you many years!