By Anna Wolfe
Pursuing my relationship with God is important to me because He pursued me first. It is wild to think it’s not even been two full years since I decided to become a practicing Catholic. My doing so was a direct consequence of God’s pursuit of me; me being a college freshman who felt heartbroken, lost, and like she had made too many mistakes to turn her life around. At that point in my journey, I had no affiliation whatsoever with the Catholic Church or Jesus Christ aside from the phone number of a cool youth minister I frequently talked to during my confirmation prep courses. I can’t tell you what prompted me to text her, but as soon as I made her aware of my situation she suggested I visit our parish’s perpetual adoration chapel.
For thirty days exactly, I spent over 3 hours in that chapel daily. I would wake up early every morning and it was simply written on my heart to drive over, walk in, spend time resting and write. A mysterious peace settled my worried mind each day upon merely entering, and my heart had never felt so light. In that chapel, I was quick to forgive myself, even quicker to forgive those who had been the source of my pain, and simply felt grateful to God for the experience of having withstood a sea of troubles and grown stronger in the face of them.
During my time in that chapel, I wrote over 100 pages of thoughts, praises, questions and prayers. I have reread the collection a couple times and feel certain that the words aren’t my own. God was present in the chapel, working through me and pursuing me as his daughter, friend, loved one. I did nothing to deserve such love, and this is one reason I am forever seeking to return it. I practice my faith because it’s the little I can do to try and reciprocate God’s great love for me and for each of us.