Julie Ash
  • In the Palace of the Great King
  • SUBSCRIBE/CONTACT
  • About
  • Wild Grace
  • Blog

Verbum Bonum


(A good word.)​


All-you-can-eat essays on life in
twenty-first century America,
served fresh with wholesome social
commentary and dollops of
sweet old-fashioned
​Catholicism for dessert. 

Locked Doors and Lightning Bolts

2/12/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture of old brown door in Siena, Italy with padlock
Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash

The past couple of weeks have contained transformative moments that are still repercussing (is that a word?) like aftershocks or echoes of thunder after the lightning strikes suddenly in a violent storm. With only the best of intentions (the very things that pave that famous road to perdition), I tried a little too hard to attain something I have been wanting to do for most of my life—to enter a monastery—and failed miserably. The tearful aftermath was not pretty, but at least now I know the truth. I am not nun material, and regardless of how badly I might wish to be, God made it abundantly clear that it is time to put that dream on the shelf of Things Once Wished For But Better Left Undone.

When you think you have things all neatly arranged in your life, when you think all the years of effort and faith and prayer are finally paying off, don't be too surprised if the doors you thought had opened are suddenly locked again, and you're the one who locked them. There is a point when admirable perseverance is really just pigheaded stubbornness taken a little too far. One must be willing to face when one is wrong and give up gracefully.

But no one knows us better than God does, and He has a perfect plan, even for pigheaded people like me. I'm just not quite sure what it is yet, but honestly at this point it no longer matters. Like the doomed men of the Light Brigade, mine is not to reason why, mine is just to do and die. I can still live a good and even holy life of prayer and good works. I just won't be wearing a long, pretty veil while I do it. Oh, my wounded vanity! I was so hoping to cover this thinning, curly gray mop.

Next to that traumatic event, the rejection of my novel by Pauline Books & Media was no more troublesome than a mosquito bite. Next stop, Ignatius Press. Onward!



Woman entering Catholic Church looking at the altar and large crucifix.
Photo by Thomas Vitali on Unsplash
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    October 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019

    Categories

    All
    Art
    Artificial Intelligence
    Ascension Of Jesus
    BIG Tech
    Black/White Relations
    Blessed Virgin
    Book Review
    Boston
    Cape Cod Writers Group
    Carmelites
    Catholic Saints
    Children's Books
    Clear Creek Abbey
    COVID-19
    Depression And Anxiety
    Election 2020
    Facebook
    Fat Tuesday
    George Floyd
    Gratitude
    Holy Spirit
    Hope
    Intergenerational Trauma
    IPGK
    Italian Food
    Lent
    MAGA-FT
    Music
    Novenas
    Our Lady Of Hope
    Our Lady Of Pontmain
    Pennsylvania
    Pentecost
    Pittsburgh
    Prayer
    Prejudice
    Publishing
    Saint Augustine
    Saint Bonaventure
    Saint Therese
    Sugarloaf
    The Reset
    Transhumanism
    Writers
    Writing
    YouTube

    RSS Feed

    The opinions expressed on this website are my own personal views and do not necessarily represent those of the Catholic Church. 

    If I have erred in any statement, whether directly or by implication, in any matter pertaining to faith or morals, I humbly invite fraternal correction.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • In the Palace of the Great King
  • SUBSCRIBE/CONTACT
  • About
  • Wild Grace
  • Blog