We sat at our kitchen table and chatted with Lucy over FaceTime. She reflected on her 30-year marriage with her husband, David, and told us about what a loving husband he is. Though he wasn’t Catholic, he would attend Christmas and Easter Mass with her each year. Lucy desired for David to become Catholic like she was, but she didn’t want him to make that decision just to please her, so she never mentioned it. But for all those years, Lucy hoped and waited.
Lucy wiped away tears as she recounted the story of when David decided to enter the Church. They were at the Easter Vigil watching the catechumens enter the Church when David turned to her and said, “I think I want to do this. I want to become Catholic.” With these words, Lucy’s season of waiting had an end in sight. Together they attended RCIA classes and David prepared to enter the Catholic Church. They found out he’d be able to receive four sacraments—baptism, confirmation, first holy Communion, and matrimony—just days before Christmas. A symbolic time of year, indeed, since we’ve all just spent the season of Advent waiting to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Our waiting for Christmas calls to mind Lucy’s hope and waiting that David would one day become Catholic.
As Lucy and David entered the chapel with their children and grandchildren inside, the time for their celebration had come. David was finally entering the Church! We were fighting back tears from behind our cameras as we watched David, in his joy, be baptized. That’s when we realized for the first time that his grown sons were wiping away their own tears as they watched their father receive this sacrament. Then came his confirmation, and then matrimony. Lucy could barely get her vows out, and it was for no reason other than the overwhelming joy that consumed her in that moment. Lastly came David’s first holy Communion. God is so good to us, in His timing!
Lucy and David, your story of waiting and rejoicing will forever change how we come to the celebration of Christmas. As the days of Advent come to a close, and we prepare our hearts and home to celebrate Christmas, we will always think of your story. Your family is so lovely, and it was amazing to see good things happening to good people, especially right before Christmas! It can be hard to wait for good things, but the waiting often makes the celebration more grand! We wish you all the best and we will continue to pray for you and your family!
Love,
Amy and Kyle
