It was Friday 31st March 2017. For no reason in particular, I went over to my parish, CDM that morning. I was in front of the large image of the Divine Mercy when Catherine Lee one of our parishioners came along. I asked her if she was going to the Holy Land in December. Since she had been the previous year, she directed the same question to me.
As I mulled over family commitments, time and financial constraints, I told her that I doubted if my husband, a non-Catholic would be interested since he had previously turned down a couple of local pilgrimages. Catherine persisted – “Did you ask him about this particular pilgrimage?” That really threw me! I said a quick prayer to the Divine Mercy and decided to ask him that very day itself.
I contacted our pilgrimage organizer, Johnny Bong who sent me the details. I forwarded it to my husband with a message to say that I felt we both should go. To my surprise, he not only agreed but banked in the deposit to book our place!
This pilgrimage was something that I had never planned or dreamt of going because I lacked the faith that it would happen. Looking back, I realize the simple chain of events; being in church for no particular reason, meeting Catherine and talking to her about the pilgrimage and voicing out my desire.
I also realize that it was a calling for both my husband and I to journey in the footsteps of Jesus. I thank the Divine Mercy for using Catherine as an instrument and for granting us my heart’s desire to go to the Holy Land!