Vestigia

Over my time so far in my first assignment, I have gotten to know the front pews of our church pretty intimately. Most days I manage to stop by and pray at least once, for Daytime Prayer, to finish my rosary, or just to make a visit or an emergency prayer.

There are four spots to choose from in the front row: two sections on either side of the aisle right in front of the sanctuary, and two on the far sides of the pillars in front of the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph altars, respectively.

I move around. Sometimes I go in front of St. Joseph. Ever since choosing him for my confirmation I have considered him a special patron, and I always pray to him for the grace of diligence and perseverance in my employment. When I was given an office here at the parish, I made my pastor bless an icon of St. Joseph and I put it up right away.

Sometimes I pray from the left-hand section in front of the sanctuary, because it was there that I sat on the day I took my first vows in the Order. Sometimes I go the right side, because it was from there that I approached the sanctuary to be ordained priest.

But of course I often choose the section in front of Our Lady's altar. Ever since her intercession saved me from a spiritual emergency when I was baptized only a few days, I have tried to entrust myself to her care. There is one noticeable difference in Mary's section of the front pews. The kneeler there is worn down much more than all the others. You feel as it as soon as you kneel down. It's the hardest, deadest, kneeler cushion in the whole church. It says a lot about how many people have knelt and prayed there over the years. Whenever I kneel there to say my breviary or rosary or just try to entrust my distracted and stupid soul to our Mother, I try to unite my prayer to all of theirs and to thank God for their good example hidden away in the hard kneeler.