“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Matthew 3:11

Two years ago, I had a vision of our Lord. Although I have posted about many of them, this one I decided to keep in my heart as it was something of pure bliss. Just before the 4th of July in 2011, I had a vision of our Lord swimming in a beautiful river. His face was just above the very peaceful water and He was swimming towards me. I just knew it was Him. His eyes pierced my entire being and His smile was a smile unlike any I have ever seen. It pulled me into a joy I had never known before. That was it. I was swimming in this beautiful place with Him. What make it beautiful was Him just being there. Although the vision didn’t last for more than a few moments, it has never left me. From that day, when I would pray the rosary and I would ponder the Baptism of our Lord, the vision stuck with me. His face coming up from the water and the heavens opening up, “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” echos through me with the face that I had seen in the vision.

Today after Mass, my priest tapped me on the shoulder and told me he had a package for me and wanted to give it to me after Mass. He then asked me if I would like to light the last Advent candle on the wreath. I was so excited I couldn’t pass it up. My girls look forward every week to the lighting of the candle which brings us that much closer to Christmas, and participating in lighting it, would be something they would never forget. After the final candle was lit and the most beautiful Mass was over, I met Father in the sacristy and he handed me a small package. We took it home and my girls had to have me open it, and so I did. My jaw dropped when I seen the beautiful piece. I received an bi-fold icon of the Baptism of our Lord and if I had opened this in front of Father, I would have cried like a baby and hugged him. He would have thought I was nuts. There is no doubt in my mind, the Holy Spirit whispered to Father about his gift idea to me. It is so precious to have this closeness with our Lord more so then the piece I was given today, but to have not only the vision and joy but also the physical, is just something so sweet that nothing on earth could ever match. When I look at it, I can’t help but say, it is You. It is my Beloved telling me, it is I.