Novena of Grace - Day Two

I went to the afternoon Novena yesterday. Beautiful. These services make me feel happy and full of light. This time, like last time, someone has befriended me. This time, like last time, it was quite by accident. That is something nice, too. To make that connection.

Some of the people's prayers are read out loud each day. One person's prayer yesterday was for strength to stop drinking. The very next prayer was from a parent who was worried about an alcoholic son. Hmm. Were those two people related to each other?

What is great, too, is the after-service event. That is when you can get an individual blessing from a St. Xavier relic. You tell the relic-holder what you are seeking, and the relic-holder (could be a priest, could be an assistant to the church) places the relic on your forehead and does a blessing related to what you are seeking. The first day, my request for a blessing was not very well organized. But then I honed my words, and yesterday simply said that I sought balance both physically and spiritually. It was a nice blessing. I guess it can matter to have clear in your own mind what it is that you are seeking.