 |
| Petra (right) and Natalie (left). |
By Petra Nakhoul
“All I have ever sought is the truth,”
are the words of Saint Therese and the words of my own heart. This truth I have
found in the gift of my faith. It hasn’t been easy but it has been my greatest
joy. It was this particular joy that only came from knowing Christ from the
foot of the Cross and standing by Our Holy Mother gazing at the very image of
love incarnate. I knew that my life was to be only His. One question remained,
“Lord, where do you wish for me to serve?” I prayed to be guided to the place
He and His Mother wished for me to be.
As I sat in the library at university during
the holidays, a good friend asked if I knew the Maronite Servants in America.
She encouraged me to enquire about their way of life. I was hesitant though
remained open to the suggestion. Some time later I decided to read up about the
Maronite Servants of Christ The Light. I emailed Mother Marla. I must say it
was possibly the quickest response I have ever received. We followed with a
Skype session and an application to Come
and See.
As I continued praying and asking the
Holy Family to lead me, I sent an email to Sayedna Antoine Charbel Tarabay of the Eparchy of
Australia and New Zealand who responded with his blessing and reminded me to
repeat the words of Samuel, ‘Speak Lord, your servant is listening.’ In the following weeks I was to quieten myself
down in order to hear the voice of my Lord speaking. I was accepted to visit
the convent of the Mother of Light in the U.S and only providence pursued in
the following months in which I had the opportunity to spend 10 weeks over two
visits in the winter and the summer of 2014. I saw the hand of the Lord in
everything and also the blessing of the heart of the Mother that loves ever so
mercifully.
I encountered the God I love and His
Mother who guided and nurtured me through my life. I was free and filled with
Peace. The truth was present and never changed. It was visible to all who
wanted to come and see.
The Charism and Apostolic works of the
Maronite Servants attracted me. I love my Maronite Church in its entirety and
the opportunity to learn more and grow in its understanding gave new meaning to
my life. A life I hope to live to the full through the joy of the Gospel with
the Maronite Servants, eternally radiating the Light of Christ.
Now I gladly lay my life down before His
Majesty in awe, aspiration and admiration. My hope as I approach the 1st
of June, (the 7th year anniversary of the foundation of the Maronite
Servants of Christ The Light) that I may be worthy to receive my Lord and give
myself to Him totally consumed in the divine fire of His unfathomable love and
mercy.