Tee,

I just wanted to put in my “two cent’s worth” about my own experience very lately concerning a novena I made to St. Therese.

Usually novenas are said over a nine day period. I had been praying to St. Therese “to send me a rose from the heavenly garden…..” (you know the rest) and had barely gotten past the second day, when I had received an Email from my aunt in Florida. It was a “Happy New Year” E-card, and on the front of this card (almost taking up the whole screen!) was this huge pink[b:3r0ystps] rose[/b:3r0ystps]!

Now, my aunt could have sent any number of various cards with innumerable designs, but my breath was caught in my throat when I realized what had happened. I truly believe St. Therese had heard my prayer and prayed to our Lord on my behalf, and was sending me “a rose from the heavenly garden” to let me know God had listened.

My prayer request has not been “granted” as of yet, but my overwhelming feeling was that the answer from God was “yes, my child—in [i:3r0ystps]my[/i:3r0ystps] time, it will be done!” I always ask that [i:3r0ystps]His[/i:3r0ystps] will be done, not mine, and was truly prepared to accept whatever His answer would have been. I believe that my request will be granted in time, be it tomorrow, next week, next month, whenever—because I place my life in His hands and my request (it wasn’t for me, it was for a family member) coincided with His plans, and maybe it pleased Him.

I am a true believer of the intercession of the Saints. I was “blind” years ago and believed that if what I asked for didn’t happed right then and there, that this whole “novena” thing was just a farce. Maybe I just needed the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to what God can truly do, and just needed to grow up a little!

Your friend in Christ,