Glorious Merciful Laundry

When I was a little girl, we did not own a dryer. I have many fond memories of running through the yard dodging both clothing and sheets in the three or four clotheslines that my Grandfather had built. There was nothing like the smell or feel of clean, damp laundry being hung just so by my Grandmother. She showed me how to carefully overlap each piece so to make the best use of her limited clothespins....the old fashioned kind without the pincher clasp. I would sit on the back porch very often eating warm peanut buttered toast and watch the laundry blowing in the wind.

I remember abandoning the toast on more than one occasion favoring a run through the laundry instead. The white and light loads were my favorite. There was a sense of running through the very clouds of heaven itself. My sister and I were like little angels as we floated about, dodging the moving clouds. Pristine white sheets and pale clothing blowing wisps of bleach my way, the world was clean, fragrant and beautiful. The white clothes drying in the hot summer sun emanated not only a warmth, but a certain glorious glow across our backyard, one that I had not thought about in years until today.

Yesterday, I was privileged to receive the traveling Divine Mercy Icon on behalf of our parish. I could hardly wait for the box to open and for it to be removed from its cloth bag. When it finally emerged, I was taken back. The often seen brightly colored image of the Divine Mercy Jesus was not brightly colored at all but instead very pale in color. I was surprised but not at all disappointed. The Polish artist, Anna Sekowska that had been commissioned to paint the icon for our diocese had chosen a much paler palette than I'd ever seen used before. As I gazed more intently at the image, I was drawn to how it somewhat glowed from the canvas. Every detail seemed to suggest more strongly the risen Christ, radiant in the resurrection. This was a new take for me on the Divine Mercy image as the one in our home is done in bright colors. I knew there was a hidden meaning somewhere in all of this for me, otherwise it would not have had such a strong impact on me at first sight.

Five families from each parish in our diocese were given a photographed copy of the icon to take home. We were asked to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet and the rosary each night that the image is in our home for the healing of families. Tonight was the first night the image was present in our home. I envisioned us all sitting around the image, saying our prayers together. My husband had to visit some families in crisis tonight and my oldest son was celebrating his one year anniversary with his girlfriend. I was alone with my five younger children, one of which was continuing to celebrate his eighth birthday and another of which starts Kindergarten tomorrow.

By 8:30 I knew that my prayertime would be spent alone tonight before the image of the icon, there was just no other way and I think that is just what I needed. Time alone with Jesus. As I continued to gaze on the image during the rosary and the chaplet I was drawn to the fact that today is Sunday....the glorious mysteries...of course! The resurrection and the ascension, (both full of images of the beautiful resurrected Jesus in all His glory). Next, the descent of the holy spirit (I was reminded of my need to call on the Holy Spirit more often for healing in my own family). The assumption and the coronation (of course the Mother of Mercy, the handmaid of the Lord constantly returning us to Jesus). All the things this tired mother of six and struggling handmaid needed was set out before me. And while I was pondering this glowing picture of Jesus I was transported back to my childhood backyard on a warm summer day. Back to a time when a glimpse of the glory of heaven was so plain to see to my childish eyes and I reveled in it all. Little did I know what plans God had during the making of those memories, in order to reveal His glory to me as an adult, more deeply than ever before! Glorious laundry and a professional artist's renderings, I could have never made the connection without the Lord's grace. Jesus, I trust in You, You gift us every day whether we realize it or not.