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One year ago, during the feast of the Ascension, a memorable event unfolded in an unexpected setting. A group attending a weekend tournament gathered for Mass in a hotel basement. Among them was Laura Kelly Fanucci, who experienced a touching moment of motherhood.
Her youngest child fell asleep on her shoulder as they listened to a Cistercian priest speak about love and absence. The priest shared insights from a homily he had written 15 years earlier after his mother's death: “When love seems absent,” he said, “love is actually closer than we know.”
Cistercians are recognized for their silence and contemplative prayer. However, the message delivered that day resonated deeply with Fanucci as a parent. She reflected on how love changes but never leaves, much like Jesus' resurrection and ascension.
Throughout the service, her son slept soundly through the Eucharistic Prayer. This moment reminded her of when she first held him as a newborn. She carried him throughout the day, cherishing these fleeting moments of motherhood.
Fanucci pondered on Christ's words to Mary Magdalene: “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father” (Jn 20:17). Through understanding Christ's presence in the Eucharist, she realized that love might appear absent but remains present.
The experience highlighted that when God feels most absent, He may be most present. As her son awoke after Mass, confused about what happened during Communion, Fanucci reassured him with a kiss: “Right here.”
Laura Kelly Fanucci is an author and speaker known for founding Mothering Spirit, an online community focused on parenting and spirituality.
"Faith at Home"Ascension of Our LordOpinion
