Virginia Knapp
St. Margaret’s, Emmaus
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
My Pilgrimage/Spiritual Journey began when I was 13 years old and an 8th grader. My piano teacher, Mrs. H. lived down the block from our house and every summer morning, she would pass our house walking to church to play the organ for early morning Mass at our local Catholic church. At my piano lesson I expressed an interest in playing the organ and she invited me to accompany her to Mass where she began to introduce me to the beauty of liturgical music and the organ. I faithfully arose early to be in church because I really had a great desire to do this thing. I felt some inner compulsion which kept “pushing” me along.
My mother was convinced that I was becoming a religious fanatic because what “normal” teenager gets up early every morning in the summer to go to church when it’s their chance to sleep! One day I mentioned to Mrs. H. that there were so few people in church during the weekday Mass. How come? She reflected thoughtfully for a minute and then said to me, “You know Virginia, that if they advertised in the paper and put up all kinds of signs everywhere that there was a giant treasure chest up on Thomas Road (a local road about a mile away) open to all who wanted to take jewels and money for whatever they needed, people would flock there. Yet, here in church we have the Treasure of all Treasures, Jesus Christ and very few come.”
She said more and to this day I feel that the Holy Spirit was speaking through her. I experienced a profound religious experience which at the young age of 13 guided me towards giving my life to Christ in love and ministry, especially the ministry of music.
One of my favorite hymns whose refrain expresses where I am on my Pilgrimage is “It is Well With My Soul” – not that I am finished and have concluded my journey, but that God in His love is still reaching out to take my hand in guidance on my Pilgrimage in this world and into the next.
Image Copyright: soulad123 / 123RF Stock Photo