Excerpts...on faith

My faith was ingrained from any early age. I was baptized. My family went to church every Sunday. I went to Catholic elementry school, which I consider a gift from my parents (and which we gave to our children). I started loving God at a young age. 

We also learned about Saint Gerard Majella, an Italian saint born in 1726. He is the patron saint of childbirth, pregnant women, and mothers. He is also the saint for infertile couples. We prayed and prayed and asked him to intercede on our behalf.

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I continue to pray to Saint Gerard to thank him for his help and ask him to continue to watch over and guide his namesake.

"Only good can come from love." I found myself uttering these words during my most desperate moments in the years that followed. Because of this belief, I never gave up hope...In spite of our despair, we always knew there would be a happy ending. Gerard was a troubled, yet beautiful soul, and only good could come from love. 

God speaks to all of us. We just have to listen. We are often caught up in the frenzy of our days and don't take the time to quiet ourselves. Many do this through prayer. Many do this through meditation. I have my quiet time every morning when I walk my dog.

Since there is evil in this world, it is important to protect oneself. Christians believe that by focusing on Jesus, we defeat the devil. This can be done by reading and knowing the Bible, practicing devotion to Mary, frequenting the sacraments, praying and fasting, and calling upon your guardian angel.

I know the rest of my life will be dedicated to helping others. Whenever I have concerns about my job or our finances or how we are spending whatever time we have left, I reutrn to our priority. Every morning, I ask God the following: "Please guide me each and every day of my life so I can be of service to you and service to others."

I am so fortunate to have been born to wonderful parents in this great county...I have never in my life been hot or cold or hungry or thirsty and have had everything I have ever needed or wanted. Thank you, God, for all of this. 

The way this manuscript came to me is yet another extraordinary event in my life. I did not intend to, nor had any desire at this point in my life, to write a book...I do believe there is a reason for it, which I do not yet understand...Jesus, I trust in you. 

I received a wonderful gift from Gerard on my birthday in September. In a joint birthday card from him and John, he wrote: "Dear Ma, Happy Birthday. I appreciate all you've done for me. I wouldn't be the man I'm creating myself if it weren't for you. I love you for a thousand years and a thousand more! Love, Gerard"

One Sunday last fall, as I was walking up to Communion, I gazed at the cross and felt and visualized something amazing. As I looked at the tortured Christ, his head rose up, and his arms were freed from the cross. They came towards me. He wrapped his arms around me in a warm and loving embrace. I felt an incredible rush of energy and was filled with his presence. 

How we are getting through all of this comes down to one word: faith. When our minds go to darkness, our faith brings us back...We truly believe he is OK, even better than OK, and what you experience in heaven is far greater than anything on earth. We are happy for him!

One of the many things I have often pondered is life after death. What are Heaven, hell and purgatory like? Once we have passed, do we recognize people/souls from ourearthly life?...Can people who are dead see what is happening on earth? Can they hear the words we speak to them? Do they witness the tears we shed for them daily? 

How beautiful that is, I thought. I was beaming with love, pride, and appreciation that God allowed Gerard, in his short life, to make a difference in the lives of others. Tears of joy welled in my eyes. Everything about that day was perfect!

All these miracles confirm that Jesus is alive and available for us in the Eucharist. He is truly present in our lives. This is something I have always believed, but learning about these miracles helps my human brain understand and visualize this mystery. It also encourages me to share the good news with others.

God has a plan for us. Our job is to work to discover what that plan is at various stages of our lives. We may think we are in control, but God is in charge. You know the expression: "We plan; God laughs."