Healed by Accident

April 20, 2009:

I asked the electrician to come and fix a few things in my room. The electrician came with a Muslim Syrian worker. They got into my room and began to work. I left the room a little bit, then I came back. I looked at the Syrian worker. He was dizzy. He looked like he would faint and fall down:

- What's going on with you?

- I feel sleepy.

- Is it because of the hot weather today?

- No. But this water you have here, is there a medicine in it? Is there a drug in it?

- What water?

Then, I understood. While I was outside my room, the Muslim Syrian worker took the bottle of water I had near my bed and drank from it. This water I brought from the fountain yesterday, blessed it and sprinkled inside my room. The Syrian worker drank Holy Water. He felt dizzy because all the burdens caused by evil were gone. He felt sleepy because he was filled by the Holy Spirit. Then, I explained to him that he drank Holy Water by accident.

The worker left my room saying: "There is something supernatural in Christianity."

The following day, the electrician called me saying: "Guess what, my Syrian worker has been suffering from back pain for a decade. He was healed after he drank the Holy Water.

قصة شفاء العامل السوري

في 20 نيسان 2009، طلبت من صديق أن يصلح بعض الأمور في غرفتي. فجاء ومعه عامل سوري غير مسيحي. دخلا غرفتي وبدأا بالأعمال.

خرجت من الغرفة ثم عدت لأجد العامل السوري يعاني دواراً. إعتقدت أنه سيسقط في أرضه.

فسألته: "ماذا يجري معك؟"

قال: "أشعر بنعسٍ شديد."

قلت: "هل بسبب الطقس الحار؟"

قال: "لا، ولكن هذا الماء الموجود هنا  هل يوجد فيه دواء ما؟ هل فيه مخدّر ما؟"

قلت: "أي ماء؟"

وأشار بيده الى قنينة مياه قرب سريري. ففهمت ما حدث. تذكّرت أنني أخذت البارحة مياهاً وباركتها ورششت الغرفة وتركت الباقي في القنينة. فحين خرجت من غرفتي، قام العامل وشرب من المياه المقدّسة وهو لا يعلم. وبما أنه غير معمّد، وبما أنه مثقل بالأحمال، شعر بهذا الدوران وحلّ عليه الروح القدس، لذلك شعر بنعس شديد. فشرحت له ما حدث. خرج العامل من الدير وهو يقول: "هناك أشياء فائقة الطبيعة في المسيحية".

وفي اليوم التالي، اتصل بي صديقي قائلاً: "كان العامل السوري يعاني منذ عقدٍ آلاماً في ظهره. حين شرب المياه المقدّسة، شفي من آلامه." فمجّدنا الربّ.

MISSION ON THE MOUNTAINS

    On May 4, 2006, I had an evangelical evening in a Christian house in Deir El Kamar. The mother of the house said: "Father, today we met a Druze woman. She opened her heart and told me that St. Rafqa had done a miracle to her son." I said: "Go, and ask her if she likes to have an evangelical evening at her house."

 The OK

    On May 22, 2006, we got the OK from this woman, her husband and 3 children. They want us to go and visit them in their village.

 The twelve

    On May 25, 2006, it was the Ascension Day. We were ready for the mission. Some of us prayed. Others fasted. I expected more than 20 Christian people to show up at my place before we go to that village, but I prayed we would be less than that. We didn't want to draw attention in a village that experienced massacres between Christians and Druze during the war. This is very sensitive. 12 people showed up at my place. I was the thirteenth.

This is symbolic: 12 = the apostles. The priest= Christ.

 Jesus’ instructions

We prayed in the chapel. I gave the instructions Jesus gave to his apostles:

"As you go, make this proclamation: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words--go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves." (Matthew 10:7-16).

Then, I added: "Do not mention Baptism or Come be a Christian. We just want to hear how God is working in their lives and we should be ready to give testimony on how our Lord is working in our own lives."

 The arrival

We went in three cars. We arrived at 8:15 pm at this non-Christian village. The family of 5 welcomed us.

We said to them: "we are not here to take you out of your beliefs. We are here to listen to how God is working within your family and we can tell you how our Lord is working in our lives."

  

The family’s story

The woman began her story: "Few years ago, my son has had problems in his eyes. He was going to become a blind. One night, I saw in a dream a nun wearing black. I didn't know who would be. I took my child to the hospital. There, he had to do a small operation as a preparation for the biggest and longest one. During the small operation, I saw a little girl wearing the same dress I saw in my dream. After 15 minutes, I saw a man holding the statue of the same person I saw in my dream. I asked who is she. They said this is St. Rafqa. I felt this is a sign to ask her intercession. So, I prayed. After that, the doctors came out amazed asking me: "were you praying? Your child does not need anymore to go through the longest operation. Something happened." I told my husband we should go immediately and visit the shrine of St. Rafqa. He said: "we don't know where it is". I said, we can ask and people will lead us. We arrived at Jrabta at the monastery of St. Rafqa. I entered the shrine and prayed at her tomb. I said: "If you are the one who healed my son, let me know, give me a sign." Then, I expected the candle would switched off or the rosary would move. But I heard my son crying. He said there is heat in his eyes. I understood that was the sign given by the Saint."

  

 The thunder of the Word of God

Then, we had a long spiritual discussion. Each one gave his testimony.

At the end, I distributed the gospels for each one of them. We were 18 people.

Then, I said to the woman: "Now, I want you to close your eyes, pray to the God of Raqa who healed your son, and open this book to see what the Lord is going to tell you."

The woman closed her eyes, prayed for a minute and opened the book. It was Acts 22:14 and ff.

She read: "And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, 'The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice; for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard. Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name.' "

That was like an thunder. Most of us cried. The woman had her voice shaking and she began to cry. The men who came with me from Deir El Kamar had their tears on the face. I remembered what I told them before we left the chapel: "Do not mention Baptism..." and here is the Lord is doing it his own way.

 A supernatural Presence

Then, I asked the father of the house: "Now, it's your turn. Close your eyes, pray, and open this book." He had another Holy Bible. All books were new.

The man closed his eyes, prayed, and opened the book and here is a great shock: It was the same passage. I asked him to re-read it again: "And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, 'The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice; for you will be his witness 2 before all to what you have seen and heard. Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name.' "

 Glorifying God

We felt that there was no coincidence here. There was a supernatural power who did that.

At the end, I blessed their house with holy water. We prayed spontaneously and left the village glorifying God.

I stayed three days in silence meditating on this tremendous experience. It was really powerful.

THE TREE OF GROANING

 It was Easter Sunday, April 16, 2006. I had midnight Mass. After that, I greeted the faithful. We had chocolate and wine. Then, I went to sleep at 2:30 am in the morning.

While asleep, I had a dream. I saw myself talking to 3 Druze people. Then, I saw the face of Jesus with his powerful presence. He was looking at me but the 3 people could not see his face. There was like a silent but very clear conversation between me and him. I don't know how to explain. It's like our hearts were conversing. Then, Jesus said: "Talk to them. Show them my love." When he said this, I experienced an overwhelming feeling of love towards the Druze people. It was like I wanted to embrace them all. Then, Jesus said: "Tell them that I am not here to eliminate their values but to fulfill them. Tell them that every wisdom in every religious book in every religion is not enough. All the wisdom of the world cannot give peace to man. It is just the Way of the cross that is the only true way for peace."

Then I woke up and  I forgot everything about the dream. It was like it never happened.

I said Mass at 9:30 am for the nuns. Then, I helped the pastor at his 11:00 am Mass. After that, I went down to the Hall to meet all the people and greet them: Happy Easter, Jesus is Alive.

I had a cup of wine and a piece of chocolate. Then, I left and went back to the church. The church was empty. I noticed a man in the shrine. He was with his wife and his daughter (20s). The man was picking a small paper from a basket that I set up last week. These are the sayings of Padre Pio. So, I asked the man: "What is Padre Pio saying to you?" He read: "On this earth everyone has his cross. But we must act in such a way that we be not the bad, but the good thief. " Then, I explained Padre Pio's word. Then, I asked them: "where are you from?" "Kfarhim" they said. “O, gosh, Kfarhim is 100% a Druze town” I said to myself. I wondered what are they doing here in front of the Icon of Our Lady of the Hill. Then, the woman began to tell me her story. She said: "We came here to fulfill a vow to Our Lady. I've been sick for so long. I had a chronic disease. My doctor told me that I must go through a lot of surgeries. When I heard this, I got sick, felt desperate and I prayed. Then, one night, a lady came to me in a dream. She was beautiful. She saw me crying. She told me not to be afraid. I asked her what I can do? She said, go to the "tree of groaning" and you will be healed. I asked her, what is the tree of groaning? She answered, Go and search for it and you will find it. Then, I woke up. I asked myself the whole day, what would the "tree of groaning" be? Then, I said to myself, may be it is a Christian symbol, “Groaning=Christ suffering”. So, I decided to go and visit Our Lady of the Hill (Saydet El-Talle) Maronite church in Deir El Kamar. That was 3 years ago. I came to this church and I prayed. Since then, the disease disappeared completely. I was totally healed and I did not have to go through any surgery. Today, in this great day, the day of Easter, I told my husband that we should go visit this Church to pay homage to Mary, and here we are, we came here."

Then, the husband said that he felt a power that brought them today to this church.

I was struck by the woman’s story. God gave me the gift to explain dreams, so I explained the woman’s dream. I told her that “the tree=the Cross” and “Groaning=Christ’s Passion”. When I explained everything, her 25 year old daughter got encouraged and asked me: “Father, I had a dream but I couldn’t understand it, can you explain it to me?” “Sure” I said. “I saw a man dressing in white. He was shining. He was turning his back so I just saw his back. When I looked at him (turning his back) I got scared. Then, he said to me, “You saw my back and got scared, what if I show you my face, what would you do then?”

When the young daughter said these words “my face”, I remembered the dream that I had this morning. I remembered it very clearly. Then, I said to them, “Wait a minute, this is no coincidence you are here. This morning I had a dream talking to three Druze, and you are three.” I told them about the dream concluding that Jesus has a message for you. They asked: “What is the message of Jesus for us?” I said: “Jesus says to you: I am not here to eliminate your values but to fulfill them.” He also says that every wisdom in every religious book in every religion is not enough. All the wisdom of the world cannot give peace to man. It is just the Way of the cross that is the only true way for peace.

Then, we talked for about an hour before they left with joy.

Jesus is truly alive. He is working in people's lives.

Praise be to God.

The Rebellious Doctor

 In one of Michigan Jails, many inmates, are experiencing a personal or a communal encounter with the Living Jesus Christ. Many inmates are able to say at one point “We have found the Messiah.” (Jn 1:41)  Based on my experience in jail ministry during the last three years, I have found that most of these  encounters happened:

 1- through the Eucharist after an hour in His Presence;

 2- through the Holy Scriptures after meditating on a gospel passage;

 3- through Mary by her motherly and merciful figure after reciting the Rosary.

 Although most of the inmates are non-Catholics, we try to teach them, in a gentle way, to pray the Rosary, to ask for the intercession of the Saints, and to pray for the souls in Purgatory. These forms of popular piety were an opportunity for them to encounter the living Lord.

 And here is another story of a 45-year-old doctor who converted in Jail thanks to Mary.

 It was on December 7th, 2003, when we (the Catholic Volunteers & the inmates) had an “Evangelical

 Evening”, where we gathered to read a passage from the Bible and discuss it together. We usually start with a prayer to the Holy Spirit. Then, we read a passage from the New Testament. We meditate on the Word of God. We raise questions and try to find answers related to each one’s experience in life. We conclude with spontaneous prayers and a blessing. Now it happened that day that two nuns traveled to jail for the first time and carried with them a six-foot long Rosary- I have never seen like this Rosary before. They sat down in circle with the inmates. One of the nuns handed the six-foot Rosary to three inmates and they started praying.

 One of these inmates, a 45-year-old doctor, with beads in hand, began to cry and sob. Most of the eyes in the room were focused on him and people wondered what was his story.

He rejected Mary on December 7th, 1983 in Pearl Harbor

 He said, “Twenty years ago, I was on a boat in Pearl Harbor. It was the commemoration of the Pearl Harbor Attacks. I stood up, took the Rosary in my hand, threw it into the ocean, and turned my back on God. It was December 7th, 1983 when I decided to reject Mary and God. Now today, December 7th, 2003, here is the Rosary back in my hand! It was given to me unexpectedly. I see that even if I had turned my back on Mary & God, which led me to a spiritual bankruptcy, Mary & God would never turn their back on me!”

 When the people in the Jail heard this story, they praised God. On that Sunday, the doctor/inmate turned

 his heart back to Jesus thanks to Mary. A week later, he was released from Jail. He spent one week in Jail

 for the first time in his life. But it was a special week where his love for Mary came back into his life.

Mary did not turn her back on him. He found Mary on December 7th, 2003

 The Catholic Volunteers are eyewitnesses of these special encounters between the inmates and the living

 Lord. Day by day, they believe in the call to be heralds of the Good News and to carry out a special mission of building up broken members of his Mystical Body.

قصة الطبيب الثائر

 في 7 كانون الأول 2003، ذهبت في زيارة الى السجن في الولايات المتحدة الأميركية ومعي راهبتان. ذهبنا لنقيم سهرة روحية حول الكتاب المقدّس. وكانت مع الراهبتين مسبحة ضخمة، لم أر مثلها قط في حياتي.

دخل السجناء الى الصالة وجلسنا في شكل دائريّ. فقامت إحدى الراهبتين بتسليم المسبحة الى أحد المساجين، ماثيو. وفجأة بدأ المسجون، وحبات المسبحة بين يديه، بالبكاء الشديد، مما استرعى انتباه الجميع. وتساءل البعض عما يجري معه. فروى لنا قصته:

"اسمي ماثيو، طبيب في العقد الرابع من العمر. منذ عشرين سنة وتحديداً في 7 كانون الأول 1983، كنت في Pearl Harbor على متن سفينة. كانت ذكرى الهجمات على الميناء. وقفت في السفينة، وكان عمري 25 سنة آنذاك، وأخذت مسبحتي الوردية بيدي، ورميتها في المحيط الهادئ. منذ ذلك الوقت، أدرت ظهري للرب ورفضت العذراء مريم في حياتي. ابتعادي عن مريم أوصلني الى الإفلاس الروحي. واليوم، في 7 كانون الأول 2003، المسبحة تعود الى يدي. أنا رفضتها وأما هي فلم ترفضني بل عادت إليّ في وقت ضيقي."

وبكى بكاء شديداً وهو يمسك المسبحة. ومجّدنا الله لما رأيناه وعايناه.

A Tabernacle in a Muslim Woman's House

قصة بيت القربان في منزل إمرأة مسلمة

في 9 حزيران 2005، اتصلت بي إمرأة مسلمة.
قالت: "أبونا، أود أن ألتقيك في أسرع وقت ممكن."
قلت: "حسناً، نلتقي غداً. هل أنت بخير؟"
قالت: "لا أعلم. هناك نار في قلبي منذ أول الأسبوع. هناك قوة تدفعني وتقول لي: أخرجي، أخرجي وتحدّثي الى الكاهن. لا أعرف ماذا يحدث لي. أود التحدّث اليك."

ولدت هذه المرأة في الولايات المتحدة الأميركية. وهي مؤثرة جداً في مجتمعها. منذ سنتين عانت من مرض السرطان. فصلّت للأنبياء طالبة الشفاء الى أن صرخت من كل قلبها للمسيح يسوع في عيد الميلاد قائلة: ساعدني. وقضت ليلة الميلاد ساجدة تبكي. في أثناء مرضها شعرت بحضور إلهي يرافقها. فهمت أن هذا الحضور هو الله. وبعد فترة قصيرة، تبيّن من الفحوصات أن المرض إختفى كلياً. الرب استجاب دعاءها. لم يشفها فقط من المرض الجسدي بل كشف لها حضوره الحي. وما إن قامت من فراش المرض حتى بدأت مسيرة بحثها عن الرب.

التقينا يوم الجمعة 10 حزيران 2005 في مطعم. دخلت ووضعت حقيبتها على المقعد وقالت: "أشعر بنار في قلبي منذ أول الأسبوع. هناك قوة تدفعني لأخرج وأتحدّث اليك. لا أفهم ماذا يجري. أشعر بالضياع. لست أفهم أين هي الحقيقة. أفكّر بالمسيح كل يوم وبشدة هذا الأسبوع." تحدّثنا حوالى الساعة شارحاً لها ما تقدّمه كل ديانة للإنسانية وأن المسيحية لا تقدّم آلية Technique أو كتاباً وإنما شخصاً حيّاً. هذا الشخص هو يسوع المسيح، عمانوئيل، أي "الله معنا".
قالت مقاطعة: "ماذا؟ تدعونه "الله معنا"؟
قلت: "نعم. أراك منذهلة."
قالت: "أرسلت عدة رسائل الكترونية عبر الإنترنت هذا الأسبوع عنوانها "الله معنا". لست أفهم."

ثم تذكّرت أمراً مهماً حدث معها هذا الأسبوع، قالت: "ذهبت يوم الإثنين الى جناز صديقتي المسيحية. وهي أول مرة أدخل فيها كنيسة كاثوليكية. كان هناك سلام عظيم. جلست على المقعد في آخر الكنيسة. ثم رأيت الناس يتوجهون نحو الكاهن الذي كان يعطيهم "شيئاً". فقلت لأذهب معهم. فوضع الكاهن "شيئاً" في يدي. لم أعلم ما هذا. أخذته في يدي وعدت الى مكاني. ثم أطبقت يديّ على ذلك الشيء وأغمضت عينيّ قائلة: إن كانت المسيحية هي الحقيقة، فاكشف لي ذلك."

قلت مرتبكاً: "ماذا فعلت بهذا "الشيء"؟
قالت: "أخذته "Souvenir" ووضعته في حقيبتي."
قلت: "ماذا؟"

قالت: "هل ما فعلته خطأ؟"
سألتها: "هل تعلمين ما هو ذلك الشيء؟"
قالت: "لا، أخبرني."
فشرحت لها عن سرّ القربان المقدّس. وأن ذلك الشيء هو قطعة خبز تحوّلت الى جسد الربّ."
قالت: "لم أكن أعلم أنها قطعة خبز".

ثم تذكّرَت أمراً ، قالت: "أعتقد أنه معي في الحقيبة".
قلت: "ماذا؟ أعطيني إياه فوراً".
فتحت حقيبتها وأعطتني جسد الربّ فانفتحت عينيّ وعرفت كل شيء.
الربّ كان حاضراً معنا لأكثر من ساعة دون أن نعلم. حقيبتها كانت بيت القربان. بيت القربان كان في منزلها لمدة أسبوع.

فشرحت لها:
"لذلك كنت مشتعلة من الداخل، لأن الربّ كان حاضراً معك.
لذلك كتبت رسائل عنوانها "الله معنا"، لأن الربّ كان معك.
لذلك شعرت بقوة تدفعك للخروج والتحدّث الى الكاهن.
لذلك كنت تفكّرين كل يوم وبشدة بيسوع المسيح. كنت تبحثين عن الربّ فجاء الربّ إليك. سألته أن يكشف لك الحقيقة، فأجابك. الربّ سمح بذلك لأنه يحبك".
عندما قلت ذلك بكت المرأة بكاء شديداً وقالت: "هذا أمر عظيم لا أستطيع إدراكه".

وبعد عدة أشهر لم تعد تستطيع إحتمال البعد عن يسوع. فصامت عدة أيام واتخذت قرارها الحرّ أن تصبح مسيحية.

A TABERNACLE IN A MUSLIM HOUSE

 On June 9, 2005, a Muslim woman called me on the phone. She said: “Father, I would like to meet you very soon. Can we meet tomorrow?

- “Yes, sure. We can meet on Friday afternoon. Are you Okay?”

- “I don’t know. There is a fire in my heart for the whole week and I am experiencing a power that is telling me: ‘Get out, get out’. I don’t understand what is going on in my life. I would like to talk to you.”

 This woman was born in the USA, of Mid-Eastern descent. She is very influential in her environment. A few years ago, she had cancer. That’s when she cried out to God with all her strength: “God, please help me.”. She prayed for all the prophets but nothing happened. At the end she prayed to Jesus on Christmas. She spent the whole night praying and crying. God answered her prayer. He not only healed her body but He also revealed to her His powerful Presence. Since then, she fell in love with God. She would seek Him everywhere. She was also in search for the Truth because many things were disturbing her in her community.

?She began to feel confused: “Why do I feel outside of my environment?”

 Sometimes I feel drawn to Jesus because He was pure. But I am afraid. I am troubled. Where is the Truth?”

On Friday afternoon, we met in a restaurant. She sat down, put her purse aside and began to talk.

 She said: “I’ve been on fire for the whole week. There was a power telling me ‘get out, get out.’ I don’t understand this. I felt I needed to talk to you, to someone who is close to God. I feel confused and troubled. I don’t know where the Truth is. I’ve been thinking of Jesus the whole week, everyday, from Monday to Friday.

 We talked around one hour, then, I explained to her what every religion offers to humanity. I told her that Buddhism offers a technique to reach Nirvana. Islam offers a book, the Qur’an, which is considered the word of God. It is like God gave this book to humanity to follow and there is no more dialogue with Him. I said: “Christianity does not offer a technique or a book, but a Person Who Is Alive. This Person, Jesus Christ, is called Emmanuel, which means ‘God with us’”.

When I said that Jesus is called ‘God with us’, she interrupted saying: “What? Is He called ‘God with us’? I didn’t know that?”

- “Why, what’s wrong here?”

- “Yesterday, I wrote on my screen ‘God with us’. I don’t understand.

Then, she recalled something that happened during the week.

She said: “On Monday, I went to a funeral. It was the first time that I entered a [Catholic] church. It was peaceful. I sat down on a pew. I saw people going in line. A priest was giving them Something. So I decided to go with them. I approached the priest. He gave me Something.

The priest gave me “something”. I didn’t know what was that.

- “What???”

- “I didn’t know what That was. I took It in my hand and went back to my place. I saw a cross on that Thing. So I closed my hands on that Thing and said: “Lord, if this is the Truth (Christianity) let me know.”

- “What did you do with It?”

- “I put It in my purse.”

- “What????”

- “Why? What is wrong here? Did I do something wrong?”

- “Do you know what was the Thing that you received?”

- “No, tell me.”

 I explained to her the Mystery of the Eucharist in a very simple way. I did not want her to be overwhelmed. I said: “This is what Christians believe. This is the bread transformed into the Body of Christ.”

- “I did not know it was bread.”

Then, she remembered something.

“I think I have It here with me.”

- “What? Give It to me immediately.”

She opened her purse. She took the Eucharist in her hands and gave it to me. I wrapped it in a cloth and placed it in my pocket. When I took the Eucharist in my hand, my eyes were opened and I understood everything.

I had just spent more than an hour with her without knowing that the Lord was literally with us. Her purse was a Tabernacle. It has been a Tabernacle in her own apartment for the whole week!!!

 She asked me to explain. So I told her:

“This is why you have been on fire for the whole week.

This is why you wrote on your screen ‘God with us’, because the Lord was with you.

This is why you felt you needed to talk to a priest.

 This is why you have been thinking of Jesus the whole week.”

 “You had a desire to meet God and God came to you.”

  “You asked Him in prayer while holding the Eucharist “If this is the Truth, let me know” and he answered your prayer.”

 “He allowed this to happen, because He loves you!”

When I said that Jesus loves her, she cried very much.

She said, “this is too overwhelming.”

I said, “There are many things that I can see in your life, but I can’t tell you now, because you cannot bear it.”

She said, “Why don’t you tell me?”

I said: “I don’t want to tell you everything (that the God Who is calling her can be seen and known in Jesus Christ). I will let God work in your life. I believe He will reveal Himself to you gradually. Don’t be afraid, you will find the One you love.”

After this meeting, I felt overwhelmed by this story. It is amazing how Jesus works in people’s lives.

This Muslim woman has a pure heart. Therefore, she will find God because Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God.”

 This woman prays with her heart not with her lips.

 This woman is searching for the Truth with a sincere heart. Therefore, she will find Jesus who said, “I am the Truth.”

 She is longing for something deep. She has a tremendous desire to find the Lord, but the Lord went to her house. He made a Tabernacle of her purse. She carried Him with her for the whole week. Her heart was set on fire and she did not know the Source of this Fire.

 This story taught me a great lesson, that Jesus is thirsty for souls and that there are millions of people who long to find the Lord but they don’t know where to find Him. While many of the Catholics who know where to find Him (in the Eucharist), they are still lazy and do not get up and help these souls to find the One they are thirsty for, and the One Who Thirsts for them!

 At the end of June, she said to me: “I believe that the whole world should follow Jesus Christ.”

 Finally, she feels peace and no more confused because now she found the role model in her life: Jesus Christ.

Then, I left the US back to Lebanon for a new assignment. She had a contract in an Arab country, So, she left the US and went there. In that country, she would do her work and go back to her apartment. On the road, she would cry asking Jesus, “Why do you make me feel what you feel, and how people are lost for they do not know you? Why? What do you want from me?” Then, she would go to sleep and when she put her head on her pillow, she would feel His Presence. Finally, she said to herself, “I can’t continue this way. I have either to accept him or to run away.” So, she decided to fast for 3 days, in order to take her most difficult decision. She began her fast, and on the third day, her mother called her from the US. She said to her daughter, “I read your horoscope. It says that you’ve been trying to take a decision for three days. And I tell you honey, take your decision, take it my dear.” The Muslim woman laughed at how God sometimes works through silly things. She took her decision, went back to the US and got baptized secretly.

Her first night as a Christian at her parent’s house was strange. She felt a dark presence inside the house. She couldn’t sleep. So, she went from one room to another making the sign of the cross saying, “In the name of Jesus, get out from here.”

The newly baptized woman went back to the Arab state, joined a Christian community, and began her mission to make Jesus known to many.

Praise be to God.

My Visit to Tommy Hamill: July 5, 2004

My Visit to Tommy Hamill July 5, 2004

On April 11, 2004, I was in St. Sharbel Parish in Warren, Michigan, when I saw Tommy Hamill on the TV. It was Easter. Tommy Hamill was kidnapped on April 9, 2004. It was Good Friday.

“This was out of my hand. I trusted that God would work this out.” Tommy said.

 When I saw this guy, I felt like fire in my heart to pray for his freedom. I started praying asking the Lord on his day of resurrection to deliver this man from his captors: “Lord, as you set Peter free from the prison, I believe that you can set Tommy free.”

His captors said to him: “If you deny your faith and become Muslim, we will offer you a woman and a store in Baghdad.” Tommy said to them: “I have my God and He has a Son and his name is Jesus Christ, and I stand by my God. I am a Christian and I’ve been with my wife for 17 years. My God will bring me back to my country.”

 Tommy thought about St. Peter who was in prison and how the angel of the Lord set him free.

After hearing that, the captors wouldn’t talk to him for three days. They were very upset.

 I kept praying for Tommy, and when I heard about the Italian hostage who got killed by his captors, I intensified my prayers: “Lord Jesus, don’t let Tommy die. Let him experience your mercy and love.”

 Tommy said to me: “I wasn’t anxious, no fear. I felt the peace of the Lord.” He felt the presence of God and the prayers of his family and those who love him.

 One day, his captors left the room leaving their weapons on the table. The devil tried to tempt Tommy saying: “If you use these weapons and kill them, you will be free.” But Tommy rejected the devil’s suggestion, saying: “I did not come to Iraq to take lives but to do good. I am not a soldier but a worker. I believe that God will set me free at the proper time.”

On May 2, 2004, Tommy escaped his captors. “After hearing the sound of [the American] Humvees nearby, [Tommy] kicked down a metal- plate door propped up by a piece of wood and made a stumbling dash across tomato fields with only socks on his feet. He was shouting I’m an American, I’m an American POW and he was waving his shirt above his head.” (NBC News)

 It was Sunday, I was in St. Sharbel Parish Warren, Michigan, when I heard the good news that Tommy escaped his captors. It is hard to express the joy I felt that day. God answered the prayers of many people.

Tommy came home.

  When you pray for someone, you build a strong spiritual relationship with this person.

 Therefore, I decided to go and visit him. It was on July 5, 2004, when I went with my friend Gary to see Tommy.

Tommy welcomed us. He shared his story with us and I shared mine with him. I offered him the Imitation of Christ book to be his companion in his journey. Tommy’s experience was the beginning of a journey with the Lord. God is preparing him for something great.

 Tommy forgave his captors. He would like to see them one day. He said, “I would like to go back one day and thank my captors because they treated me well. They never mistreated me.”

 During his captivity, he was feeling peace. His peace and his zero fear made his captors confused.

Tommy and Kelly offered us dinner. And after dinner, we prayed together in private. Kelly told me that she had a dream on the same day her husband was captured.

 Tommy came into her dream saying: “I am OK”. Kelly had another dream before he was released. He said to her: “Don’t worry, I’m gonna be home soon.” Kelly was completely at peace.

 His mother had a dream weeks before he was captured:

 “Something bad is gonna happen but everything will be OK.” The mother said that on Good Friday, the day Tommy was kidnapped, the very special antique clock started ringing and ringing and ringing like Church bells without any reason. 

Tommy is a very humble person. He is not a preacher. He is not a minister. “I don’t know what  to talk” he said. But people are moved to tears when he speaks about his experience with God during his captivity. There is a power that comes out of him.

“Tommy, your experience is the beginning of a long spiritual journey with the Lord. God is preparing you for the mission in his Church.”

What we learn from your experience, Tommy, is to have Faith in God, to cry out to Him when we are in trouble, and to trust in Him, in the way he leads us to salvation.

 What I personally learned from the whole experience was the power of prayer. When you pray for someone, you build a strong spiritual relationship with this person.

PSALM 26 (27)

 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom am I afraid? When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, These my enemies and foes themselves stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart does not fear; Though war be waged against me, even then do I trust. One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the LORD'S house all the days of my life, To gaze on the LORD'S beauty, to visit his temple. For God will hide me in his shelter in time of trouble, Will conceal me in the cover of his tent; and set me high upon a rock. Even now my head is held high above my enemies on every side! I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and chant praise to the LORD. I Hear my voice, LORD, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me. "Come," says my heart, "seek God's face"; your face, LORD, do I seek! Do not hide your face from me; do not repel your servant in anger. You are my help; do not cast me off; do not forsake me, God my savior! Even if my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me in. LORD, show me your way; lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Do not abandon me to the will of my foes; malicious and lying witnesses have risen against me. But I believe I shall enjoy the LORD'S goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!

Spiritual Direction

SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR/DIRECTION/DIRECTEE

 A Spiritual Director is a person who helps another person to see God’s work in his/her own life, to respond to God’s Graces, and to grow into Holiness.

 Spiritual Direction encourages the person to get closer to God the Father, to remain in Union with God the Son, Jesus Christ, and to be open and listen to God the Holy Spirit.

 The person who seeks Spiritual Direction is a man/woman who is going somewhere, who is beginning  on a Spiritual Journey. He/she needs to talk to someone on the way: “Who am I? What do I want? Where

 am I going? Will I reach my goal? What are the obstacles? Do I understand the Will of God? What is He  trying to tell me? Help me find the way.”

 (The person who seeks Spiritual Direction needs to feel comfortable with the Spiritual Director in order to start Step 1.)

 STEP 1: WHO AM I?

 First meeting: We meet in the Chapel. We discuss what you really need, whether you need to make only Step 1 (a General Confession) or you need to make Step 1 and continue Spiritual Direction. The most important thing in this meeting is for you to feel comfortable with the priest. If you want to move on, then you need at least a week to prepare yourself for a General Confession. What I mean by preparing yourself is to Pray about it and to start thinking of the first aspect of your life which you need to bring to Christ.

 What is General Confession? It is to bring your whole life to Christ in the Sacrament of  Confession/Reconciliation.

 It is not to tell the priest, ‘I did this three times, I did that four times’. Rather, it is to tell your personal  story to Christ through the Sacrament and the priest. This General Confession might be complete in one  meeting or it may take three or four meetings. Remember what Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are

 burdened, and I will give you rest.” Where can you find this Jesus? In the woods? Yes, you can find him  there. In the Bible? Certainly you can find Him there. In the Eucharist? Absolutely you can find Him there! But, will your burdens be lifted up forever through these personal encounters with Jesus in the woods, the Bible, or the Eucharist? Not at all. You need to encounter Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation or confession. There, you will receive His Forgiveness. Jesus sent his disciples to the whole World saying, ‘Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."[John 20:23]. There, you will receive His Peace. When the woman with hemorrhages approached Jesus in fear and trembling, fell down before Him and confessed everything, telling Him the whole truth, He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."[Mark 5:34] Jesus promised peace and rest for those who come to Him. ‘Come to me, all you who are burdened, and I give you rest.’ [Matthew 11:28].

 The difference between Psychological Therapy & General Confession is that the former is very helpful but

 cannot give the True Peace of heart nor forgiveness, while the latter can give you the inner Peace and  Forgiveness of Christ, which are the central and most needed things of every human being.

 Second meeting: You start the General Confession beginning from Childhood to the present time. As I said above, it may take several other meetings. In each meeting you just need to take your time. Don’t worry about my time, it will be yours, because what is most important to me is for you to encounter  Jesus, receive His healing and forgiveness, and move on your Spiritual Journey to Heaven.

 Third meeting: It will be my turn to give you feedback showing you God’s Work in your Life, by helping in answering your most important question: “Who am I?” At this time and throughout, you do not need to worry! I am not here to judge or to offend. This meeting can be the most beautiful and meaningful. You will receive a lot of insights concerning your Life and Vocation. I will also tell you what to expect in your Spiritual Journey. After the feedback, I give you an Absolution, which means that your confession will be under the Seal of the Sacrament. Then, I will give you around 9 days to think and pray about the next Step: “What do I want?”

 STEP 2: WHAT DO I WANT?

 Fourth meeting: We discuss together the answers that you found for this question: “What do I want? What is my goal for the next month? Where am I going?” You may have hundreds of answers: “I want Holiness. I want to follow Christ. I want to get along with my wife. I want to join that Community. I want to buy a new house... whatever...” Then, I will help you to make priorities. We will evaluate the results of our first meetings. We agree on how often it would be best to meet. In the next meetings, we can either focus on fighting and overcoming old habits, removing fears or obstacles on the way, and moving on; or we can focus on your Spiritual Meditations and reactions in Prayer.

 STEP 3: SPIRITUAL GROWTH

 Fifth meeting and on: We discuss the goals, the results, the reactions in Prayer, the obstacles, what is God telling you, the fears, the shadows of the past, new insights, new callings, your responses. All you need to do here, is to trust your experience. Trust that God is guiding you, leading you, and preparing you for the mission. Strengthen your personal relationship with God. Remember my friend that you are on a Spiritual Journey, like a traveler. Sometimes it gets dark and sometimes it is clear. But do not be afraid. The Lord is your shield and protection.

  

GENERAL CONFESSION: Testimonies

FEEDBACK & COMMENTS OF CHRISTIANS WHO EXPERIENCED GENERAL CONFESSION

L.Z. wrote:

 My Thoughts about General Confession:

When I heard a talk by Father Antonio, I was very drawn to the idea of a general confession.  He had spoken of a non-Catholic prisoner to whom he ministered.  This man had made a general confession and as a result, had embraced the Catholic faith, along with the rest of his family.  He also told of a woman that made a general confession.  Through this, she had found God right in her midst.  She had been looking for Him way up above, as if He could be found at the top of a very tall building.

In the days following the talk, I could not shake the idea of a general confession from my mind.  I believe God was calling me to this. I wanted to confess in this way.  Not knowing where to reach Father Antonio directly, I called the Ave Maria Foundation and through them, was able to obtain his e-mail address and we communicated back and forth for a few days.  When he told me that a general confession was different from a traditional confession because I could go back to day one and give my entire life to Jesus through this means, I knew I must go.  I had received permission from my husband to visit Father Antonio for a couple of days.

The first day Father met with me, he walked me through all the phases of my life, from birth through the present. Many tears were shed. But his kindness and love were a great comfort.  Although I had already confessed these sins in previous confessions, I felt like this confession was “whole and completely from the heart.”  Some of my previous confessions had been before I had had my true conversion to a life devoted to Jesus.  Even though I had sincerely confessed the sins previously, this time I was aware of the deep hurt my sins had caused Jesus, and I wanted to again fall into His arms and tell Him I was so sorry.  I wanted to cry at His feet; to wash His feet with my tears of repentance.  And this is what I did.

The next day we met again.  Father Antonio had made a timeline of my life and had outlined the path my sins had taken.  He highlighted the time of my conversion and we discussed where I was headed from there.  He was very loving and encouraging.  When I received absolution from Jesus, through the hands of this holy priest, I felt as if I had been relieved of the great weight of decades of sin that kept me back from becoming truly one with Jesus.  I now could move forward without being dragged back by those ugly sins.  They were no longer there anymore.

It has been one year since my general confession.  As a result, I feel that I have made great strides in my quest for holiness.  My prayer life is more fruitful.  As I prepare for my frequent confessions, I am more aware of the impact my sins have on Christ.  I see how even the smallest of my sins inflicts great agony on Him as He awaits His persecutors in the Garden of Gethsemane, since with God there is no time.  My sins He bears as He receives the painful blows as the soldiers whip and beat Him at Pilate’s command.  My sins cause heartbreak in His blessed mother, as she watches Him trudge by on the road to Calvary.  And my sins nail Him to the cross.  Yes, I partake in His suffering and death on the cross.  I, too, am there.

The general confession freed me to understand that through His unfathomable mercy, He awaits me each and every moment.  He beckons me to come and be with Him.  He wants me to invite Him in, even if I am not a flawless receptacle.  He expects not perfection from me, but only an honest desire for repentance.

Over and over again I am the prodigal son.  I come home to Him in the sacrament of penance, and He is always watching and waiting; hoping to catch sight of me coming down the road.  When He catches sight of me, He is overjoyed.  He throws a big party and puts rings on my fingers.  He clothes me with a new robe and kills the fattened calf.  I fall into His arms.  There I am home, in His warm and loving embrace.  My God has forgiven me. 

 M.H. wrote:

 General Confession was a tremendous gift to my spiritual life. My husband, Tom, had died many years ago in a sudden tragic car accident. Though I thought I had forgiven him for leaving me suddenly with four small children, there was still lingering fear, resentment, anger, and a hardness of heart.

 After General Confession, when Fr. Antonio asked me, “Do you forgive your husband for leaving you?” I said, “Yes” and “I forgive, God, too!” After that point, a burden was lifted off of me. I became lighter. I was able to share with my children the good in our past lives and our shared love. The problems of alcoholism, depression, and epilepsy began to fade and a calmness settled over me. Also my prayer life improved and I was able to ask Tom to intercede for our children and family in a deeper spiritually united manner. The things that had been hidden to me were swept into the light and then out the door!

K.M. wrote:

"Never having heard about General Confession, I wasn't sure what it meant until I began to experience it with my new confessor. Before I met him, I was experiencing a complete blockade in my spiritual, emotional, and intellectual life. It seemed as though I were locked inside a small concrete cell with no windows. All of Christ's love for me in the Church had become only an intellectual assent. I felt dead to all feeling and will and did not have the go-power to understand or escape my prison, even with the sacraments of the Church and other spiritual practices and reading. I recognized danger only after realizing that I no longer cared whether I went to Mass or not, or whether I prayed or not. After we started General Confession, my confessor listened to me with truly "divine patience." Without rushing me, over a period of weeks he guided me into a graduated revelation of my entire life history to him, choosing scriptural passages for me to reflect on to help illumine my own understanding as well as his. Guided by the power of the Holy Spirit, and doing his own written homework, he helped me over a period of time to grapple with the overall picture of my life. Using those scripture passages, he began to reveal to me an amazing parallel between the valleys and mountains of my own life and those of the Israelites in their wanderings during the centuries before Christ. Incredibly, I began to see that over the years, God was leading me ever so slowly into my present vocation, and that His faithful love had guided me unerringly through crucibles beyond my comprehension at the time. This faithful and spirit-led priest was like a trail scout, leading me out of a dark and barren place into the light of God's loving kindness again. "Today, my life is moving forward in the grace and calling God has given me. I could not say that every priest or spiritual director would necessarily be effective in giving General Confession. But this priest, with whatever combination he has been given of natural and supernatural gifts, was able to gently set me free from an inner landscape of desolation. I am learning to "make a capacity" for God's new life in Christ and am regularly in the company of others on the same journey. May His Holy Name be praised."

  

G.M. wrote:

I had the great opportunity to experience general confession with Fr. Antonio and since then my whole life has been put on the right track. The unimaginable graces that have proceeded from it began continue into a most needed healing and restoration.

Above all, I am more reconciled with my Lord and with the people in my life who have harmed me than I could have imagined or hoped for before this general confession.

Part of what was so liberating and healing about it was having someone simply give me some quality time. I never had anyone in my whole life willing to sit with me for the time it took and listen, let alone be a compassionate guide and share God's insights with me. Finally to have absolution - over my whole life - after giving so much thought and consideration to my entire history, has given me the sense of complete forgiveness that I longed for with all my heart. I highly recommend it to everyone.

B.C wrote:

I am writing concerning a general confession which I did with Fr. Antonio in 2003.  I am 51, grew up in a large Catholic family, and attended Catholic schools.  I have appreciated the value of regular confession my whole life, although most of my confessions in recent years have been relatively short with a long line of penitents waiting behind me, or a penance service.  I experienced this general confession as a powerful support and a source of hope and encouragement in my Christian life.  First of all, I heard about Fr. Antonio and general confession from a business associate.  My friend spoke to me about this priest who met with him for four sessions taking two hours per session.  I could not remember a time when anyone, especially a priest, listened to me for eight hours.  Fr. listened very patiently to all my struggles, joys and sorrows.  Then he responded to my story and expressed a number of ways that God had been working in my life over the years.  This whole experience gave me tremendous hope that my sorrows were not wasted, and that God loves me and is leading me.  It helped me to grieve the losses I have experienced.  It also gave me confidence and increased my resolve to listen to the Lord and to follow His will for my life.  General confession was a very positive experience.

 M.M. wrote:

[I  would] like to share a few thoughts on the general confession that I did with you, and I am most happy to do so. It has definitely served as one of the most helpful things I have done. I had a major conversion experience in 1992 and have received the sacraments regularly since then, both Eucharist and reconciliation. I had been serious in my walk with the Lord. But the general confession was a gift that allowed me to grow closer to the Him.

The process was helpful each step of the way. In preparing for the general confession, I spent several hours in reflection and prayer before we spoke. I sketched out a timeline of significant events in my life, both in terms of sin and of grace. The time with you telling my story was, I must admit, difficult and painful, but you were most kind and helpful through this process! Although everything we discussed I had confessed previously, there developed (with your skillful help) several themes that ran through my life, areas of strength, of profound weakness, of brokenness, of grace. I begin to feel that I was seeing myself more clearly, and I could see how God had been patiently working with me long before I knew Him at all. I experienced a very heightened sense of His mercy, of healing, and it made me profoundly grateful. After my general confession, I immediately felt like weight had been lifted from me, and I really believe the grace allowed me to enter a new stage in my life with God. You have helped me be more patient with my dryness, and I have more confidence that God is working on me even though I may not feel Him doing so. (Your counsel from Jesus’ parables and from his experiences with the Apostles was most helpful here.) I also feel that I gained a better overall sense of where I am on my journey toward the Lord, and what I could do to avail myself of His grace.

The Lord has been busy with me this year, and I am so much more aware that I am being formed, not necessarily for “big things,” but for to know, love, and serve Him better. I attribute my movement toward God to his grace, of course, but it was delivered and magnified through the general confession.

Father Antonio, I thank you so much for the generous gift of your priesthood and your time. Please promote the practice of general confession to all who want to know Jesus better, and to all who need healing (which I think is just about everyone). As you know, I am a psychologist, and I know a wider spread use of general confession would save many people a great deal of time and money in counselor fees. A skilled confessor is a treasure who can not only give insight and advise but can bring God’s grace to bear on our woundedness.

May God bless you and all the work you are doing with such talent and enthusiasm.