DOT 209 : HAPPY

THE FINAL CHAPTER : A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY (Sept 2009 to Jan 2010)

At the Grotto of Our Immaculate Conception, in Lourdes   

Daniel (14+ years old) (Sunday 27/9/2009) 

Day 18 in Lourdes

NOVENA DAY 10

 

Michelle and Sophia left about an hour later.

We had embraced and deep in her heart, Mom had to admit she was touched and was grateful for their kind friendship. 

After all, they were strangers. 

They did not have to spend their time with us. 

It is true, that often ... very often ... God uses an unfamiliar, seemingly insignificant, person to carry out His mighty works.

You went for the bath at 2 pm that day.

While Mom and You spent some time at the grotto and thereafter relaxed and rested beyond the stream, Dad went back to the hotel to meet up with Uncle Peter. He was taking Dad to the pharmacy to get your medication which had finished this morning.

Dad came back to meet us at 4:15 pm and said he managed to get the steroids.

As usual, we attended the Blessed Sacrament at 5 pm and Holy Mass at 6 pm, before we went back to the hotel for dinner. You felt better and was able to join us at the dining hall this evening. 

After dinner, we wrote an email home to Justine. Mom started the email greetings and You took over.

You were in a happy mood tonight.

Aunt Diana would be here tomorrow. :D

 

  Mom, Aunty D, You and Justine reading a sign on a tree 

at A' Farmosa, Malacca in April 2009.

DOT 208 : DEAL

THE FINAL CHAPTER : A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY (Sept 2009 to Jan 2010)

At the Grotto of Our Immaculate Conception, in Lourdes   

Daniel (14+ years old) (Sunday 27/9/2009) 

Day 18 in Lourdes

NOVENA DAY 10

 

A Priest ...

That was far, far, far from your "What I'd like to be when I grow up" ambition.

The holy idea came about during a very desperate negotiation Mom had with God. 

A plea, a deal, she had attempted to struck with God. What else could she do to entice God to see things her way? 

Of course, she had ignored whatever little voice that appeared in her head, telling her that :

"We cannot tell God what to do. No one tells God what to do. We can only pray that our will is in accordance to God's will, because God's thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways."

Still, that did not stop her determined efforts to pester and bug the Lord - continuously. She would do whatever it takes to persuade God to see things her way.

At times when she felt very alone, and could not feel God near at all, she would turn to and cry to Our Lady. 

Your Son is being very unreasonable. What could Your Son possibly want with my son? What could my son possibly do for Your Son up there that he cannot do down here? 

Please Mother Mary, I'm begging You, from a mother to a Mother, please talk to Your Son. Let my son be well and I promise You, my son will serve Your Son for the rest of his life. 

He can be a priest if that's what it takes. 

He can be a priest.

And that's how the priest idea came about. 

 

  You, Mom and Justine on our 2nd day at the grotto.

DOT 207 : PRIEST

THE FINAL CHAPTER : A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY (Sept 2009 to Jan 2010)

At the Grotto of Our Immaculate Conception, in Lourdes   

Daniel (14+ years old) (Sunday 27/9/2009) 

Day 18 in Lourdes

NOVENA DAY 10

 

Michelle had expressed, in an unhurried and soft spoken manner, 

"Do not be discouraged. The challenges in front of us always seem impossible, but when we receive the graces, and we look back, it would seem very small ..."

Pause ...

Yeah, small ... like a dot.

An insignificant dot.

Mom found herself being comforted by their warm support, friendly presence and encouraging words. It was as though two angels had dropped by to pay her a visit and to lend her some strength. 

They had apparently heard about your wanting to become a priest when You recovered, and both said with much enthusiasm that they would pray for You to be well enough to realize that purpose.

A moment's silence.

Priest?

Oh ... 

Oh that ... 

Mom acknowledged awkwardly.

Casting her eyes downwards, Mom was guiltily silent and could not make a comment on that.

 

Picture taken on Sept 12, 2009.

Mass at the grotto.

DOT 206 : FELLOWSHIP

THE FINAL CHAPTER : A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY (Sept 2009 to Jan 2010)

At the Grotto of Our Immaculate Conception, in Lourdes   

Daniel (14+ years old) (Sunday 27/9/2009) 

Day 18 in Lourdes

NOVENA DAY 10

 

Grandma called at 6:30 am in the morning.

Uncle Peter (owner of the hotel), before putting the call through to our room, had said over the phone, 

"It's your mother ..."

Mom did not take the call as she did not want to disturb You. The phone was by our beds. 

You were not well this morning. You had just taken your medication and gone back to sleep. 

Mom told Uncle Peter to inform Grandma to call back later. She did, an hour later, to tell Mom that Aunt Diana will be flying over tonight from Kuala Lumpur, and arriving in Lourdes tomorrow noon.

An instant sense of comfort filled your mother's heart, mind and soul, upon hearing that.

It was 9:30 am.

Dad had gone for Mass with Uncle Peter.

Sophia, the Korean girl, and Michelle, the Malaysia girl (who fasted and prayed for You the day she heard about You from Aunt Laura), came over to the hotel to pay You a visit. 

Mom informed that You were still sleeping.

We spent some fellowship time together and had coffee in the TV lounge. 

Michelle, in the course of our conversation, said some words that Mom felt, had a sprinkling of divine influence. Surely, Mother Mary must have sent her to say those words of comfort.

Taken on Sept 29, 2009.

Aunty D's second day with us.