When I met with Father Sam last week, he gave me two rosaries before I left that had come from Medjugorge. He told me that they had been blessed by the Blessed Virgin Mary herself during an apparition there.
When Father Sam gave me the rosaries as I was leaving his house, I was at first confused, and showed him why. I had in my pocket the rosary that I use myself daily. It is the rosary that my father was given when he became a member of the Knights of Columbus about 45 years or so ago. Last year I had left it intentionally in our motor home, which is sitting in storage in Tucson AZ, when we are not there. So, when I went there on my own last fall, I found it where I had left it, and started to use it for my morning prayers. On the second morning when I took it out to pray, I noticed that many of the links had turned to gold. Since then, they have all turned. Because of the linkage to my father, I hope that I will never have to give that rosary away, even though Jesus is a little the worse for wear on the crucifix.
By the time that I got home, I wrote a friend and told him about theMedjugorge rosaries. Within 24 hours I had realised that, in fact they were to go to him. I thought they were for him and his wife, but he had a different idea. He has a son in the US military, who will be deployed to Afghanistan soon, and as a good father, he is concerned. He said he planned to give one of them to him for his protection.
I popped them in the mail on Friday afternoon. On Monday, afternoon they arrived at my friend's place. On Monday evening, he picked his son up at the airport, so the rosaries beat his son to the house. The rosary is safely in his son's hands, and his son is safely in the hands of our Dear Blessed Mother.
The Blessings could end there, but knowing God they don't, and I do know of one more connection in the Circle of Blessings.
Before I left for Ridgetown to see Father Sam, I had had contact with another blogger in the US, who writes very beautiful pieces about her love for God, and his love for her and us. In an email communication with her, I had mentioned my little trip down the road to see Father Sam, and she told me she would pray for me, and for my time with Fr. Sam. The connection is that her husband is also in the US military. So, in effect, she was praying for another military man as the circle tightens.
How cool is that!!
1 comment:
Hello Father Sam. So pleased to meet you and your blog. My name is Joshua, and I am the recipient of the two Medjugorge rosaries.
When Michael told me that he'd sent the rosaries to my address, I was dumbstruck. Michaelk had told me the story behind the rosaries.
Why would Michael give me something so precious? I wondered. But something told me not to object (which was my first reaction) by telling Michael that I could not accept such a precious gift from him. Something inside me told me to shut up and express my gratitude. I kinda did, but then I received the rosaries - On Monday, as Michel described.
Simple wooden beads both. One rosary came with a metal crucifix, and one with a plain wooden one. I gave the latter to my beloved son later that evening at my home. My son was eating (voraciously) food I had prepared for him. By this time, it was 1:20 a.m. I p[resented him with the rosary and a very brief explanation of how they had come into my possession. My son is the "strong, silent type". The rosary sat beside his plate for most of the meal. As a served him the chai tea that he'd requested, I saw him (out of the corner of my eye) slip the rosary into a secure pocket on his fatigues.
"Dopn't forget where you put that," I said to him.
"Dad," he explained, "that's where I'm going to keep it all the time. I don't have to remember. It'll always be there."
Like my love for my son, it will always be there. I felt so relieved.
My son will be in Afghanistan within three months. Please pray for him and his safe return. He is doing what he is doing because he believes it is his job. Last year, my son was earning almost half-a-million per year as a medical practitioner in Edinburgh, Scotland. Today, he earns virtually nothing for risking his life to serve his country. That is the man I had a hand in raising. My son is MY HERO now.
Please, God, keep and protect my son 24/7. I love him more than life itself.
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