August 1, 2003

First Friday

 

During the evening of Thursday July 31st I feel asleep on the couch downstairs while watching EWTN. A few hours later I woke up and picked up my watch that was sitting on the table in front of me and the time was 1:33. I went upstairs and got in bed and fell straight back to sleep. Later in the night I woke up suddenly and felt a strong desire to pray. I looked over at the clock next to the bed and the time was 5:33. I laid in bed and said some prayers and at the very instant I finished praying I remembered that it was 1st Friday and St. Joseph’s would be open all night for adoration. It made me happy just thinking about it and I fell back to sleep.

Later in the morning after I got ready for mass and work I walked downstairs and said some prayers. At the very instant I finished praying I looked up and glanced at the picture I took of Our Lady of Fatima in Emmitsburg on September 23, 1998 and was suddenly filled with peace. It was so strong that I glanced at my watch and the time was 8:13:33.

Later in the morning Cecelia C called me at work and told me about some car problems that she is currently having. She asked if I was going to Emmitsburg tonight and I told her that I was going. She asked me to pray for her when I got to St. Joseph’s. I told her that I would and we hung up. The time was 11:13.

I was fairly busy the rest of the day at work and just as I was getting ready to leave for Emmitsburg my phone rang and I was given another task that had to be completed before leaving work for the day. I knew at this point that I would never make it to St. Mary’s for the 7PM rosary but St. Joseph’s would be open all night long so time did not matter. When my co-worker and I completed the task I left for Emmitsburg and the time was 5:33.

I drove to Emmitsburg and since I had missed the Rosary for Life at St. Mary’s I stopped at the Grotto of Lourdes and just walked around for a little while. While I was there I ran into an old Thursday Night friend named Sandra Powell. Sandra told me that the best 7 years of her life were the 7 years she and her husband Bob were at St. Joseph’s on Thursday nights. She said she has never missed anything on earth as much as she misses Thursday nights. She spoke with a sincerity that could only be appreciated by someone who misses and loves Thursday nights at St. Joseph’s as much as she does. I could feel her pain because I share it with her. When we finished talking I got in my truck to go visit Sister Genevieve and the time on the dash when I started the truck was 8:13.

I stopped at St. Mary’s on my way to see Sister Genevieve and the rosary had been long over but Dolly K was still there and I talked to her for a while. When I arrived at St. Mary’s the time was 8:33.

I then visited with Sister Genevieve for about 20 minutes and when I left I drove to St. Joseph’s for adoration. When I arrived at St. Joseph’s there was nothing special about the time I don’t even know for sure what the time was. It was not 13 or 33 after the hour. I prayed the entire rosary and then I just prayed some more. I thanked God for everything and I glanced at my watch as I genuflected to leave the church. The time was 11:33.

R_____ C___

August 6, 2003

12:33 Am