The day started shortly after I got up. Just as I was putting on my watch I felt the gentle sense of peace run through me. It was at that instant I first thought about maybe riding to Emmitsburg after work although I was not yet planning on it. The time on the watch was 7:13.
Before going to work I attended mass at "Parish Church". After mass I glanced at my watch as I walked out of the door and it said XX:XX:33. I went to work in "hometown". It was not a very busy day. It gave me time to do something that a priest who is familiar with the apparitions of Our Lady in Emmitsburg asked me to do for him.
What I am about to write down is difficult for me to even think about much less think about it in the detail necessary to write it down because of something that was said to me.
I recently had the most in depth verbal discussion of the events that are happening to me with this priest that I have ever had. For nearly an hour and a half we discussed and I answered questions about what I have witnessed and experienced in and because of Emmitsburg. We covered all topics ranging from the roses, the number sequences of 13, 33 and 333 and we discussed the night I saw Jesus appear in St. Joseph’s.
We discussed many other things directly related to the apparitions of Our Lady in Emmitsburg. This priest then asked me if I knew why these things were happening to me. I did not know what to say so I did not say anything. He then said to me “It is because you are a chosen instrument of God”. I find it very difficult to hear words such as this.
This priest then told me that the saint of his order would be near me to provide the assistance and protection that I would need to continue. He then asked me to make a copy of everything I have written and give it to him.
Today I made the copy he requested. I finished copying the 1st of the 3 binders and when the copy machine finished the time was 1:33. Later as time permitted I made copies of the other 2 binders. When I finished I glanced at my watch and the time was 2:13.
Later in the afternoon at the very instant I completed something at work I felt the very strong desire to go to the Miraculous Medal Novena at St. Joseph’s. It was perfectly timed with the completion of my work task and a strong sense of peace. I knew to look at my watch and the time was 3:33.
I received an email at work from Ted saying that he would like to go so I told him I would meet him at Wal Mart after work. I was almost to Leesburg when my cell phone rang and it was Ted saying he had misplaced his keys and had no way of getting to Wal Mart. I told him that I would drive to his house and pick him up.
Just as I was getting near the exit I would have to take to get to Ted’s house he called back and said he had found his keys. He said he would drive to Wal Mart. I drove there and waited for Ted. When he arrived we got in his car and rode the rest of the way. We arrived at St. Joseph’s and I held the door open for Ted and glanced at my watch as I walked in behind him and the time was 7:33:33
Fr. Steve was the celebrant and during his homily he started talking about St. Louise De Merrilac. He discussed how she helped St. Vincent DePaul found certain charities. He also discussed how she founded the first order of non-cloistered nuns. He went on to say that people rejected the idea of non-cloistered nuns because it was not what they were accustomed to. He said people tend to reject change. He then said that despite the will of the people this order of non-cloistered nuns flourished because it was God’s will and people eventually stopped rejecting it because they came to see and accept God’s will.
He then gave the example of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton founding a girls school and the fierce opposition that she encountered all because it was new. Again he said that despite attempts to stop her it flourished because it was God’s will despite the fact it was new and broke the traditions that people had become accustomed to.
Fr. Steve then applied these examples to the events in our lives today and how we should be open to something different even if we find it difficult to believe God would initiate the change. He asked if we reject something because it may disrupt our quiet lives.
Fr Steve then said that when something new is introduced in our lives that if it is not of God it will collapse. He then said “on the other hand if these events are from God and we continue to reject them we will be the ones who will collapse”.
There was no specific mention of what events he was talking about but I do not believe there was a person in that church who did not apply what he was saying to the events in Emmitsburg. There was a stillness and unusual quiet that was noticeable while he was talking. The novena and mass ended at 8:13.
R_____ C___
March 21, 2004
12:13:13 Am