Special Graces

Tuesday July 19, 2005

I have no idea how many times both Our Lady of Emmitsburg and Our Lady of Medjugorje have stated that this is a time of “special grace” and that we should make the most of it while we have it because it won’t last forever.

Our Lady says this very frequently in both places. I have become absolutely convinced that what I have experienced and written over the years is this “special grace” because I know it is not me causing it. I know that what I have and continue to experience began at the apparitions of Our Lady of Emmitsburg at St. Joseph’s and are exactly the same at the apparitions of Our Lady of Medjugorje at St. James. There is no difference.

I believe the time I spend recording these events on paper is worth it because they are true and accurate descriptions of how this “special grace” works in my life. I suspect the same grace would work in a totally different way in another person but with the same end result of returning to God.

I have come to believe that when God allows such “special graces” there must be some reason for it and some type of benefit or outcome that He desires. That is His business and I don’t feel I need to know any more than it is Him causing it.

For years now I have been praying before the Blessed Sacrament telling God that if what is happening to me is from Him then it is fine. In the next breath I tell Him that if it is not him to please put a stop to whatever is causing it. The result is that it increases and becomes more frequent and more difficult and less predictable. Such was the case today because despite delays and unexpected events that were far beyond my control, the day was still perfectly timed.

On my way to work this morning I stopped at St. Joseph’s for a few minutes of prayer before leaving for work. When I arrived at St. Joseph’s the time on the dash was 6:33. I said my prayers and left.

I drove to All Saint’s and attended mass and when that was over I went across the street to work. A little later in the morning I remembered I needed to give Fr. M____ a phone call to discuss an upcoming LMC issue. I made the call but he was not there so I just left a message. I knew that was good enough and suddenly felt the peace just as I hung up. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13.

It was a slow day at work and there was not much to do. Frank K called and wanted to know if I wanted to take lunch and go pray the rosary at All Saint’s. I said yes and we left. We arrived and prayed the rosary individually and when I finished I glanced at my watch and the time was 1:13.

We went back to work and it was still slow with nothing to do. I remembered I needed to make copies of the latest pack of papers for both Fr. ____ and Fr. ___. I went to the copy machine and just as I hit the start button I felt the peace. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13.

It remained slow the entire day and while sitting at my desk with nothing to do I thought this would be a good time to go to "hometown" and drop off the latest pack of papers to Fr. ___. I also thought it would be a good time to go to Wal Mart and get new tires for my car. As this idea struck me I glanced at my watch and the time was 3:13.

I asked Dick F if it would be alright if I left for the day and he said that would be fine. I drove to "hometown" and my first stop was "Parish Church" and I walked in the church to drop off the pack of papers. At the instant I dropped them on the table I again felt the peace. I glanced at my watch and the time was 4:13:33.

I then rode out to see how the new tenants were keeping our house up and everything looked fine. I then rode out to Wal Mart to get the new tires that I desperately needed. They told me it would take about an hour but because they got my order wrong and had to go back and fix it after they said it was done. It took 2 ˝ hours.

When they finally finished I left and was again delayed by another unexpected major delay. They were paving Rt. 15 just before entering Maryland and I ended up having to sit in traffic there without moving an inch for almost 45 minutes. When traffic finally started moving again I continued my trip home. Like always I stopped at St. Joseph’s when I arrived in Emmitsburg and the time on the dash was 10:33.

R_____ C___

August 7, 2005

12:33 Pm