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In February of 2007, our web-site featured an article entitled: “The Most Important Moment of Life.” To follow is a testimony by Maria Pirrone of Ottawa, prompted by that article.
Since we met in 1996, I think you know pretty much what I have been through. The Good Lord made me understand WHY all those trials and tribulations. I would not have wanted it any other way. He is so good to me. He has shown me MERCY over and over again. How could I not accept these “sufferings” as the very Person whom I love so very much went through sufferings that cannot be exercised by all the people in the world. As days, months and years go by, the meaning of the Cross is understood a little more clearly but probably not fully until we meet HIM at the most important moment of life.
For years I have, off and on, taken care of sick members of my family, but since October 2006, I have experienced the most heart-wrenching time during the illness of my mother, but I have also had the deepest experience of the love and presence of God. As I watched my mother's face, day by day, I was watching the Passion of Christ. I experienced the Stations of the Cross. Although with deep sadness, it was truly the most rewarding time of my life. It is so hard to express my feelings. It brought me closer to the Divine Mercy in my soul. I love Him so much that I feel like exploding. Saint Faustina has been by my side all these years but mostly during this time. She is my mentor (next to Our Blessed Mother, of course). I feel her presence constantly. Her Diary is my second Bible. It never leaves me. Our conversations are beautiful and intimate. The Lord has given me a glimpse of truly seeing and feeling Saint Faustina's life. How beautiful!
I am trying to immerse myself even deeper into the life of Christ, especially through MY Saint Faustina. I would like to become St. Faustina, but I could never come close to the sanctity of such a beautiful Saint. I have so much to learn and I know that I still need to be purified BIG TIME. Hopefully, St. Faustina prays for me. I keep asking the Lord to use me in every way that will bring glory to Him.
My dear friends, four days before my mother passed away, she said her last words. I gave her permission to go to the Lord and kept telling her to “give it all to Him” because she was suffering so much. Despite what she was going through she said: “Maria, I embrace everything God sends me.” How could I forget such words of wisdom?
After her death, I stayed at her apartment to take care of her belongings. There was no TV since it was given to one of my brothers; it was so peaceful, quiet and I very much felt her presence. There were a lot of prayers in that apartment. As I was praying, I totally surrendered to the Lord and told Him that I also wanted to “embrace everything God sends me.” He made me understand the importance of PREPARING MYSELF NOW FOR WHAT IS TO COME IN ETERNITY. He answered me so quickly that it was like sitting my mother's living room with Jesus. I opened the Diary at entries #1548-1550. What a beautiful Lord and Master we have! As He says, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened.”
I thought that I had opened my heart in my initial conversion but it cannot compare to what I feel now almost fifteen years later. I miss my mother terribly. I miss her voice. I miss her wisdom. I miss her smile, her humility and her gentleness, which is a total reflection of the love of God. She was truly an example of a good mother but more importantly a beautiful child of God. They say that children are a gift to parents. I say that she was a gift to me.
I am not going to deny that it still hurts but what is helping me is total immersion in the love of God the Father, His Son and allowing the Holy Spirit to use me for the glory of the Trinity. I just don't want to disappoint Him.
I need to tell you that the most beautiful intercessor that I felt was Our Lady. She just took my hand and guided me every step of the way. My mother constantly prayed the Rosary, even in her last days when she was kept comfortable with drugs. Her eyes were closed and we thought that she was sleeping, but as soon as we started to pray, especially the Rosary, her lips would start moving. This is why it is so important to recite the Rosary ... “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners NOW and at the HOUR OF OUR DEATH. She was definitely present. Le me add that the Chaplet of Divine Mercy was constantly recited; even members of my family who have never heard of it, prayed along. I explained to them the importance of this remarkable devotion and message and that it is “a way of life”. My prayer now is that they continue to pray the Chaplet.
I have been asking the Lord for years to please show me what is my mission in life. Yes, I know that I need to be a good Christian but I wanted something more specific. At this point, I sense that He is calling me to immerse myself more into Divine Mercy. I intercede for all sorts of intentions but I guess that the strongest in my heart is to proclaim Divine Mercy and to pray for the sick and the dying. I guess the Lord will make it clearer to me someday – in His time.
Yours sister in Christ, Maria Pirrone
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