A Dream of Padre Pio

Before God gave me my current Spiritual Director, I was feeling very alone, and I asked God to send me someone to guide me.  

That night I had a dream.  I was in a large beautiful Church, like a Cathedral.  The floors where marble.  

Padre Pio came up to me carrying an open book, He showed me the book, and I looked down and the book was blurry, I couldn’t read the names that were in the book, but I knew that he was showing me those that I was to pray for, even though I could not read their names. 

He then looked up from the book with very kind but serious eyes and he said to me, “Do not exalt yourself.” 

St. Padre Pio, must humble, pray for us. 

The Mark

Every Catholic Priest that walks the Earth had a mark placed on him at his conception for the Priesthood.   This is a gift by God as a reflection for what God did for Mary in her womb, because every Priest is her son.  The Priest is not immaculate, but only marked as one chosen for the Priesthood.  This is not a guarantee that he will become a Priest, it is up to God whether or not he is called later.

I am sure that there are a few Priests walking the earth that were not called, although they are very few.  But the Priest, whether called or not will always carry this mark as being chosen to the Priesthood from conception.

Some of us are chosen to be the protector, parent and instructor of such children, and what you see is amazing.  How can you tell them what you know?  They don't understand why people, complete strangers want to engage him, talk to him, get to know him.  But I know.  Eternity truly is in our hearts, and somewhere deep inside, these people know that the young man they want so much to speak can provide them a path to heaven.  They don't understand how, but somewhere deep inside, they know.

I have also seen the look of hatred on a face looking at my son.  I knew what this was too.  There is a look of evil on the face of one that is either pure evil or possessed by the same that can not be duplicated in human form.  They hate him for what damage he could potentially do to them, but they are not allowed to touch him.

As always, I am curious.  "God why did you let me see that?"  Knowledge is always given for a reason.  I was made aware of the real danger that we both face, and by God's grace are protected from.  

This is not the first time I had encountered this either.  I met with a young sweet faced Deacon who was soon to be a Priest in the church at OLPH.  (Now Father Doug Marcotte at Sacred Heart, Jeffersonville, IN) I gave him a copy of the vision of the Eucharist, I'll never forget the smile on his face!  He talked about his journey to the Priesthood and how much he had to study, etc.  I told him, "Oh don't worry, you will be a Priest, it is imprinted on your soul."  (My Mother always said I told everything I knew...so what I know I will say.)

I also encountered another young man about my son's age, that has this gift from God.  I also gave him a copy of the picture of the Eucharist saying, "You know only a Priest can do that!"  (Hint, Hint!) But the most memorable was being with my son and for just a moment feeling the power of God come from his hands.  

Will my son be a Priest? I don't know, whatever path he takes is between him and God.   I love him no matter what he becomes.  Whether he is called or not, I am thankful to be be his Mother and pray that I teach and guide him well.  

The Woman Caught in Adultery and the Woman At The Well

Alone at St. Stephen the Martyr.  In the dark, in front of the tabernacle, just me and Him. 

This is where I am happiest, with Him.

The door opens and a woman comes in in nurses scrubs, and sits down.  She is crying.   She is crying so loud it tears at my heart.  I go to her.

With tears in her eyes she looks up at me.  She sees perhaps the compassion in my eyes and that I want to be with her and moves over so I can sit down. 

"I'm here if you need to talk, if you need anything."

We looked at each other.  There was a 'knowing' that I can't fully describe.  Although I had never seen this woman before, somehow I knew her, and by the way she looked at me, I think she felt the same.  It was like two friends who have been away for a while picking up where they had left off form years ago.  

Through tears she tells me her story.  "My marriage is falling apart. I found out my husband is cheating on me."

"I'm so sorry, is there anything I can do to help?"  

"No, it is with another man, my Pastor, the whole church knows about it, and have for a while and I am the last to know."  

"Where do you go to Church, if you don't mind if I ask?"  

"It isn't here. This used to be my Parish. I started going with my husband to the Baptist Church."  

There was a silence between us for a time.

I pointed to the tabernacle.

"Do you see this? Jesus is here with us, truly present in the Eucharist, we are not alone here.  You came to the right place."  I then told her of the vision I had of the Eucharist and described it to her.  (This is what I saw...)

Her face spoke volumes that there was more to tell. 

"Tell me."

"You see he is my fifth husband, and now this marriage is falling apart too, I can't seem to keep a marriage or a husband."  She Said........

"I am the Woman at the Well."

My heart broke and the tears came down my face.  

She looked at me as if what she had said is something perhaps I could never understand.  Her eyes searched mine for understanding.   

 I took her hand and looked in her eyes and said, "I am the Woman caught in adultery."

We looked at each other and I think she understood that God had brought us together that day.  

I again pointed at the Tabernacle. "Jesus is my spouse, this is my Beloved.  Make Him your spouse and you will never be unhappy again......Come home."

We looked at each other one last time.   She smiled and I got up to leave.  

"I will pray for you, please pray for me."

"I will." 

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This is a true story.  I do not know her name, nor have I ever seen her again.

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The Most Terrifying Answer to a Prayer.

There is great evil in the world.  One need only turn on the news and see that.  As such I have cause to pray much about what I see on the news.  When I see death, I kiss the crucifix and ask for mercy for a soul before the judgement and when I hear of great evil acted from one soul to another, I ask for conversion of that most blackest of heart that did the evil.

I don't usually get a direct answer to these prayers.  I don't even know the results of my prayers, and nor do I want to.  One day, God will show me all, I am happy to wait till then. However, during one prayer I realized that I was taking the very act of being able to ask God for mercy for someone for granted.  For even the ability to pray is a gift from God.

I will not name the soul I prayed for, out of respect to God and His child He created..  But there was a great evil act done on the earth, and although I was grieved for the lost, I was also grieved for the soul that did the evil.  As I saw the news on the t.v., I picked up the crucifix and was beginning to kiss it and begin my prayers when the Lord stopped me.  

"No."  

I stopped....and I trembled.  

Never had I been stopped in praying for anyone, and many times I have been greatly encouraged, but stopped, told 'no'...never.  Did I know it was Him, most assuredly.  The Father has a voice like a thousand oceans breaking on a thousand shore while thunder from a million heavens roars overhead. When you are given a small presence of your Creator, it is not anything you ever doubt later. 

As I trembled, I thought about what this meant.  No.  He said, "No."  It only meant one thing, and that was quite terrifying.  With this one "No"., I understood the whole meaning of what this soul was facing at their judgement. 

 God wanted and would have His judgement upon this soul. This was the most terrifying thought of all.  For God has infinite love and mercy for us, but He also has infinite justice, and His justice will not be perverted, He will execute His justice perfectly, and even if at our own judgement we were condemned to Hell, we would have to agree with the perfect justice of God and say it was right and just that we go there. 

With the evil done by this soul I knew that the chances of him facing hell was great, and with the "No" from God, I was even more terrified.  Because who would tell God He is wrong and get another judgement? No one.   God is infinitely merciful, but because He is perfectly just, His justice is perfect.

"God cannot act wickedly, the Almighty cannot pervert justice."  Job 34:12.

We must never forget that every thing we think and do here on earth we are sowing seeds for all eternity.  The will of God IS perfect, the justice of God IS perfect, and we all must reap what we have sown.