A surprising and astounding update to the original story, as the pro-life book 'God Moments III: True Love Leads To Life' makes its way toward publication. From Chapter 3: Looking Truth in the Eye.
"Jesus, I Trust in You!"
By Anonymous
The woman sat at a small round table at
one end of the pizzeria. Her two teenage
sons were seated across from her. With her back against the wall, she was
in the position to see the goings on in the dining area. Toward the
middle of the restaurant, on the right, a large group of high school boys sat
at a very long table. They appeared to be the same age as her oldest
son.
Sometimes, the woman glanced beyond her
oldest son at the table full of young men. They were content, very well
behaved, and were enjoying their social encounter as well as their meal. When her oldest son had finished eating, he
picked up the wrapper from his straw and manipulated it between his fingers as
the conversation with his family continued.
While taking in the happy scene, the woman wondered what the future would be like for all the young men, what they would become, how much promise their lives had, how much they were loved and valued by God, and how much of His love they had to enjoy and to share.
It was a beautiful moment.
More than thirty years prior, when the woman was a teenager, she formally asked the good Lord if He wanted her to become a nun. His response was very clear. He said, "No."
Through the years she experienced a persistent, nagging doubt that God's response was an
While taking in the happy scene, the woman wondered what the future would be like for all the young men, what they would become, how much promise their lives had, how much they were loved and valued by God, and how much of His love they had to enjoy and to share.
It was a beautiful moment.
More than thirty years prior, when the woman was a teenager, she formally asked the good Lord if He wanted her to become a nun. His response was very clear. He said, "No."
Through the years she experienced a persistent, nagging doubt that God's response was an
indication that He had rejected her. How could Jesus refuse a loving request to
become His bride?
What she didn't understand well at the time is that God creates every one of us with a purpose, and with the talents and skills we are to develop throughout life while serving one another as His instruments of love. While the young lady was correct in asking God what it was He wanted her to accomplish, for He had the answer, her vision was short-sighted because she did not consider what God wanted to accomplish through her life down the road.
The young lady married within ten years and by the age of 34, had been blessed with several beautiful children.
Fourteen years after the woman was married, she was legally divorced and had been granted an annulment. Sometimes she was tempted to say to God, "You knew from all eternity that my marriage would end, and yet You denied me the opportunity to be Jesus' spouse. That union would have lasted forever."
Roughly ten years later, the good Lord had something very special to tell her.
One morning while she was on her way to Holy Mass, He said that a priest would come from their family. Jesus had not rejected her all those years ago! Instead, God had chosen a particular mission for her. She was meant to be a mother so God could one day create a priest.
After the woman received this joyful revelation, the devil shared his great displeasure with her. He suggested oppressive doubts, and said over and over again, "You should have become a nun! That's what you were supposed to do. You should have been a bride of Christ instead! That's what you were meant to do. You should have become a nun! You should have become a nun. That's what you were supposed to do, not be a mother..."
At first she wondered where those thoughts were coming from, because by then she more fully understood God's plan for her life. She loved being a mother and it was what she did best, because God had given her the skills, graces, and unfathomable love to accomplish her mission to its fullest expression. She kept in close contact with God through prayer, received Jesus in Holy Communion every day she was physically able to, and received the Sacrament of Reconciliation often. She said the Rosary as often as she was able to, and recognized the constant presence of God in everyone's life. She aspired to greater sanctity and closer union with God.
Although she could have been a wonderful nun, she made an even better mother, because that is the mission God had chosen for her from all of eternity.
The persistent, nagging thoughts that she had made the wrong decision, that God was displeased with her decision, that she never should have married, and that since she was neither married to Jesus nor to a man she was nothing, she was unlovable, without value, and not even worth loving, came from the devil. His plan to sabotage her efforts to be obedient, humble, and holy were relentless and brutal. Once it became known that a priest would come from her family, the devil became even angrier.
What she didn't understand well at the time is that God creates every one of us with a purpose, and with the talents and skills we are to develop throughout life while serving one another as His instruments of love. While the young lady was correct in asking God what it was He wanted her to accomplish, for He had the answer, her vision was short-sighted because she did not consider what God wanted to accomplish through her life down the road.
The young lady married within ten years and by the age of 34, had been blessed with several beautiful children.
Fourteen years after the woman was married, she was legally divorced and had been granted an annulment. Sometimes she was tempted to say to God, "You knew from all eternity that my marriage would end, and yet You denied me the opportunity to be Jesus' spouse. That union would have lasted forever."
Roughly ten years later, the good Lord had something very special to tell her.
One morning while she was on her way to Holy Mass, He said that a priest would come from their family. Jesus had not rejected her all those years ago! Instead, God had chosen a particular mission for her. She was meant to be a mother so God could one day create a priest.
After the woman received this joyful revelation, the devil shared his great displeasure with her. He suggested oppressive doubts, and said over and over again, "You should have become a nun! That's what you were supposed to do. You should have been a bride of Christ instead! That's what you were meant to do. You should have become a nun! You should have become a nun. That's what you were supposed to do, not be a mother..."
At first she wondered where those thoughts were coming from, because by then she more fully understood God's plan for her life. She loved being a mother and it was what she did best, because God had given her the skills, graces, and unfathomable love to accomplish her mission to its fullest expression. She kept in close contact with God through prayer, received Jesus in Holy Communion every day she was physically able to, and received the Sacrament of Reconciliation often. She said the Rosary as often as she was able to, and recognized the constant presence of God in everyone's life. She aspired to greater sanctity and closer union with God.
Although she could have been a wonderful nun, she made an even better mother, because that is the mission God had chosen for her from all of eternity.
The persistent, nagging thoughts that she had made the wrong decision, that God was displeased with her decision, that she never should have married, and that since she was neither married to Jesus nor to a man she was nothing, she was unlovable, without value, and not even worth loving, came from the devil. His plan to sabotage her efforts to be obedient, humble, and holy were relentless and brutal. Once it became known that a priest would come from her family, the devil became even angrier.
All the woman's efforts were certainly not lost on her children. Her unconditional "Fiat" to God was teaching them to conform their wills to God's will, too.
So there at the restaurant all those years later, the woman returned her gaze from the large group of boys to her oldest son. What a fine young man, so Christ-like, so genuine, so caring, so other worldly, she thought. Is he the one God had created for that special purpose?
The boys had no knowledge of what their mother had been thinking. Just when the woman concluded that thought, her oldest son took the white paper straw wrapper he had been manipulating in his hands and slid it across the table toward her. He had formed it into the shape of a cross.
Later, the woman said a special prayer to God. After so many years she
had been granted another piece to a
remarkably wonderful puzzle, in response to having recited the prayer
"Jesus, I trust in You!" countless times along the way.
"Almighty God, I joyfully accept Your having created me to be a
mother, for it is through the Holy Apostolate of Motherhood that You will send
the world a holy priest."
The story doesn't end there.
Several months later, during Holy Mass, the woman offered her life completely to God as a sacrifice for the priest the Lord said would come from their family. Not long after that, the good Lord said to her, "I want you to give yourself to Me completely."
She thought that she already had, but the Lord offered no further explanation. Then, several weeks later, Blessed Mother came and said to her, "Come to me."
Months later, Jesus visited the woman
while she was on her way to church. Once
again, He had something very special to say to her. He proposed right there in
the car while she was driving! She was painfully exhausted, quite surprised at
the sudden proposal, and asked Jesus, "Did You just proposition
me?" He immediately replied, "Proposed. I proposed."
Their conversation continued throughout the
evening, and a short time later, she said to Him, "Jesus, that was one
very long engagement!"
She mentioned to the Lord that
she had always thought it was His plan that she remarry one day. Jesus responded, "The choice is
yours." Then, she playfully told Him that usually a man makes
special arrangements for such an event, and wondered why He proposed when she
was so tired and was suffering. He
explained that in the spiritual realm things are very different. She was suffering and had taken on His
likeness, which made her very beautiful, and made the moment He chose very
special. And so she said, "Who waits to say 'Yes' after a wonderful
man has proposed? Yes, Jesus, of course, yes!"
Trust God with your life, and want what God wants. Reverence His judgment, because God loves you! He knows what is best for you, both now and in the future. He also knows what is best for countless others who are meant to be touched, forever and in a very special way, by Him through your apostolate.
Work hard at growing in sanctity, so that God's love can reach its fullest expression in you and through you.
"I tell you that you have less to suffer in following the cross than in serving the world and its pleasures."~ St. John Vianney
Trust God with your life, and want what God wants. Reverence His judgment, because God loves you! He knows what is best for you, both now and in the future. He also knows what is best for countless others who are meant to be touched, forever and in a very special way, by Him through your apostolate.
Work hard at growing in sanctity, so that God's love can reach its fullest expression in you and through you.
"I tell you that you have less to suffer in following the cross than in serving the world and its pleasures."~ St. John Vianney
God Moments III: True Love Leads To Life, written and compiled by Michele Bondi Bottesi (Joseph Karl Publishing) will be available late fall, 2012.
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