When I arrived at church the next day, a little bit late, the Archbishop
and priests were already coming out of the sacristy.
The Virgin Mary said with Her soft and feminine voice that
sweetens one's soul:
“Today
is a day of learning for you, and I want you to pay close attention
because of what you will witness today. Everything that you will
experience today, you will have to share with all of humanity.”
I was deeply moved without understanding why, but I tried to be very
attentive.
The first thing I noticed was a choir of very beautiful voices that was
singing as if it was far away. For moments the music came closer and,
then, it went further away like the sound of the wind.
The Archbishop started Mass and, when he reached the Penitential
Rite, the Blessed
Virgin said:
“From
the bottom of your heart, ask the Lord to forgive your faults that have
offended Him. In this way, you will be able to participate worthily in
this privilege of assisting at the Holy Mass.”
I
thought for a fraction of a second: “Surely I am in a state of grace
of God; I went to confession last night.”
She answered: “Do
you think that since last night you have not offended the Lord?
Let Me remind you of a few things. When you left to come here,
the girl who helps you approached to ask you for something and, as you
were late and in a hurry, you did not answer her in a very nice way.
There was a lack of charity on your part, and you say, you have not
offended God...?
“While
on the way here, a bus crossed over your lane and almost hit you. You
expressed yourself in a very non-advisable way against that poor man,
instead of saying your prayers and preparing yourself for Mass. You have
failed in charity and lost your peace and patience. And you say you have
not hurt the Lord?
“You
arrive at the last minute when the procession of the celebrants is
already coming out to celebrate the Mass...
and you are going to participate without previous
preparation...”
I
replied, “All right, my Mother, say no more to me. You do not have to
remind me of more things because I am going to die of
grief and shame.”
“Why
must you all arrive at the last moment? You should have arrived earlier
to be able to pray and ask the Lord to send His Holy Spirit that He may
grant you a spirit of peace and cleanse you of the spirit of the world,
your worries, your problems, and your distractions so as to enable you
to live this so sacred a moment. However, you arrive almost when the
celebration is about to commence, and you participate as if it is an
ordinary event, without any spiritual preparation. Why? This is the
greatest of Miracles. You are going to live the moment when the Most
High God gives His greatest gift, and you do not know how to appreciate
it.”
This
was enough. I felt so bad that I had more than enough
to ask for forgiveness from
God. It was not only for the offenses of that day, but also for all the
times that, like so many other people, I had waited for the priest to
finish his homily before entering the Church. It was also for the times
that I did not know or refused to understand what it meant to be there,
and for the times that perhaps my soul was full of more serious sins,
and I had dared to participate in the Holy Mass.
It
was a feast day, and the Gloria was to be recited. Our Lady said:
“Glorify and
bless with all your love the Holy Trinity, in your acknowledgement of
being one of Its creatures.”
How
different was that Gloria! Suddenly I saw myself in a far off place full
of light, before the Majestic Presence of the Throne of God. With so
much love I went on thanking Him, as I repeated: “For your immense
Glory we praise You, we bless You, we adore You, we give You glory, we
give You thanks, Lord, God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.”
And I recalled the paternal face of the Father, full of kindness.
“Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, You
take away the sins of the world...” And Jesus was in front of me, with
that face full of tenderness and Mercy... “For You alone are the Holy
One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the most High Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit...”, the God of beautiful Love. He, Who at that
moment, caused my whole being to tremble...
And I asked: “Lord, deliver me from all evil spirits. My heart belongs
to You. My Lord, send me Your peace so that I can gain the finest
benefits from the Eucharist and that my life may produce the best
fruits. Holy Spirit of God, transform me, act within me, guide me. Oh
God, give me the gifts that I need to serve you better!”
The moment of the Liturgy
of the Word
arrived, and the Virgin Mary made me repeat: “Lord, today I
want to listen to Your Word and produce abundant fruit. May Your Holy
Spirit clean the interior of my heart so that Your Word grows and
develops in it, purifying my heart so that it may be well disposed.”