Mom passed at the Villa of Saint Joseph, on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, surrounded by people who genuinely loved her. Friends, from every floor and function, stopped by to shower her with love and prayer. We kept a 24/7 watch and stayed alert, as it was clear that something very extraordinary was taking place.
Here are just some of the signs with which God graced us. We witnessed light flooding into her room in the dark of night; there was a double rainbow that arched over the Villa as we weathered one of the most emotionally-charged storms of our lives; birds were relentless during both the day and night, as they “tweeted” outside of her window; a lone, lingering deer surfaced multiple times that reminded us, all so well, of Psalm 42:1-5 (“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.”); the visiting priest who anointed Barbara with authority - proclaiming she was reborn and, at last, given the keys to heaven - was named Simeon, sharing the name of the pious man who received a promise from the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he saw the face of God;the rose bushes at her home bloomed overnight; glimpses of glistening rings and star-like images on her ceiling; visions of angels; and, incredibly, a dream earlier in the week, wherein my daughter, Brianna, awoke with a remembrance of her maternal grandparents and a number –124, leaving us baffled. That was until Barbara passed on Saturday at 1:24 AM. She was surrounded by heavenly love, peace and light. It was a new beginning for our mom - a faithful servant whose job was now well done.
I am sharing our story to give hope and comfort to all who are willing to open their minds and hearts to the gifts that are truly present in the Kingdom of God that is at hand. Heaven is real and the blessings that pour forth from it are abundantly clear, if we stay awake and accept the grace of the imaginative, free spirit that is ours.
"... and I think to myself, what a wonderful world..."
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