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Twelve years ago, under the impulse of the Holy Spirit, I walked down to the ocean near our home in the town where I was born, Santa Cruz, California. I did so that I might be alone with God and contemplate His supernatural love working within my life. During this time of my long journey from darkness to light, from near-death into life, I was really considering and wondering if it could be true–that the Spirit of God (Love Himself) was drawing me to seek baptism within the Catholic Church.
Sitting along the shore of the sea beneath some cliffs in silence, I interiorly heard words speaking within my soul, within my heart, ”Do not fear, you will not be hurt.” At that very moment a large stick struck the side of my head and face hard. Surprised by the blow and bewildered by the warning, yet absolutely unhurt, I stood up and looked above me, and then around me, but saw no one. Unaware of the cause of this physical evil I walked on along the shore until I came to a path leading up the cliffs to my home.
Reaching the top of the path, I noticed a small wood-built chapel to my left with beautiful rose bushes lining the walkway leading to the steps before the door above. A sign next to the door read ‘Villa Maria Del Mar’. Opening the door I was entering, a Sister of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary was leaving at the same time, surprising both of us at the door. I asked for baptism. Later, she would tell me, how unusual our meeting was, as the Chapel was normally closed during the day at that hour.
A year-and-a-half or so later my whole family was baptized at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, confirmed by the Holy Spirit, and all received together for the first time the sacrament of everlasting life, The Most Holy Eucharist.
The following year I had the opportunity and great pleasure of sitting down with a brother of the faith whom I consider to be, however prematurely, a living saint–Father John Corapi. I wish I could say that I was invited by someone to smooze with this obvious spiritual giant of our time, and that I’m simply name-dropping here out of some sort of twisted pride in the present, but I can’t. I was suffering terribly from temptation, needed direction and wanted some clarification. Clearly, I remember his uniquely deep-toned answer to me after asking if I could speak with him after his presentation, “You have three minutes” was all Father replied.
Looking back now, I remember asking three questions as we sat together with the Lord next to the Tabernacle.
First Question: Will temptation go away?
He answered me with a parable of sorts–
‘There was a man who climbed a mountain in search of a wise man so that he might find out when his temptation would end. When the man finally reached the top of the mountain, he found the wise man there, and asked him, “Will my temptation end?” The wise man responded, saying, “Yes, your temptation will come to an end.” Unsatisfied, the man asked, “Yes, But when?” Turning again, the wise man looked at the man, and said, “When were both six feet under…”‘
–There was a momentary silence (until I got it) before howling laughter was heard in heaven from the both of us.
Second question: I offered him the book, ‘To The Priests, Our Lady’s Beloved Son’s’, from the Marian Movement of Priests, and asked him his opinion.
He replied, that he had been a member for some time.
Third question: During your conversion what was your experience of God?
And he simply answered, “Peace, pure peace…”
If you doubt that God can raise you from the mire of the ground, cleanse you, heal your wounds with His, make you holy and bring you into everlasting life through the Sacraments of His Church, I encourage you to consider the life of Father John–Millionaire, fast cars, houses on the beach, cocaine addiction, destitute, living in parks, conversion, repentance, the Priesthood, the gift of apostolic preaching, but above all–love for God and neighbor… Sainthood?
He spent more than three minutes with me…
Below is a six-part lecture on the gifts of the Holy Spirit by Father John Corapi, which will benefit anyone in search of the truth about Jesus Christ and His Church.
Peace to you and yours,
James Mary Evans
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My Unforeseen Prophesy
June 5, 2007 — james mary evansFor several weeks now I have been pulled in two directions. The first, and by far, the more important–I’ve been praying that within the life of our Catholic family every aspect of our lives will in every way reflect more and more the mission of the Church in the world. The best example I could give of this here is the following prayer I’ve found, which, I offer now to the Mother of God, Mary, for Her intercession:
‘Dear Mother of my Lord and King, intercede for us in His presence. Pray that He may reign ever more completely in our mind, our will, our heart, and in all the members of our body. May His kingdom come more fully in our life, in all the lives that touch ours, and in all hearts the world over. Amen.’
My Unforeseen Prophesy
The second direction I’ve been pulled towards is my growing concern and (holy) anger for the treatment of working labor in our country by international corporations. I mentioned this within my post ‘Spiritual Madness’ yesterday, when I said:
[”Admittedly, I went to Mass this past Friday morning grumpy. Long story short, it had a little to do, O.K. alot, to do with international corporations and their soulless disrespect for the human dignity of their workforce. Let’s just say that I’ve seen too many good hardworking men and women relieved of their positions lately, with little respect [shown] concerning their livelyhood or future… Pray for these.”]
This morning at about 9:30A.M. this same international corporation I was speaking of phoned me with the news that I too was relieved of my position.
Technically, Iron Mountain Records Management of Boston, Massachusetts fired me justly for breaking company policy concerning three traffic tickets in a two-year period. But, both they, and I know, that my newly created position of nearly three month’s did not require driving, and interestingly enough, they informed me–within the same conversation–that they were reorganizing their routes now, and that there were no warehouse positions available for me either.
After I hung up the phone, I first prayed for Iron Mountain Records Management, which was followed by the joy of an inner expectation of serving God more fully in some manner more effectively. I will start tonight when I lay my head down to rest, by praying for my ex-fellow employee’s and friends who have either lost their jobs recently, suffer financial hardship due to cut hours, or, remain under threat of job loss due to the corporate bottom line of accumulating greater and greater piles of mammon without regard for the real living needs of workers; oblivious, as they are (I hope) to the fact that, as a wise man once said, ‘men are not created for work, but that work is created for men…’
As I close, I once again ask your prayers for those spoken of above; and as for our domestic Church (our family)–I ask your prayers that we may be made more conformed to the Church in the world and her mission within it, and that in the end we may be found to have been worthy workers in the vineyard of souls. He will take care of the rest…
May the Lord bless you and keep you…
James Mary Evans