What kind of mother are you?

For some reason, I awoke this morning at about 3:2o AM and found it hard to get back to sleep. Clearly, something was on my mind from the night which I have been having some trouble with. It's been stewing for about three months now and involves my work in the liturgy. I expect that one way or another it is going to resolve itself quite soon. What I will say, at this point is that I am not about to prostitute myself or my principles or my professionalism. I will put it in His hands but suffice to say, there has been no consolation, from the start, rather it is desolation and does not appear to be getting any better.

Desolation.

That is what I heard a few minutes later.

Whist trying to get back to sleep, I turned on the radio and there was my Lebanese brother who needs to rediscover his Catholic roots, George Noory (Noury???). This is the old Art Bell show, Coast-to-Coast. How can we ever forget those famous talks between Art Bell and Malachi Martin?

The topic was the phenomenon of Near Death Experience and the guest was Dr. Sam Parnia of the Weill Cornell Medical Centre. Whether to believe in NDE's is up for debate. I suppose it is possible, after all, as Catholics we believe in the meta-physical, but it must be from God, not from the evil one.

Which brings me now to this.

A woman called and recollected the death of her son. I was only half-listening, trying to sleep and heard her say that a while before he died she told him about going back to church. I do not know whether she was a catholic or not. He had remarked to her in the negative about it and said something untoward about faith and God from what I recall.

She said as he was dying, he began to thrash and would screem, "get away" and was semi-conscious and agitated. He then looked sat bolt up and looked at her and screamed, "What kind of mother are you, why don't you help me, stop them, get them away, get a fire extinguisher, the bed is burning!"

At that point, I gasped remembering St. Faustina's vision of the man thrashing on his deathbed until she bilocated and prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

The mother then left the room to get a nurse. Her son was sedated and passed two hour later. Oh my.

No prayer.

No last rites.

No, casting out the demons coming after her son in the name of Jesus!

Perhaps in an effort to not cause this poor distraught mother any more discomfort, Dr. Parnia responded that he did not think it was a case of NDE.

I wonder.

May he rest in peace.

Please say a Hail Mary for that son of the mother who called Coast-to-Coast. The LORD and His Mother will know who it is.

Perhaps it is too late, prayer is never wasted and if it is too late, then another in purgatory will benefit; but, perhaps outside of time and space it is not too late.

May this soul and all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.

Languentibus in Purgatorio

(The Suffering Souls in Purgatory)

The suffering souls in Purgatory, Who are being purified in excessive heat, And are tormented by severe punishment, Assist them, in your compassion, O Mary!

You are the open-wide fount who wash away the faults of men. All you help, rejecting none: Extend your hand to the Dead, Who in pain languish continually, O Mary!

To you the souls of the Dead lovingly sigh,Desiring to be rescued from pain And to stand in your sight, To possess eternal joys, O Mary!

As they groan, hasten, Mother; In mercy, show them your heart. May Jesus through His wounds Be pleased to heal them: ask this, O Mary!

You are true hope to them that call upon you. The Holy Souls Sodality cry to you for their brethren. Appease your Son, that in Heaven He may give them their reward, O Mary!

Grant that the tears we shed at the feet of the Judge, And which you regard with kindness, May soon extinguish the avenging flames, That the Holy Souls may join the choirs of Angels, O Mary!

And when the strict accounting takes place In the terrible and awesome Judgment of God, As He judges us, supplicate your Son, That with the Saints may be our portion, O Mary!

Amen.

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