Something More

Hope and Faith

Monday of the 15th Week of Ordinary Time

Imee Therese's POV:

From out of nowhere, a vision appears before me...

I was standing atop the Calvary...where the Good Lord was crucified and died. Before me stood the three crosses...in which the middle one has a white long cloth is nailed on the vertical beam of the cross. Believing that this is the cross where the Good Lord was nailed, I approached the cross and touched the cloth.

But then, my wounds in my hands and feet begins to glow...slowly, the light becomes so bright that I could see myself...it was then followed by sharp, excruciating pain on my limbs...

"AAAAAAAAH!!!!!"

As the light dies down, I just saw myself...nailed to the cross. I endured the agony of my insides being teared apart by the rusting iron nails that cuts through my hands and feet. I looked around...trying to seek help...only to found another person...nailed at the cross.

He is almost naked, only a white cloth protected his waist and legs. He has lashes everywhere...and blood is flowing down from his head...that was crowned by a ring of thorns. That's when I realized...that this person is the Good Lord...the "King of the Jews". Tears fell through my eyes as I glance through the suffering...but merciful eyes of the Lord.

"O Good Lord...sniff...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...sorry if I doubt You." I tearfully pleaded to the Crucified Lord. "I'm not worthy to be Your Servant! But if you still love me...please...sniff...give me a sign!"

I sob as I regret the single time that I doubt God...when Anthony and Father Jean is badly wounded. They're become the part of my life...of my mission to bring God's hope and faith to the city. I don't want them to die...but I also don't want to turn my back to God and forget my mandate to him. What should I do?

And as doubt begins to fill my mind, the Crucified Lord turned to me and simply smiled. He then directed me to the foot of the cross...where I saw His Mother Mary, wearing black robes and gazing towards me. And as She offers Her hand at me, my hands and feet begins to broke free painlessly from the nails that restrained me...I descended from the cross to accept My Loving Mother's hand...and hugged Her tightly...until I calmed down.

"Don't worry, my dear child. Nothing's impossible with God." My Loving Mother smiles and assure me. "Accept the Divine Plan of God...and you will be rewarded. Let us pray together for your friends, shall we?"

"Yes, O Loving Lady."

The Loving Lady then pulls out a rosary...and together, we pray...for Anthony and Father Jean, for my friends, for myself...so I could accept His Plan for all of us...

Moments later, I regained my senses...and woke up in a hospital room, surrounded by Catherine and Evangeline...tear-eyed.

"Imee!" The girls quickly noticed me and hugged me tightly. "Thank God! We thought something had happen so bad to you!"

"No worries, guys. I'm fine." I replied to them with a smile. "By the way, where are the others? Where's Anthony and Father Jean?"

"Well...Joshua and Kyle is recovering in a separate room. Their wounds have just been covered with plaster so they could be able to walk by the end of the week." Evangeline tells me.

"But...as for Anthony and Father Jean...they're both in critical condition at the intensive care unit." Catherine added. "I don't know when they will recover or wake up."

"Oh, I see." I smile to cheer them up. "How about we visit them to help them recover?"

"Well...sniff...okay." Still tear-eyed, Catherine agrees. "Say...sniff...why are you smiling now? Yesterday, you're sobbing so much when you see Anthony badly wounded?"

"Dear, the Good Lord has visited me in my dream, comforted me...and reminded me of who I am now...a Servant of God...I bring hope and faith to all of you according to His plan...I will wipe tears on your eyes. I believe that Anthony and Father Jean are in God's safe hands...you should believe too, since there's nothing impossible with God."

Hearing my explanation, Catherine and Evangeline wipes the tears from their eyes...and smiles with me...

"Yeah...I remember. We should not be grieving with others." Evangeline tells me. "You told me in one of your cathecisms that we should be the first ones to spread the joy of the Risen Lord...that the pain and grief will be over soon as long as we believe in Him."

"Yes, exactly."

With a smile in our faces, Evangeline and Catherine helped each other to carry me into my wheelchair...and together, we push forward to the intensive care unit, where two little fighters of God is currently resting.

We entered the room and saw Anthony and Father Jean lying in their respective beds...tubes are connected in their mouths, helping them to breathe...wires are connected in their bodies, checking for their heartbeats...and round the clock, they are being attended by doctors and nurses alike.

"Doc, can you tell me what is their condition today?" Then, Evangeline asks a random question to a doctor.

"Well, both patients are in a stable condition now. But we couldn't assure that they will be safe any time soon. Mr. Gonzales need a blood transfusion to fill up the lost blood after being hit in the left part of his chest. While Mr. Ildefonso needs an operation to repair his liver because the organ is close to being ruptured...if that happens, his blood will be poisoned and chances of survival will be slipping."

As Catherine helps me approach Anthony's bedside...I wonder...how could Father Jean will be hurt so bad? I mean I didn't see him with us after the stranger started to fire his gun in the church...I'm a bit puzzled...unless one of them will gain consciousness and testify about what really happened...huh?

"I..I...Imee?"

"Huh? A-Anthony?!?!"