Abandoned

Abandoned (Part Three - Chapter 45)

CHAPTER 45: Secret Inside a Box ...... (Your review here)

Asked by Nick's daughter what else Father Mark had told him about Sister Maria, Rama turned toward her and began to speak. "As far as the new convent, I don't believe that Father Mark had anything else to say except that he had recently been there to see it for himself. However, I do remember that whenever he did talk about Maria his excitement became contagious. Mark spent a lot of time telling me about this incredible nun as we explored Vrindavan together.

"For example, he told me that in 1765, one-hundred years after the death of Mother Maria, inside the same convent where she lived, a lock on a very old box was opened so that certain papers that Maria had instructed to be kept secret could be read for the first time. Dozens of people gathered around as the contents were laid out on a table.

"As church officials sat and listened as the papers were being read, they realized that Mother Maria had sworn certain people to a vow of silence regarding an incident that had taken place in the convent's church—a secret that involved her brother, Francisco Coronel. By reading what had been locked away, the story was gradually pieced together. One group of letters were bound loosely with a ribbon and each contained the sworn statement from nearly a dozen eyewitnesses; telling exactly what they had each seen one hundred years ago."

Rama took another sip of water as he began to recount the story that Father Mark had told him.

"One morning during Maria's twilight years, she was praying inside the church when she began to faintly hear a distressed voice calling out. Upon investigating she noticed that a coffin had been recently placed just inside the doorway. As she strained to listen, gradually Maria could tell that the voice was coming from inside the casket. Nuns from the convent were also present. Standing next to the coffin, she told them that it contained a tormented spirit.

"Father Mark told me that when a soul dies without awakening its love for God and is damned by a lack of remorse, a great agony consumes it. Sister Maria, knowing of no greater fear and full of compassion, asked God to bring the body back to life. Only then, she reasoned, might the unfortunate soul repent and received God's grace.

"It was also during this time that she discovered another shocking truth. When two workmen entered the church to open the coffin, she was told that the deceased person was none other than her own brother. They slowly removed the lid on the coffin. Although at one time Francisco had been a priest, because of his lack of humility and great pride, he had become bitter toward God, giving up his last breath a broken man, both physically and spiritually.

"With great faith, Sister Maria called for a priest to come at once to hear her brother's confession—who soon arrived. Perhaps remembering Jesus as He had once prayed to His Heavenly Father to raise his dear friend, Lazareth, Maria closed her eyes, asking for the same divine favor. The nuns also prayed with her. While the priest and others stood watching, all at once her dead brother climbed out of the coffin and immediately prostrated himself in front of the Lord's altar. He then approached the astonished priest and confessed everything, setting his soul ablaze with love of God.

"To everyone's amazement, Maria's brother then stepped back inside the coffin. He then turned toward his beloved sister, Sor Maria de Jesus, gesturing with his hand to express his eternal gratitude.

"Francisco Coronel then reclined and the casket was removed for burial. Father Mark told me that the old documents were written, dated and signed by a multitude of people; all who witnessed the amazing events that had taken place in the convent's church during the previous century."

Rama stopped speaking as a hushed silence stilled the evening air.

Nick then spoke, breaking the silence as everyone tried to grasp what had just been said. "Rama, I was raised a Greek Orthodox Catholic. I must be honest. You are bringing to the surface an old animosity that I had long ago forgotten. But shamefully it is still lodged within my heart.