I believe I have just received the best Christmas present ever from the good Lord. Let me explain. After I was converted I used to pray for my family, most especially for the conversion of my brothers and sisters. However , after several years and more rosaries than I count I felt a message on the Lord. He was asking me to concentrate my prayers on Him alone, just to pray for Him alone, to be with Him. He said all my praying for different things all the time was becoming a distraction and He wanted be just to trust in Him. Well, anyway one of the things He promised me was that all my family would go to heaven. Well I did trust Him and left things in His hand but I often felt a twinge at time especially when I looked at my brothers, who showed no sign at all of amending their lives... One of the hardest cases was my brother Conor. He was a very hard man, a mans man and to be honest I would very rarely even try to bring up spiritual matters with him. He emmigrated to the USA where he lives now with his Irish American wife, Erin and his four little children, near Dearborn, Michican.. He has his own very prosperous buisness painting. Anyway he sent a message to a friend lately that he was a t mass on Sunday and heard a scripture reading from Luke 21. This reading struck his heart and he did a lot of thinking about it. Later in the week he was painting his daughter, Grainnie's room when he saw her little bible open and went to read the scripture passage there. Lo and behold as he read the bible, for the very first time in his life it was a t the very same scripture passage ,Luke 21. Now Conor is trying to seriously amend his life. For instance he and his kids have adopted a poor family this Christmas and are going to see them and see they have a rich Christmas. Anyway for me the kicker is the scripture passage which if you like to read it is Luke 21 and concerns the future, 5Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6"As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down." 7"Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?" 8He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. 9When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away." 10Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. 12"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13This will result in your being witnesses to them. 14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17All men will hate you because of me. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By standing firm you will gain life. 20"When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." 29He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32"I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 34"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."
Merry Christmas! Any updates on your brother's spiritual journey? Padraig, did Conor go into why Luke 21 struck him so profoundly at this time?
Do Deanna, he is what you might call a hard man and I am surprised he has talked about such things before. But I recall him in the past talking about the area he lives. It is very well off and they live in a cul de sac. There was a lot of weird immoral stuff such as wife swopping and stuff going on and Conor was gettinga bit scared for his kids. I wonder maybe if this is why the passage from Luke shook him up a little?
