Miracle Moments

It is sweet victory, watching your child come home-to God. It is a mind blowing, soul lifting experience that is almost surreal. I experienced that victory this weekend, in the most profound way. During an outdoor Palm Sunday Mass, I watched the religious procession turn the corner into full view...Two priests and a Bishop...and then my eldest son-next to the Bishop, his arm carefully guiding him...up the steps of the altar over to his seat. As the Mass progressed, the Bishop and Johnny stood together to read the Passion of Christ...Johnny's deep voice, clearly articulating the New Testament story of the arrest, trial, torture, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. My son and the Bishop together, sharing the shocking details, of the most profound story ever told. As I watched the two of them, my heart smiled...knowing the poignant power of that moment and its victory over death. My friend Judy, a Catholic Theologian, who is as brilliant as she is beautiful, whispered, ...

"To err is human; to forgive, divine." Alexander Pope Through deep humility, our capacity to forgive is given wings to fly, even in the face of horrific challenges. Forgiveness sets us free from the bondages of pain and the assault against our souls by the seductive source of that pain. Our willingness to forgive is the true test of our faith and the greatest sign of our Love. Yet, knowing this, understanding this-is a far cry from acceptance. How would you react when the daughter you Love and four of her friends, are brutally murdered at school? Would you be able to forgive the gunman and look his widow in the eye and console her? Would you be willing to let go and let God inspire you with the grace of his holy will? The poignant true life story of one woman's challenge to embrace the transcending power of forgiveness is being told in a world premiere movie, "Amish Grace." The story is based on the 2006 schoolhouse shooting in the Amish community of Nicke...

Today my second son turns 21. That means he's now legal, in all aspects of the law. Mackie has been excited for days, sending reminders to my cell phone about this pivotal point in his personal life. His grandmother reminded me of the momentous day Mackie entered this world. I called her and announced I thought it was time and that I'd pick her up before heading to the hospital. After she hung up-she thought, how nutty we both were. She called back and said, "You're having the baby, I'll pick you up." As we laughed about this, I told her the insanity was already setting in. She was the one who suggested I give him my maiden name, McCall...and I'm so glad I did. Since my brother never married, he will be the one to carry on our family name. Mackie is truly a gift of life. I miscarried a child before him in the hills of Medjugorje while working on my first TV show there. It took me nearly a year to conceive again, leading me to resign myself to being a...

"I feel at peace. I have learned that my struggles are really gifts from God that lead me to a deeper understanding of myself." Johnny My 24 year old son Johnny gave me an amazing gift this past week. The gift of hope. In the most profoundly touching letter I have ever read, he affirmed that with God, all things are possible...with perseverance, miracles really do happen and through total surrender, soul inspiring serenity soon follows. Johnny has spent the last ten months in a faith based recovery community, Our Lady of Hope, in St. Augustine Florida. Removed from the trappings of this world, he has embraced the gifts of the next. Placed in the arms of pure, unconditional Love, he has found the authentic freedom to become the person that God designed. "I can't stress enough how unique my life is right now. I am so happy here because it is hard and because our routine leaves no room for spoiling." In a community of honest work, fervent prayer and brotherly...

"Forgive and forget...It's not in the bible." "Don't be blindsided." I'm enjoying a series of Lenten talks given by a priest at my parish church. They're right on target and right down my alley. He pointed out-that forgiveness may well be one of the most misunderstood concepts and one of the least embraced virtues. Forgiving someone is really not about the other person...It's about releasing the bondage of pain that has a hold on us, because of someone else's actions. It is not about forgetting what happened...or denying someone hurt us...It is not about accepting the wrongdoing and it is certainly not a weakened state of submission...Forgiveness is a simply powerful action of letting go and moving on to a higher level of personal healing. When we let go of the anger and the resentment, the hurt and the betrayal...We give ourselves a gift, by allow the healing power of God to inspire a renewal of the heart and an empowering release ...

I admire my friend Kristi. She's the kind of gal who looks good on paper but looks even better on the inside. I watched her tonight as she was inducted as President of the Dental Association. I watched her family gathered around her...Her husband and her three sons...and I thought-how well they've done...because of her. She is the rock of the brew, the dynamo that gets everyone moving...The girl wonder who has juggled job and kids, marriage and volunteer work...family fun and personal sorrow-with a charm and a grace that would rival any statesman-or woman. We met years ago in the cry room at church...Bulging belly's, babies in tow...brandishing diaper bags, toys, snacks-whatever it took to make it through four o'clock Saturday Mass...so that we working moms might be inspired to make it through the next, whirlwind week. Kristi's done an amazing job...Jumping through the hoops of life, but never losing her zest for adventure...Never giving up when the going got rou...

The kids and I rolled up to our house today and there on the porch sat a huge, white Styrofoam box. "What is that we all exclaimed?!" I've never seen them jump out of the car so fast! Much to Ben's delight the box contained a poi pourri of dinner delights like steak and chicken, fish, pototo au gratin and a scrumptious apple dessert! Ben is now our in house food expert having watched hours on end of the food channel. For him it was like giving candy to a baby! Their Aunts, Kat and Ela were the surprise Lenten Santa's...Lifting every one's spirits with such a simple, kind gesture. That's really what this Holy season is all about...Looking outward, beyond ourselves to someone else...Sacrificing something of ourselves, to receive a greater reward later on. It's the unexpected, acts of kindness that mean the most to me and I know God is smiling...But maybe not as wide as the kids when they chomp into their delectable delights!

I learned a profoundly new definition of faith this weekend, from a deeply profound Catholic priest. Father Jerome Bevilacqua, from Holy Spirit Ministry in San Diego, described faith as "the knowledge of God living within us." Think about it...God living inside each and every one of us. That's a pretty powerful position to be in! Fr. Jerry said the degree to which we hear God's guiding voice is directly related to the amount of grace we receive through our cooperation with the will of God. Grace personalizes our relationship with God because through the Holy Spirit, God actually dwells inside us as the source of our being communicating with us and helping us develop our skills to grow closer to him. In fact, the goal is to be more like him. If you are living in a state of sin, you do not have the state of grace. You may have faith or hope, but not Love which is God...So you do not have God within you. To paraphrase Pope John Paul II, the value of a relationship depend...