.The Royal Bridegroom

How can a new convert capture into words the effects of the pope's visit to St. Louis? How can one express a taste of Heaven so others can taste it's sweetness? Such as the flowing of tears resulting from being constantly loved from Heaven? The explosive sensation of one's body and heart due to the taste of ominjoy? What can adequately be said that will encourage Catholics, Protestants, and others about the living presence of Jesus Christ? The answer lays in the title of this story, My Home Coming Party!

Why the title My Home Coming Party? A question I asked myself on January 30, 1999. A slow raining day with birds of different feathers feeding off the wintry brown land. Then in the midst of the rain a blue love bird flew by as a lovely jester from heaven. A jester that I'll have my answer by the end of this story for the Holy Spirit will direct my pen.

Home coming! A celebration for gathering a family together. In this case it's gathering a spiritual or religious family together. A yearly day that many Baptist churches celebrate. When members of a church family at one time or another would come to worship and share in a homecoming dinner with present members. But this wasn't the case for me in St. Louis. It's not like I had once been a Catholic, left the faith, and now I'm coming back to the faith. Yet, at one time my soul left a Heavenly family. It is through the Catholic faith that I've come to know that Heavenly family. A Heavenly family with Mary, the Queen of Heaven as my Heavenly Mother. Who held me with tender love and compassion before I left heaven. A Heavenly family that knew about me as God the Father placed me inside my mother's womb. A family that has been presented to me by the Holy Spirit through the Catholic faith and Christ Jesus himself. This is what his holiness' visit to St. Louis was for me by the end of the third day. Yet not necessary him, but the Mass celebrated with him. Up until this point I've never really thought much about the man. I saw him just as another well known religious leader. You see I only went to St. Louis because I was invited. It was a gift. I left my going all in our Lord's hands for I really didn't care about going. The trip had to be OK with my family and the principal of my school. Then approval had to come from the personnel office. Finally the lost of wages for three days had to be looked at. Christ worked everything out. Approval was granted and my family would not be affected by any lost in wages. God is good and kind!

Yet, I still didn't know why it was necessary for me to go. So, I decided to give a special rosary with my alpha\omega cross on it to the pope. I thought it would have a special meaning for him since Christ as the Royal Bridegroom is portrayed on the other side of the cross. It is the only cross in the world that rotates with "Good News"....Jesus Christ crucified...... Jesus Christ returns! Also, I hoped to be able to find out if he every received the painting of Jesus Christ as the Royal Bridegroom. I explained in a letter to his holiness that the only reason why I gave him the original painting was because I was told to by our Loving Mother and Jesus. That if it wasn't for this the painting would still be at the hospital or in my house. The opportunity to give the rosary to his Holiness never happened. The gentleman who was helping me to accomplished this said I still shouldn't pass up the opportunity to be there. He was exactly right!

I'll never forget, as a recent convert the day I watched his Holiness step off the plane and it's affect on me. There has never been anyone that effected me so, except Jesus! The Holy Spirit manifested His presence in such a way that it was as though Christ Himself was stepping off the plane. This man portrays what Jesus instructed us to be. That is to be holy and prefect. I have always had a problem with these words of Jesus. How can one be holy and prefect in this world? I now understand for through Christ all things are possible. Jesus once said, "When you see me you see the Father!" I believe his holiness could say a similar statement, "When you see me you see Christ." A statement that we all should strive to be able to say. Are we not striving to surrender ourselves completely to Jesus, to love as Christ first loved us? Is not our Christian life to be a constant reflection of Jesus? Should we not be able to see Jesus in all people? The question is to what degree do we see Jesus in each individual? It depends on many factors such as how much has an individual surrendered to Jesus and ones degree of holiness and "spiritual perfection". Also the position of "pope" is a factor after holiness and spiritual perfection. Scripture says that Christ is the head of the body and each Christian is a member of that body. The pope, on a global scale is the spiritual neck followed by rest of the body. It is from this position that many graces flow. It's like a spiritual conductor or lightning rod between heaven and earth. As the pastor of the universal church divine love flows through him for this world. I now personally understood why his Holiness is loved in such a way throughout the world. I understood by the last day in St. Louis why other famous religious leaders never seemed to receive such a response, for the body has only one neck.

That night we watched his holiness and the youth of America by TV. Tears flowed from my face as I saw the heart of the pope striving to express itself from the prison of an aged body suffering with Parkinson's. In my heart I, along with others asked our Loving Mother and Jesus to help him. Then joy filled my heart as a big smile slowly stretched across his face. I then gave thanks to our Lord. We cheered and shouted with joy, "Look! Look at that big beautiful smile." A smile that said everything! A smile that said a lot about suffering, responsibility, commitment, and love! That anyone can do all things through Christ. That one can keep going until his job is completed. What joy will his Holiness receive when he finally hears Jesus say, "Well done! Good and faithful servant. Enter into the kingdom of Heaven." Which is the hope of every faithful servant.

Later that night I was given a "Tears of Job" rosary. Tears I was told are seeds of the earth! Seeds that Christians everywhere needs to sow for souls, themselves, and the world. Also the most rare tears of all should be sow. They are "tears of joy" expressed to the Triune God and the Queen of Heaven. I learned this truth through a Divine experience I had in 1996. May we all during this year of God our Father share "tears of joy". The pope's visit was a good start for seeds were sow. Tears of joy were seen everywhere!

That night I heard for the first time from heaven about my coming home. The Queen of Heaven gave me her personal invitation! The next day was to be on a personal level a homecoming party for me. Celebrating the end to three years of divine revelation and teaching. Celebrating the beginning of a life that's been taking spiritually higher. What a celebration it was! Paul states in scripture that he knew a man that was taken up to the third heaven. I don't actually know what it means to be taken up to this level of heaven. But, I experienced the next day a level of heaven that is etched in my being! This homecoming celebration was beyond my expectation! The procession of the nuns, priest, and bishops were a priceless sight! I thought about the great Heavenly procession that is to take place for all. When the Church, the Bride of Jesus Christ is presented by the Father and mother. Love and joy were seen on many faces as friends and spiritual siblings greeted each other. Then I was filled with the Holy Spirit and went into a state of prayer as Spiritual doors were opened for me. Spiritual doors that welcomed me to a Heavenly event..... a homecoming celebration! I witness angels everywhere! Then just before the announcement of his holiness entering into the assembly I witnessed Jesus, the King with the Queen of Heaven! They appeared opposite the altar. Looking as they did when they appeared to me in Guadeloupe, Mexico 1997. They appeared arm in arm wearing Heavenly white and a crown. Tiny sparkling lights like the sun sparkling on the water shone throughout their garments and crown. Once again the right side of Jesus is where the Queen of Heaven stood. This time neither one looked or spoke to me. Their attention was towards the altar. The sight of such majesty was overwhelming. The roof of the center seemed to disappear as they approached the steps to the altar. My whole body felt as though it was going to explode with joy and love as God, our Father manifested His presence. Admist soaking tears and a rapid heartbeat I whispered in adoration, "Father!" The truth for me that our bodies will be transformed as stated in scriptures becomes clearer everyday. My friend asked me to repeat what I said. Through tears and ecstasy I told her that the roof had become like a brilliant sun and what was shinning down was touching a lot of people! I felt like a child who wanted to run to the light. A child who while running kept shouting Father! Father! Father! The vision ended as Jesus and our Queen approached the top step to the altar. It was at this moment that silence filled the center. I stood there as a member of a heavenly family waiting for the wise elderly brother to enter. Then the pope mobile came in and flashes of light bulbs filled the air. I stood there pondering what I had just witnessed..... a welcome home from my Heavenly family. A lovely jester from heaven as was the love bird at the beginning of this story. I now have my answer from the Holy Spirit as to why entitle this story, My Home Coming Party.

This fulfills the Heavenly revelation and vision of May 1996 which concluded with the Holy Spirit telling me not to be afraid to join the tall towering church for this was where my family and I belonged. I now know that that "tall towering church" for me and my family is the Catholic faith. I am truly grateful to the Triune God for hearing my cry to receive more of Jesus. Our Father is very merciful!

In conclusion I would like to share the following experience and poem in honor of our Heavenly Father. May 17, 1996 was a beautiful sunny day with huge fluffy white clouds in the sky. I became overcome with tremendous joy as our Lord allowed me to come closer. My thoughts and sights were with the day to come when I hopefully will hear Jesus say, "Well done good and faithful servant!" The love of Jesus and the filling of the Holy Spirit became so great that I started to sing with a Heavenly choir. Then a tear of joy rolled down my cheek. One of many to come after a life of painful and sorrowful tears. I said, "Lord God, I know you have shelves after shelves of bottles filled with my tears of sorrow and pain. I pray now that You will also have bottles tenfold filled with my joyful tears, starting with this tear of profound joy!" Then I felt a warm and gentle pressure against my cheek and the tear was gone! It is true that tears of joy also brings joy to our Father! Later I decided to put this experience in the form of a poem. I wanted to do this as an expression of my love for my Heavenly Father. After writing the poem I laid my pen down. Our Lord was calling me! He had witnessed my heart and pen! I went outside and experience a Heavenly Bliss! I was quickened and swirled up into a heavenly dance. I began to sing..... "and the Father will dance!" I was swoon by the end of the dance. I fell to my knees while lite raindrops with the warmth of the sun fell gently on me. I became quiescent! I raised my head after a few moments, opened my eyes and quickly closed them for I saw a brilliance that was brilliant and white as snowy translucent love. Our Lord was pleased and so I dedicate this poem to our Triune God.