Boswell, LaVenia (22 page)

            Jenny wanted to talk with him alone though before they arrived at the rectory.  Before he could place another call she interrupted, “Sweetheart, I need to talk with you for just a few minutes before we see Father Jose.”   

            Jason clicked his phone off, searched her face to make certain nothing was wrong and asked, “What is it my love?”  

            She was still smiling and continued to have a small tremor to her lips but she managed to ask, before the stammering took over again, “Jas, God let me know there was something else I have yet to have happen but He also let me know that you would explain it to me.”  There, she’d managed to get the whole thing out without interruption.   

            He looked perplexed.  “Something else?  Hum, let me pray and ask Him what it is.”  Jason began to silently pray as he’d said.    

            “Oh, Jenny!  You’ve yet to be baptized!  That’s it!  Your heart and soul are converted and God’s even poured out upon you the Holy Spirit like was done to a group of new converts in the Bible. 

            Saint Peter said in Acts 10:44-47:

           
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all            them which heard the word.  And they of the circumcision          which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter,            because            that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of          the       Holy Ghost.  For they heard them speak with tongues,          and magnify            God.  Then answered Peter, Can any man      forbid water, that         these should not be baptized, which have      received the Holy        Ghost as well as we?

           
“I
may be paraphrasing darlin’, but that’s the gist of it all the same.”   

            “Oh, Jason, I feel that peace you must have been feeling all these years.  It’s so wonderful!  I hope my parents and brother can experience this too.  Oh, the joy and peace they would have!  I can’t wait to share with them.  It’s a completely different kind of peace too – not of the flesh entirely, but mostly in my spirit, but I feel calm in the flesh too.”    

            Jennifer bowed her head and began praying in those strange tongues again as the tears flowed down her face once more and her smile became angelic, Jason realized with continuing awe.  It was as though she glowed.  The love he felt for her had been somehow magnified until it was a fire in his soul now, burning ever brighter.  She was his life, Jenny and the Lord, they were his whole life.   

            Father Jose greeted the couple with his usual big smile even broader and his arms out, receiving them both at one time, like they were already a unit of one.   

            “Sooooo, Jennifer, tell me . . . what has the Lord done for you tonight?” Father Jose asked as he led them to a couch and he took the facing comfortable chair, sitting on the edge of his seat.   Jenny talked and cried.  Jason talked and tried hard not to cry.  All three began rejoicing over what all God had wrought in Jenny.   

            Father Jose now asked her, “Jenny, how do you feel . . . about becoming Catholic now?  Is that something you might want to consider?  Or, perhaps you should wait to be sure?”               

            Previously they had not talked to her about joining the church, knowing she had no faith.  Now things were different.   Her eyes sparkled as she smiled and said, “Oh, Father Jose, will the Church allow me to join?”  

            Easy laughter rang through the room from the two men, who seemed thrilled over her response.  Jason had feared it might take years for her to realize God existed, much less her wanting to become Catholic.  

            “Well . . . yes, the Church would love for you to become a part of her, if you are sure.  It will still require some instruction, so you will be aware of the Church’s tenets and beliefs before making your final decision,” Father Jose stated.  He quickly added, “Jennifer, it isn’t the same as joining a club or organization.  It is choosing the foundation upon where your faith will rest through Jesus Christ.  He is our solid rock foundation and upon Himself He built the
Chu
rch.  We are all human and we make mistakes sometimes, and our Father knows this.  He chose flawed men to work through by His Holy Spirit and we strive to do and teach His perfect will.  It is through His blood that we have redemption and forgiveness.  It is His gift of love to us.  I just want you to be certain that the Catholic Church is where you want to call home.”

            Jason was quick to share with Father Jose all they had been discussing privately and what they’d been discovering through the Church’s counseling and workshops both had been attending.  Jenny had a pretty good grasp of the main, important Church teachings he explained.          

            Father Jose listened quietly, only nodding his head from time to time.   

            Jason asked, “Father, is it possible that Jenny could be baptized before our wedding?  We both really want that, to start our lives together with us both walking completely and fully in the Faith.  Tonight God has received Jenny and I hope the Church will receive her too, as soon as possible.”   

            Father Jose looked into Jenny’s eyes and asked her, “What are your feelings about Jason’s Catholic faith?”   

            She didn’t hesitate with her answer. “It’s perfect - with the only flaws those that human’s make.  I am convinced that God is the creator of the Catholic Church through Saint Peter and helped with the teachings of
Saint Paul
and all the Disciples, so . . . that pretty well settles it for me.  I will admit, there are things I don’t really understand yet.  I asked God about that, worrying.  God impressed me tonight to trust the Church and to walk in trust of its teachings, rules and laws, blindly perhaps for a season.  He will open my understanding more and more as I grow in faith.”  

            Father Jose grinned broadly and nodded his head yes.  

            It was eventually decided she would begin intense RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) training about the faith with Father Jose, Edward Zonelli (Jason’s dad), Deacon Vince, and Jason himself. 

            They were packing nine months of teaching into six weeks of hard work on everyone’s part,
if
the Bishop managed to agree to it.  Father Jose was going to make an appointment and discuss the situation with him, hopefully this next week. 

            In the meantime, Jenny’s training would start, two hours her day, three days per week.  That would be about equal to a full RCIA class.       When she was asked if she felt up to the challenge she admitted, “I’ll do whatever it takes to become baptized and be received into the Roman Catholic Church. I deeply desire Jas and I to be blessed with a Sacramental Marriage Ceremony.”

            The time ahead, before their wedding date was short, but to them it seemed so far away.  They knew there was a lot to accomplish before then so every day counted.           

            Jenny decided that the time she had left with her parents she would use as a witnessing tool.  And they
had
to talk with her brother as well.  No way was she going to let an opportunity to share her joy be lost, she decided firmly.  What she was feeling she had to share, just had to.  She was bubbling over with it and wanted all her loved ones to feel that way as well. 

            God was awesome and, she comprehended, a romantic sneaky who knew just what He had to do to get her attention.    

            Jennifer declined Jason’s offer to help her talk with her parents.  She felt it would be best coming from her alone.  They already knew Jason was a Christian, a
real
Christian.  But they had no faith in any religion, the same way she had been.  She decided since it was so late, after ten at night, she might better wait till tomorrow.   

            Opening her front door, seeing many lights still on Jenny found her mom and dad sitting at the breakfast table, drinking coffee with papers on the table and her dad’s adding machine clacking away.          Hey, you guys.  What’s up?” she inquired.   

            She noted her dad quickly covered several sheets of numbers while acting like he wasn’t doing a thing.  Wondering what was going on, her mom broke through her thoughts when she asked, “Sweetie, have you been crying?”   

            Realizing her face must be red and blotchy and her eyes puffy she turned to her mom smiling.  “I sure have mom.  Been crying, but with happiness.  The strangest thing happened this evening and I want to share it with you and dad, but I don’t want to interrupt whatever you’re doing?”   

            Her dad gathered up all the papers into a pile and set the adding machine on top of them.  “Not a thing, cupcake, just our monthly budgeting.  Same old, same old.  Now what’s this about a strange thing occurring and why have you been crying?”    

            Pulling out a kitchen chair she sat and grabbed her mom’s hand.  “I know you won’t believe me, but it’s the absolute truth.  God spoke to me tonight.  He’s
real
mom!”  Looking at her dad she exclaimed, “Dad, there is a God after all and Jesus Christ is His son and His Blood covers our sins.”   

            The tears began to flow in a slow trickle down her face and she was trying so hard to pull herself together so she could witness well, not look like some Moony Loony.    

            Her mom looked startled but not disbelieving, Jennifer realized with surprise.  “Jen, you said God spoke to you?”    

            Jennifer nodded, wiped her eyes with a napkin from the napkin holder on the table and explained, “Jason asked me if I would attend a Charismatic meeting with him at one of the other Catholic churches tonight.  We went and everyone was so nice, Mom.  They just greeted me like I was their sister or something.”  She took a deep breath and silently prayed for God, her Father now, to help her.             

            “They began singing and they sang this particular song.  It was about all the feelings I’ve had, my wondering about if there could possibly be a real God and asking Him questions and not getting answers.  Then Jesus came and one drop of His Blood landed on me and He saw me down through the ages to today as He hung on the Cross.  He didn’t call down angels to help free Him, He stayed on that Cross because of me.”              

            Sniffling she worked to regain her composure, while no one made a sound.  “Something strange, new and wonderful came over me.  I began calling out to God and asking him my questions and found myself understanding my life and how I needed to make some serious changes, that we all have a soul and mine needed cleaning.”     

            Looking from her mother’s stunned face to her dad’s she continued, “I was praying out loud, really loud, I guess.  That’s when I began speaking this language, but I didn’t understand any of the words, but they kept flowing out of my mouth and the most loving feeling came over me like a warm hug and I was shown pictures of so many different things, like watching a movie.  And I was impressed by God about several important issues.  He spoke to me.  He loves me!” 

            She looked at her parents and said, “He loves you both too, oh so much!” she exclaimed with joy.   

            Her mother blurted out, “I used to go to church.  I was a Baptist growing up.  After I met your dad and him not believing, I guess I began listening to his take on things and I left God behind.  But, I know in my heart He
is
real, Jenny.” 

            She burst into tears and said, “I’m so glad he hasn’t forsaken me, because he’s called my Jenny to Him.  Oh, God forgive me!  Please forgive me.  I knew I should have told her about You, but I didn’t want to upset Martin.  Can you ever forgive me?” she cried looking up at the ceiling.   

            Jenny hugged her and they cried together as her mother came home to God.   

            Jennifer’s dad left the table, turned his back to them and slowly washed his coffee cup in the sink.  “Julian,” her dad said without hurry, “I never knew you felt I was keeping you away from a deity you cared about.”    

            Her mother jumped up and went to her husband.  “Oh, Martin, it wasn’t your fault.  I wanted to please you more than I wanted to love God.  But, I do know He exists and now our Jenny does too.  I’m so happy and I hope He will forgive me for all the years I didn’t talk to him, afraid he was too angry to want to ever hear my voice again.  Martin, Jenny is right.  God loves us all, and he loves you too.”  He gave her a crooked smile as she wrapped her arms around his rounded middle and gave him a squeeze and a kiss.