Adjustments By God

 Hello Readers, however many you may be (it might just be me)--

Today, the Monday after Easter, I drove upstate to the burial Mass of a beloved Franciscan Friar, Rev. Ron Pecci, OFM. 

He was one of the Site Supervisors the year I was a Franciscan Volunteer, the supervisor for the Camden site. I was at the Silver Spring site but all 3 sites got together several times during the year and we all got to know one another pretty well. In 2020, not too shortly after I had shared the news of my engagement with my site supervisor, Rev. Chris Posch, OFM, he got incredibly ill (all COVID tests were negative but still, his pnemonia was extremely bad) and died. We had asked him if it was possible, that he could be one of the priests presiding at our wedding, knowing already him being a pastor of a giant parish in Maryland it was going to be next-to-impossible.

 And then... he went straight home to Jesus, to preside in spirit. I was unable to attend his funeral, as it was out-of-state for me, and it was during the time when so much of the country was totally shut-down. It was difficult news to receive because he had become such a close and dear friend. He always made you feel at home, you never felt unwelcome in his presence. As so many of the friars remarked, he had a "child-like sense of joy". 

I didn't even know where he ended up being buried until today, when we buried Ron. He was there too, praise God, because I don't know what I would have done if I couldn't find him. It felt as if I had delayed my grief until that moment upon seeing the flat headstone. I couldn't stop myself from crying and I am eternally grateful for another fellow FVM alumn to be standing there beside me to hold me as I cried. I miss him so much, and at times, it feels as though so many of us were robbed by COVID, robbed our time with our loved ones, whose lives were cut so short. 

Other times, when I reflect on the good people I knew who passed away too soon, always lead me back to thinking of the saints who went to God at their younger ages, like St. Therese. They were prepared and they went to God with joy.

I learned that Br. Chris, before he died, prepared as much as he could for his likely inevitable passing before driving himself to the hospital. It was as if he knew it was his time.

I feel as though God only takes us when we're ready, even though nobody else is ready. 

It is one of those things difficult to accept, because that means, perhaps, when we finally dedicate ourselves to God and truly look forward to our days in heaven... we might actually end up getting an early-boarding pass! I think those who get a terminal illness often prepare themselves in that time so they are ready indeed to go, but for those who die untimely deaths... Our God is a merciful and loving God, a patient God that even makes adjustments to his plan if we ask. (thinking about how Moses didn't want to talk to Pharaoh so God said "fine, take your brother and he can talk for you" lol). 

There are also other many things on my mind at this time, especially regarding my religious illustration, but for the moment, that is all I feel like sharing. Hope all is well, and Happy Easter! Alleluia <3