Turning sorrow into dancing...a story from America

John grew up in an abusive home and said he thought of suicide during his formative years. When of age, John joined the military and excelled. In Vietnam he killed many enemy soldiers and was wounded himself on several occasions. He received many decorations during his military career.

In his late 30's, he left the military and said his family life became dysfunctional. He confided his personal problems with a Christian friend who told him to call on Jesus during his time of need and He would help him.

On one particular day, John decided to end his life and so drove his wife and young daughter from their home. John then took an overdose of barbiturates and drank a lot of rum. John said he felt the spirit of death come to him. At this point, out of his innermost man, John called out to Jesus for help. (Romans 10:13) The next moment, he rose to his feet sober and felt many demonic spirits depart from him.

When his wife and daughter returned home, his young daughter asked her mother who the man in the living room was. The mother told her daughter it was her father. John said his very countenance had so changed he appeared different to the young girl. John told his wife and daughter Jesus Christ had saved him, and had manifested Himself in a beautiful, powerful light. A short time later, John related his experience to a Holy Ghost minister. The minister laid hands on John and began to pray. John said the bone in his leg, which had been shot apart and healed poorly, straightened instantly.

Additionally, he was given a vision while under the power of the Holy Spirit. In the vision, he beheld an island in the sea. On the island, he saw Holy Angels ministering to multitudes of people through music. In the whitecaps of the waves striking the island were the joyful faces of people. John said he went to a pawn shop and purchased a guitar. He learned to praise the Lord in song. I asked John to sing a gospel song for me. As he began to play and sing, I felt the anointing of the Holy Spirit flow down over my head and ears like warm oil! Praise the Lord forever!!!

A Clean Sheet .. a story from Padua

Saint Antony received many charisms from God, one of which was preaching in the Holy Spirit. When he spoke, hearts opened to God like flowers to the sun. Saint Francis of Assisi therefore entrusted him with preaching, and teaching his brothers. One of my favorite anecdotes from his life goes like this: One day Saint Anthony was preaching, and a passerby began to listen to him. The man had committed very grave sins and had been making fun of God, but when he heard Anthony's words of grace, his heart was touched and he could feel the incredible love Jesus had for him. Seeing himself loved so much, he began to sob like a little child, and his tears became even more abundant when he thought about all the harm he had done to Jesus with his sins. He then decided to change his life, to follow Jesus with all his heart, and to go to confession.

Upon entering Saint Anthony's confessional, his crying prevented him from uttering a single word. So Anthony suggested that he go back home, write his sins on a piece of paper, then come back to the confessional, and he did. Anthony slowly read the impressive list of sins while the man could only nod as a sign of acquiesce. He still hadn't recover his voice, so strong was the emotion that had seized him. Finally Anthony reassured his penitent and encouraged him to change his life and to live with Jesus according to the Gospel. Then he gave him a penance and the absolution from all of his sins. The man had made peace with God! Anthony carefully folded the paper where the terrible list of sins were written and gave it back to the forgiven sinner who left unburdened and joyful. 

When the man arrived home, he wanted to burn the paper. He unfolded it and to his surprise, he found the paper completely blank! His sins had totally disappeared! Gone! God was caught in the middle of a delicate act of mercy! It is then that the man realized even more the grace of his confession: when God sees that we come to Him with a real contrition, the desire not to sin any more, and the decision to change our ways, He rejoices so much that not only does He forgive us our sins, but He forgets them! They no longer exist! They are washed in the blood of the Lamb and God becomes amnesic of our evil deeds. 

If we have sincere contrition, even the debt caused by the sin is erased, either partly or totally, according to the depth of our repentance. In other words, the pain from having wounded Jesus, The one we love, spares us purgatory, either completely, or partly. Our desert fathers even claimed that the gift of tears is the greatest gift that we can expect from the Holy Spirit. It is a burning love, a most blessed burn because it opens wide the gates of Heaven!