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| by Deacon Evan Wittig
| Printer Friendly | There was a man named John who loved his wife Amy very much. On the day of their marriage, he said to her: “I feel like Adam, looking at Eve. He realized he was looking at a marvelous creation of God he said: ‘Here at last is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. You shall be called woman, for you came from my side.’ Amy, I want to be by YOUR side all my days. I will love you and cherish you, all my days.”
In their great love for each other, John and Amy became one and Amy conceived and gave birth to a daughter, they named her Gabriel. When Amy saw Gabriel, she said to her: “My lovely daughter, you are bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. You shall be named Gabriel, for you are my little angel. I will always love you. I will always be your mother. Nothing can separate my love for you.” Gabriel smiled and giggled as Amy spoke to her. John picked up his child and said: “Lord, this is the work of your hands, for who can make a human being but you, Oh my God. Thank you for giving to us this wonderful life, this beautiful baby.”
Gabriel grew up as any child did. Her parents took her to church and taught her the prayers of the church. They tried to be good Christian role models for their daughter. Yet, when Gabriel went to high school, her friends made fun of her for wearing a cross around her neck, so she took off her cross. Her friends made fun of her for being a virgin, so she decided that she would give her virginity away. She had a boyfriend named Tom, who professed his love for her. She knew that she should be chaste, but she wanted to be like everyone else. She never told her parents what she was thinking about doing.
She became pregnant a few months later. Should she tell her parents and keep the baby, or have an abortion? She knew abortion was against the teachings of the Church, but
Her friends told her that since abortion was legal, it was OK. Tom told her he would pay for the abortion and her parents would never know. Gabriel had the abortion. As soon as the act was done, she knew it was a terrible thing that she had done. She felt terrible inside, so she went to confession and told the priest everything. He gave her absolution for her sins, but she still felt bad about the loss of life, the baby she would never see.
John and Amy noticed a change in their daughter, but every time they asked her what was wrong, she would rebuke them rudely, so they stopped asking. Finally, a year after the abortion, Gabriel broke down and cried to her parents “I had an abortion! I feel bad, I know it was wrong, but I did it. I went to confession, but I still feel bad inside. I didn’t come to you; I was afraid you would get angry with me and reject me, so I kept silent all this time. John hugged his daughter and said, “Gabriel, you are bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. Your mother and I have loved you, we love you today, right now and we will love you for all eternity. What you did was wrong, but it doesn’t keep us from loving you. Do you understand?” Gabriel nodded her head as she embraced her mother. All three cried, but joy seemed to come through the tears.
A few years later, Gabriel died in an automobile accident. All her friends and her parents wept bitter tears at the loss of a young life. Gabriel’s soul proceeded to a room filled with light, but she noticed a dark figure waiting for her. “You are mine! You killed your baby, now your soul is mine!” Just then the door to the room opened and a beautiful man walked in wearing a white robe with a gold sash. Gabriel noticed holes in his hands and knew it was Jesus. “Oh Jesus, forgive me. I killed my baby. Forgive me. I sinned many times in my life. I am not worthy of you, or heaven. I can only beg you for mercy!” Jesus answered her, “Did you not confess your sins? Did you not hear the words of absolution? I have forgiven you.” The devil shouted “She killed her baby and led a life of sin and rebellion, her body and soul is mine!” Jesus just looked at the devil and showed him his wounded hands and the devil disappeared. Gabriel was shocked, she thought she was doomed. “Why did the devil go away? He was right; I have sinned against you my God.” Jesus answered, “Can’t you see that you are bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh? Can’t you see that you and I are one? I am not just your savior and your Lord, I am your brother. What’s mine is yours and mine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. You have believed in me from your youth, you have sinned many times, yes. But these wounds of mine are the payment for your sins. You have done your penance; you have tried to live a good Christian life since your fall. I know your heart and it is good. Come and be with me, for I have loved you for all eternity. Today, you will be with me in Paradise.” Gabriel took Jesus’ hand and walked through the door. |
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