– Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
Monica is a 7 years old angel but when somebody asks her, Monica prefers to say that “I am almost 8”.
When Monica comes to Mass with Mom and Dad, if she is not seated very close to me on the steps of the altar I know that she is dressed in a white robe in the Acolyte’s chair. She is serving Mass. I have seen Monica worried, sad and in different moods. But I have never seen Monica without a shy and beautiful smile.
Not long ago an incident happened and it brought lots of pain to Mom and Dad. Things like this are normal in loving and healthy couples like Monica’s parents. Both went through a few “dark nights”, tears, confusion and pain that was affecting their level of communication that is one of the essential ingredients in any couple and in any relationship. Monica was worried, of course. Any child who sees his/her parents in pain and confusion goes through the experience of someone who is in a tall building that is being affected by an earthquake.
One Sunday, during Mass, when she left the altar during the Greeting of Peace to give her parents the kiss of Peace, the first thing she asked her Daddy was if he had joined hands with Mom during the Our Father.
Finally, Mom and Dad did what any healthy and mature couple does. They decided to talk to someone. This someone can be a counselor, a priest or simply a trusted friend. Secrets can be very destructive. Because I have the privilege of being their pastor and their friend I was the one who had the privilege of being chosen and being part of their painful journey.
Both have recovered their smile, their trust and their hope. However, I think that I had very little to do with this outcome. I think the biggest role belonged to Monica. She knew that Mom and Dad were coming to see me and she knew why. When Mom was saying good-bye, Monica looked in her eyes with a very beautiful but sad face and said:
– “Mom… please, clean out your heart”.
During our meeting the mother told me and Dad what Monica had said to her. We both reacted at the same time like two actors in a play:
– “Did she say that”? Then lots of healing tears were shed, caused by this angel’s words.
“Clean out your heart”.
Thank you Monica. I can’t imagine any priest or psychologist, or psychiatrist, or doctor in the world who could have offered better healing advice or better healing medicine. Hopefully, during this Season of Lent our main prayer will be:
“Lord clean out my heart that I may be renewed”.
Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
March 5, 2017
PS. This story was written in Oakley, California, almost 15 years ago.
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