Two More Saints

This has been the most surreal Christmas/Advent of my entire life. On Friday of the previous week we went to see my grandmother in the hospital. At 82 she had been diagnosed with cancer and there was nothing they could do for her. We spent some time in her room. I had the blessed opportunity to tell her that I love her and say good-bye. She was in okay shape and able to talk and recognize people. I held her soft hand and talked to her. It was tough. She came home on Sunday and gathered all of her children around her and they prayed. On Monday my brother offered Mass at her bedside at the home where we all had spent so much time for holidays, birthdays, etc,. I wish I could have been there. After the Mass she said she was ready to go. On Thursday the 20th she passed away. I am so thankful to have been able to spend that time with her in the hospital. Yesterday, Sunday, we spent most of the day at the funeral home. It was tough watching my grandfather. He has always been larger than life to me. He has survived so much, the Great Depression, WWII almost being killed by a Kamikaze pilot, and so much more. It was difficult to watch this man as he was reduced to tears. We buried my grandmother today. It was tough being Christmas and all but she wouldn’t have wanted any other way. This was her favorite time of year. She was dressed in a beautiful Christmas vest with plenty of pine and all for decoration. The Church was decorated for Christmas and it was all just as she would have wanted it.

She was an awesome lady. Really, I have no doubt she is now with Christ. I would even go so far as to say that she is already working miracles, by God’s grace, in Heaven. One of my uncles, who has been away from the Faith for well over a decade has come back to the Church and gone to Confession for the first time in years. His daughters have decided to become Catholic as well.

I will miss her dearly. I will miss her holding onto my arm as we walk to my house. I will miss her sweet voice on the phone asking about my life and family. I am inspired to work harder toward holiness to be with her once again in Heaven. I will miss her.

The title of this post is “Two More Saints” because this morning, before the funeral we received word that my wife’s grandfather passed away early this morning. It is very difficult for us since her parents and siblings are here with us for Christmas. They are flying home on Christmas for the funeral the day after.

I can’t say enough about this man either. He is the reason Nicole and I are married today. Before we were engaged I had the opportunity to meet him and God used this meeting to show me my vocation. I really liked Nicole but at the same time I was considering a religious life. We went to her grandparent’s house and everything changed. There I met a man who had fulfilled his vocation as a husband to the fullest. In my eyes he was a living saint. A father of 12 children and a man’s man. He too, like my grandfather and grandparents, had been through so much but the joy in their life was unmistakable. I wanted that instantly. I want the joy that came from a vocation to marriage. I wanted a large family. I wanted to pour out my life for my children and wife. I instantly wanted to be like Grandpa Vin. I will never forget that meeting and how it changed my crazy view that only the religious were destined to be saints.

I will miss my Grandma Winnie and her Grandpa Vin so much and think of them often as I travel through this valley of tears. I pray only that I may be as holy and filled with life as they were. I pray too that I, like them, may die surrounded, at home, by my family after receiving the sacraments. Both received Our Lord in the Eucharist, Reconciliation and Anointing before their death and they died in peace, though suffering, after a long life filled with joy and love.

Please pray for our families during this time.