Page 18 - Michael Journal March 2020

pectation of many of the world’s
people — many hearts that are still The pounding of the waves whipped me around, and I
u
awaiting the Gospel: “That we, as couldn’t reach the surface for air. The current was
Christians, should show ourselves pulling me under.
capable of loving and praying, and
that wherever we are, we should
be signs of God and disciples of fear of drowning or that any evil no longer identify where I was nor
Christ. This is in order that other will befall me”. I felt inner peace did I know which direction to take
persons whom we might meet and tried simply to conserve my to go toward the water’s surface.
should walk away better, and not strength and breathe. I was thor- I didn’t know how to save myself!
The air in my lungs was running
worse”. oughly convinced that “whatever out. A quarter of a minute passed.
happens, it won’t result in my
Clinically Dead death” and was convinced that I was at the point where death was
A few years later another someone would notice and rescue imminent. I thrashed about blindly
priest and I took a short vacation to me. It was really as though some- trying to save myself, but the deep
Mexico to recharge our batteries. one spoke the words: “Don’t be had enclosed me in its impenetra-
We were staying in a resort town afraid!” to me internally. By this ble dark grip. I could feel my lungs
on the coast. One early morning time the water had carried me so collapsing and realized I was dy-
I went for a walk along the beach far that the waves around me were ing. The end had come.
to pray my rosary. The sea was growing ever larger and I slowly Heaven’s Entryway
calm; the water’s surface smooth. drifted into the vast expanse of the
At first I hadn’t intended to go for ocean. This was no longer a joke I had only one thought: death
a swim, but after a while I decided as I was several hundred meters was coming, and in a moment I
to go into the water which buoyed from shore. would be standing before God
me along very pleasantly. I started The pounding of the waves Himself! I already had some ex-
to swim along the shoreline, turn- whipped me around, and I perience of God. In my thoughts I
ing onto my back and simply laid couldn’t reach the surface for air. said: “God, I am coming to you!”
there. A few minutes passed. I lift- The current was pulling me under. “God, be merciful!” “Accept my
ed my head and noticed that I had When I came back up, I opened soul!” At that moment I saw the
drifted a good distance from the my eyes, but the current whipped light of God’s presence and was
shore. It was still shallow water me around such that I didn’t and completely conscious; I could see
and I wasn’t concerned: “No prob- couldn’t tell where I was. I looked clearly and was mentally aware. I
lem — I’ll make my way back in for the light, because I knew that had never felt better. I could see
no time”. I turned over and started that was where the air was. I swam how my body had separated itself
the crawl stroke toward the shore. for the surface, but now a strug- from ‘me’. I heard a voice that said:
However, I felt like I was drifting gle for survival began! The huge “Don’t worry about your body. You
further away and started swim- waves pounded repeatedly. After won’t be needing it!”
ming faster, but to no avail. each one I was dragged deeper I saw my body as though it
I was drifting in the opposite down and it was getting more dif- were curled up like a baby in its
direction from shore. At that point ficult to work my way upwards. mother’s womb. The Lord God
the thought occurred to me: “It’s The thought was beginning to created for me something like a
an undertow!” I hadn’t noticed the reach me that the current could transparent glass bubble of air and
red flags warning swimmers about pull me so far down I wouldn’t be I saw two beams of light. It was a
it. The water along the shore had able to make it! For some time, the light completely different than the
seemed calm — that’s exactly why struggle continued. I wasn’t yet one in which I was immersed. I
it was so smooth, because of the thinking of death. The next wave knew that the beams of light were
undertow. I was drifting farther pounded me and I caught a breath two angels, even though they did
out. At that point, I really was a and was trying to hold it as long not have a human form.
long way from shore and I had the as I could. This wave took me so These angels — the two beams
thought: “Isn’t it strange that not deep that I found myself in total of light — were carrying my body
even for a moment do I feel any darkness. In this obscurity I could off somewhere. I heard: “Don’t be
concerned about it — you don’t
“You are surrounded by those whose souls you helped need that [your body] now”. It was
a beautiful sight. At that moment I
to save. They came to meet you to join you in praising turned my attention toward anoth-
God before Whom you stand. You are surrounded by er light. My soul experienced the
those whom you helped to save by your prayer, wonder of the beauty that awaits
beyond death. I looked around
suffering, and love.” and found myself in something

20 MICHAEL January/February 2020 www.michaeljournal.org