Shout of the King

Sometime during my early Catholic school experience, I had to memorize portions of the Catechism.  I don’t remember much of it now, but I do clearly remember one simple question, “Where is God?” …which was answered with the equally simplistic response, “God is everywhere.”  How that was possible, I couldn’t begin to understand.  God seemed far away to me…    beyond the clouds, maybe beyond the stars.  I imagined my prayers to Him drifting slowly upwards and dissipating into vast darkness of space.  It seemed… that I never heard back from Him.  But, in the summer of 1974, that began to change.

In a time before I had purposely committed my life to God, He “spoke” to me in an almost audible voice, an experience that is difficult to convey in words.  During the summer following my high school graduation, I was picnicking with a friend on the property of the Banksville Community House in Banksville, New York.  We had each ridden our bikes from our homes and met along Banksville Road to find a place to stop for lunch.  We chose to sit under an apple tree on a gradually sloping hill adjacent to a children’s playground.  As I was contemplating the beauty of the day; the extreme blue sky, the leaves of the apple tree blowing in the gentle wind; the bright sunshine that warms the earth; I heard a “shout”…              It was as though God shouted to my mind in a voice that my ears did not hear, in a single syllable, in a word, a language I did not know.  The meaning of that “word”, the impression that it left in me, was that all of this, all of this surrounding me, all I could see…        was God’s creation!

So…    fast forward ahead almost 20 years.  I am coaching my son Tim’s baseball team and the schedule for today’s game lists the Banksville field as our venue.  I couldn’t even remember where in Banksville there was a field, but as I read the directions to get there, I recognized the familiar Banksville Community House.  At the bottom of a gradual sloping hill was a small baseball field which I never remembered being there.  After the game, as we were approaching the parking lot, I stopped at the nearby flag pole and read the inscription in the base.

O Lord

How manifold are Thy works!

 In wisdom hast Thou made them all; the earth is full of Thy riches.

Psalm 104:24

Father Almighty, Wonderful Lord,

Wondrous Creator, be ever adored;

Wonders of nature

Sing praises to You,

Wonder of wonders –

I may praise too!

MB

I was amazed!  It was at this same place 20 years earlier that God spoke to me through His creation!

The following year, we again returned to that field during the baseball season.  I was stunned to see that the flag pole had been replaced with a brand new flag pole, but without that beautiful Scripture and poem.  God made sure I was able to see that flag pole that had been there for so many years and then, during that following year, it was gone.

Mom's Moonflower

Knowing that Mom’s condition was worsening, we canceled our trip to Florida and planned to drive up to New York the following day.  During the early morning hours of that night, July 7, 2010, Lucy Caponera passed from this life.  As we pulled into the driveway at the Caponera home just before midday on the 7^th, I immediately noticed the flowering plant just to the right of the garage door.  The hardy plant had a single, full flower whose bright white color created a striking contrast to its dark green foliage.  I thought it might be a lily of some sort, an appropriate flower for this day.  Later, when I asked Pop about the plant, he said he had started it with a cutting that someone had given him, but he had no idea what kind of plant it was.

I consulted an acquaintance of mine who is very knowledgeable about trees and plants.  He responded immediately, and told me that the picture I had sent him was of a moonflower.  The flowers of the moonflower plant open quickly during the evening under the moonlight, then the flower withers and dies the next day.

This description of the life cycle of a moonflower blossom reminded me of the brevity of this life on earth.  As we grow older, it becomes more evident to us how quickly life passes, and we realize how precious the time is that we have with loved ones, especially our families. Though Mom lived a long life measured in human years, those who love her felt she was taken from them too soon.

There were some interesting “coincidences” surrounding this particular moonflower plant.  Pop had received a cutting of this plant from a friend and planted it by the corner of their house, something he didn’t do all that often. On the day of Mom’s passing, there was only a single flower that bloomed, while on the days that followed, we noticed that multiple flowers had blossomed each night.  The moonflower cutting was planted earlier in 2010 and only survived one season, dying, and being removed in the following year.

To me, this moonflower was a special sign from my Lord about this woman who I loved deeply and affectionately called “Mom”.  I believe that God arranged for this plant at just the right time to grow and bloom, sending a message to those who were listening.  He was telling me that He knows about our heartache when we lose those we love. But, He was also reminding me that she is rejoicing in His presence, no longer suffering with the pains she experienced in this life.  And that, one day, I will see her again and we shall rejoice together!