Souls Awakened By Truth

By Maria, on mission in Brooklyn

In September 2018, I began to study English to improve my speaking and understanding. In this class, I had the chance to meet many lovely people. The teacher always said to us, “Make yourself comfortable. We come here not only for study, but also to help each other, to become friends, and to share life.”

One day, we played a game where we had to ask each other questions about our weekend. Gisela was my partner. Gisela asked me, “Maria, what do you usually do on the weekend?”

I answered, “Well, first I go to Mass and then I go to visit my friends. What about you?”

Gisela replied, “I am a Catholic, but I have not gone to Mass in a long time.”

“If you don’t mind,” I said, “could I ask why?”

“You know, I am upset with so many things happening in the Church,” she said.

Then I told her, “Gisela, have you ever thought how this makes God suffer and be sadder than you? And have you thought about how He is waiting for you to come back?” She didn’t say anything. By that time, the game was over and it was time to go home. When I saw Gisela again, I noticed that she was sad. I was worried about what I had said to her. So, I told her, “Gisela, if I said something to make you sad, I am really sorry.”

But she replied, “Thank you for telling me what is true. The truth has awakened my soul.” 

Gisela decided to share our conversation with Lawrence, the man she loves and with whom she came to New York from Ecuador. They talked a lot together and Lawrence thought that what I had shared with Gisela was true, so both of them decided to come back to the Church and go to Mass every Sunday. We became friends and continued to spend time together. Our friendship grew a lot. One day, Gisela shared, “In fact, Lawrence and I have been living together for almost 25 years. We have not been married in front of God.”

“It’s not too late,” I said. “Would you want to be married in front of God?”

She said she would talk about this with Lawrence. A full year later, at the beginning of April, my community received a very special invitation to the wedding of Gisela and Lawrence in the Church. We felt so much joy! There are no words to express the love and true happiness we all witnessed the day we attended their wedding.