I would like to share to everyone what happened to me last year. Perhaps, you may realize how important praying to the Blessed Mother (and Her Rosary) is to me.
I was born and lived in a province since childhood, but after getting a job in Manila, Philippines (9 years ago), I started living a sinful life. If I had died earlier, I would surely have plunged into the burning sulfur of hell without any doubt or question.
I sinned and sinned, and didn’t even bother to pray, stayed away from God, forgot God, worked myself to death, focused on my career, increased my knowledge by going to a graduate school and increased my wealth and worldy possessions.
However, our Lord God had mercy on my soul and started calling me back, thru the Blessed Mother Mary:
1st Call: Two years ago, my college friend died. He was my classmate, same age as mine (32), with the same promising career as a chemical engineer. He and his career is gone now, at a very young age. I was shocked and felt fear. What if it was I who died?
Effect : I only felt fear, but did nothing to repent.
2nd Call: Last year, I received an email from my college friend that our dearest and most intelligent professor died at the age of 40+. He and his intelligence is gone now, also at a very young age.
Effect : My fear increased, but did not repent.
3rd Call: In August of last year, my very rich boss suddenly died of cancer at the age of 49. Her money and enormous wealth did not save her.
Effect : This time I was really struck hard, started to pray a little and started reflecting on my life, but did not repent.
4th Call: Last year again, I was bed ridden for a week due to kidney problem. The pain I had, felt like I was gonna die. I started praying hard to God, to forgive me for my transgressions. But after few weeks of being healed, I went back to my sinful life.
5th and Final Call: One week after celebrating the 75th birthday of my mother last year, she became very ill. She was brought to the hospital and was struggling between life and death. The hospital bills have drained all my savings, and left me with loans. After two months of struggle, and with no more resources to fight for her life, she died before Christmas, and so we had the most sorrowful Christmas ever.
This recent events moved me to change my life. It made me realize many things:
- First, our life is very short, and death which seems to be far away is really approaching to each one of us.
- Second, What is professional career for, if God takes away my life right now.
- Third, Worldy intelligence will be blotted out once the Lord God called us back.
- Fourth, Money and Wealth cannot save us from death, once the Lord has retrieved the life He gave us.
- Fifth, not to invoke the Lord God to anger, for His hands are mighty and powerful.
- Lastly, that I should be thankful to the Lord and the Blessed Mother in bringing me back to grace.
But, the temptation is very strong. It seems like a magnet pulling me down. And the Wretched One does not want me to lead a better life. So, I realized going back to grace is a gift from Heaven. But remaining in grace is another hard thing to accomplish.
So what I did is I prayed the 15 mysteries of the Holy Rosary everyday. I told the Blessed Mother sincerely that I will pray Her 15 mysteries everyday, in return for the favor of protecting me and not abandoning me especially in times of trouble. And she did, now I am completely changed. The Blessed Mother showered bountiful graces upon me which I do not deserve. And everytime I look back at my past, I felt sorrow for having mislead my life for so long and for having hurt God with my sins.
The spiritual battle is still ON and the temptations are still lurking around. But I guess it will never end while I am alive. But the most important thing is I have the Blessed Mother by my side now thru the Holy Rosary. I also have Jesus by my side, thru the Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy Chaplet (which gives me so much peace) and the Holy Eucharist (which is the food of my soul).
And we have all the angels and saints by our side who desires as much to save our souls.
Now, these are the reasons why I am praying the Rosary, and why I am urging others to do so also.
