Expert: Padraig Caughey - 5/5/2009

Question
QUESTION: I had an experience that I carry with me everyday but cannot fully
comprehend that something so beautiful could happen to me! About 2 years
ago, 10 months after my father died I had a very strong dream that my
father, on his journey to the other side was in a coffin in a High Church with
seven monks praying for his soul. It was an exceptionally clear and very
unusual dream and one that left a strong impression on my mind.


Several weeks later, I decided to go on a retreat to a monastery for several
day's! This was a strange thing to do as I know no-one who has done such a
thing and until the dream I had no idea about monks or their life, all I knew
for certain was I had to go, upon reflection it was like I was being driven to
go there. I started feeling very strongly that God was calling me and couldn't
wait to feel close to God and talk to him in private and to pray for my beloved
father on his journey to the other side. My friends and family were concerned
for me as they thought it was a very unusual thing for me to do and in
fairness to them it was.


I actually loved being on the retreat and felt uplifted, it felt that my soul ran
before me in freedom each day, I felt I wanted to dance and laugh with
happiness at being so near to God. The day to day running of the monastery
was very disciplined and everyone could only speak one hour per day, I found
this enforced solitude a comfort and I felt humbled.


On my last day, I was attending another service and the Abbot ran the church
bell (as he did at the start of each service) and as I stood I was aware and
sensed very strongly that something seemed to come into the church to join
us, easiest way to describe it was something like a breeze, gentle but strong
wind, a definite presence. It seemed to come from out of nowhere and circled
somewhat around the altar. I was keenly aware of it but thought I was
imagining thing's and pushed it to the back of my mind.


Then about ten minutes into the service as I was standing praying with my
eyes closed, totally relaxed and feeling at peace, a very strange thing
happened. In my minds eye, at a distance I could see a tiny, tiny dot of a
white light, the light grew as it moved very quickly towards me, then Boom I
saw the face of Jesus Christ, as if  imprinted on stained glass, clear as crystal
right in front of me. I stared into it just long enough to confirm what I was
seeing and then opened my eyes in shock as quickly as I could. But if I said to
you, I saw it through my heart centre would you understand what I mean, it
came from my heart although I saw it with my eyes!!


I was too scared to tell any of the Monks what I had seen and sensed, in case
they thought I was a lunatic, or it was my imagination plus I felt how could I,
a sinner tell such Holy men that I am there for a matter of days and see
something like that when they have dedicated their lives to Christ.


I appreciate that it probably sounds like I have a fanciful imagination or grief
distorted my view but I can assure you before God that I saw this. Neither the
Church or any part of the Abbey has stained glass nor was I reading anything
of the like or seeing pictures to leave an impression like that on my mind.


My question is what was this? Who did it come from? What did it mean? What
am I supposed to do with it? Will it happen again?


If you could please help me with any of this I would greatly appreciate it as it
has been playing on my mind rather a lot these last few weeks and I don't
really have anyone to turn to for guidance.


Thank you very, very much for taking the time to read this.


God Bless Padraig

Patricia




ANSWER: Hi Patricia,

Jesus said:

Revelation
Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me.

You have had a profound mystical experience in which Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart and calling you to a deeper personal relationship. It doesn't mean you are a nut, it just means God loves you and wants to come and make His home in your heart. Open the door of your heart and let Him in by setting said time to pray to Him each day and he'll do just that.

People who love God and pray can expect and welcome this knocking, don't keep the door shut, pray and let Him make His home with you.





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your response. I shall take to heart your advice.

Since this experience I have tried to clean up my life and I am reading more
and more about God each day. I am praying but need to be more disciplined
in that area.  I feel since this vision that  God on some level is living in my
heart, infact I feel he lives in all our hearts/souls now.  That he is not out in
the world but within us all!

Can I just trouble you again please to ask, is this sort of thing common and
am I likely to see things like this again in my life?







ANSWER: Everyone has mystical experiences, Patricia. Its just some open the doors of their hearts when its door is locked and some do not.

You have to be very little to open the door and its a lifetimes grace to make you so.

But once the door had been opened, as yours has it gets a little more easier opened each time. But Gods wants us to love Him for Himself not the shadow which is what even the greatest visions are.

Open wide then the door of your heart then and let Jesus Himself shall enter and make His home there.

Not His shadow but Christ Himself.

http://www.motheogodforum.com/portal.php?sid=cd9c8ffb274bf22c9ae184a230a6fa55&EB



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your prompt response and taking the tme. Can I just
clarify please what you mean by:
You have to be very little to open the door! How do you mean be very little?

Sorry if that is a stupid question but I am hanging on to every word you tell
me.

Kindest Regards,

Patricia  

Answer
Hi Patricia,

Our education and culture militates against acceptance of mystical experiences. It different in what we call more 'primitive 'cultures. For instance I have heard of one in the South Pacific were the islanders, if someone has a dream gather in council to discuss it and learn from it.

But, on the other hand our children are always open to the possible, an innate skill of innocence we loose as grow older.

For innocence we tell a child that there is no Santa and its true I suppose there isn't but then again in another sense there is:

[b]At age 8, troubled by her friends’ skepticism, that girl wrote to The New York Sun asking if Santa Claus existed. Her letter led to what is surely the most enduring editorial in the annals of American journalism.

“Yes, Virginia,” the Sun responded on Sept. 21, 1897, there is a Santa Claus.” The editorial, written by Francis Pharcellus Church, continued:

“He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence.”[/b]

In religious experience we must always have the doors open to the possible because otherwise we kill the living beating heart of faith, otherwise it becomes a talking shop. or a business, or an efficient organization.

For at the heart of all faiths is an open door to the possible called faith..and to open the door there must be a return to innocence and childhood.