The Thirty-Eighth Night

Rose had left us and was very comfortable in her home, surrounded by children and grandchildren.

Nick seemed happier after the reunion with his sister, and he was very talkative that night, jumping from one topic to another, mixing subjects about himself, me, and Rose, hardly giving me a moment to catch my breath!

At one point, he said:

“Do you know what really made Rose trust you?”

“No idea”, I replied.

“Remember when you showed her the house and opened the door to your room?”

“Yes.”

“Well, right there, she noticed that your bed didn't have a mattress. That spoke more to her than anything I could have said or you could have done. I had never noticed that your bed didn't have a mattress!”

“She was kind to me. Well, the bed doesn't have a mattress, as is usual, but it has a mattress pad which, though not very noticeable, is there in any case.”

“She never told me why that was so significant to her.”

“Nor will I!”

“Oh, no!”

“Oh, yes! But that shows that Rose has sharp eyes and a good understanding of what she sees.  You never noticed that detail, did you?”

“No! That was the second time I'd been near your room.”

“Well, women do tend to pay more attention to details than us men. Rose is truly special. Just like her brother.”

“Do you and she really pray for me?”

I nodded in agreement and added: “Who knows, your recovery might have been the result of her prayers? You know, intercessory prayers are always complicated. I pray to God, He answers me and calls you, but the final response is always yours. Some people, when called, refuse to answer and persist in evil until they end up in Hell and never get out again.”

“I took too long to listen to that call.”

“That's very common. It happened to me, and to many saints as well. Can I clear the table?”

“Sure, and I'll do your dishes!”

After a pause, he continued:

“It’s good to be loved, isn't it?”

“There’s no greater joy! That's why I always ask God to allow me to die in His Grace. I want to love and be loved by Love itself! All this joy you're feeling could fade the moment you stub your toe on a stone. In Heaven, this joy will be far greater and will never, never fade!”

“Do you really believe that?”

“It’s my deepest, most rooted hope. To live in God’s eternity, in the fullness of love. Of course, I want that for myself and for others. I’m Catholic, not an idiot!”