The choice of Bibles at this facility are either the King James or the Good News Bible.
The Good News Bible
This Bible differs from a Catholic Bible which has deuterocanonical books like 1 and 2 Esdras. It falls in the category of the Greek Orthodox Bible and is an extension of the Book of Ezra. I use this Bible because it does include all the Catholic books that Martin Luther and the Protestant reformers removed. Both Mario and I were intrigued by 2 Esdra. This book concentrates on eschatology. It was definitely an interesting read.
The Book of Acts
Biola University was my first encounter with the Book of Acts. I had left the Catholic Church for a season (about 15 years). One of my classes was based on reading and interpreting The Book of Acts. I had no idea who these Bible characters were and the entire Book of Acts was one of my biggest challenges. Through the grace of God, I finally began to understand this book’s full meaning. Today this is one of my favorite books in the New Testament.
Third Week of Easter
We are in the third week of Easter. We Catholics celebrate Easter until Pentecost, which will fall on June 8th this year. During this time part of the readings are from the Book of Acts. In Acts 5:34-42 Gamaliel, who is a Pharisee and a leading authority in the Sanhedrin, speaks to the other members and warns them:
Acts 5:36 New American Standard Bible
36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.
Gamaliel also mentioned another example of a failed uprising. But when Gamaliel spoke these profound words it changed the destiny of the Apostles.
Acts 5:39 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
39 But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him.
Black Lives Matter
I told Mario that this is exactly what happened to Black Lives Matter, because of its corrupt leaders, it was not of God. And just as Gamaliel said it came of nothing. I whispered this to Mario because we were surrounded by many black men, and in no way was he going to disrespect them.
According to an article in the New York Post, May 28, 2023, of the $90 million in donations, only 30% actually helped charitable foundations. Remember all the crazy snowflakes that gave millions of dollars to this organization? How corporate American rallied for this debunked movement? Praise the Lord that the truth will always be revealed and that nothing will be left unturned.
The Word of God is real and powerful, not to be taken lightly. After much studying, being properly catechized with revelations from God, I can finally say I understand this book.
Philippians
We moved on to Philippians, a great example of what one can accomplish while in prison. The apostle Paul wrote this letter to encourage his friends and to continue to spread the Gospel. Imagine that, having the joy of the Lord while in prison. The more I visit Mario, I can see that truly he wants to become the man God created him to be. I see joy on his face, and he loves to study the Bible. Philippians captures the true essence of Christianity in the sense of community.
Philippians 1:27 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
27 Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear news of you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind struggling together for the faith of the gospel,
St. Paul continues to encourage them by telling them:
Philippians 2:14 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
14 Do everything without grumbling or questioning
The first thing I do when I wake up is to thank the Lord for another day, but it’s always followed by grumbling about my aches and pains. Mike constantly reminds me, “One day you will wake up and not complain.”
Mario’s Goals
July 15, 2025, is the release date given, so that means that soon Mario will be a free man. He has goals and wants nothing more than to become a productive member of society. I wrote down his goals and tucked them in my back pocket. I didn’t want to cause an uproar by smuggling something out of the facility.
The first thing Mario wants to do is get a job. The second thing on his list is to get his driver’s license. This falls second because he needs to complete DUI classes to get this in order. This matter has been hanging over him for years. He wants to find a good church. Mario wants to complete his AA degree; he lacks only two classes. And he wants to spend time with his family. I am asking, if you read my Blog, please add Mario to your prayers. Pray that God will grant him the desires of his heart.
Our family, Will was working
Early Mother’s Day Celebration
We celebrated Mother’s Day a week early because Mikos and Jenny will be out of town. My family always asks me, “What do you want for Mother’s Day?” My favorite gift is getting together with a shared meal with my family. I praise the Good Lord that most of the time we all get along. This time was extra special because Maddie was home from college. I love my family!
My Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for the work You are doing in Mario’s life. Give Mario special graces to succeed after his release. Help him to find a good-paying job so that he can support himself. Surround him with godly friends, and help him find a church filled with Your Holy Spirit. Jesus, guide his steps and allow him to live without being judged because of his prison background. Amen.
In April 2014, our missionary group traveled from Israel to Rome. We were there to witness the canonization of Pope John Paul II. A few days before the blessed event, we had an audience with Pope Francis. We had tickets, got up extra early, and took a taxi to the Vatican. I had to beg my friend Cathryn to allow me to push her in a wheelchair; thankfully she agreed. It was a cold morning, but that did not matter because of the excitement of seeing the Pope. We were sitting in the front row; you can’t get any closer than that, right? We were eating the breakfasts that the hotel had prepared for us; then the weather turned.
Bad Weather, Good News
Even with umbrellas the rain was constant, softly falling over everyone. We were getting soaked. Suddenly these men in long black coats motioned for us to get up. One girl from the U.S.A. started to complain, “Why are you doing this? We came from so far away, and now you’re asking us to move?” I had an idea as to what was about to happen. I wanted to tell the foolish girl to be quiet, but I had to push Cathryn. These men were getting us out of the rain.
The Meeting
I was running ahead of others to get a good seat to the private auditorium. The bumps on the cobble stone were causing Cathryn to bounce up and down like a rag doll. That did not matter because I was running to secure a good spot. All I could think of was my plan to get through the massive, beautifully carved wooden doors before others. In all the commotion, two rows were formed with a wide aisle between them.
That’s when it hit me: the Pope was going to come in person to greet our small group first! There was a huge, televised live screening that allowed us to see the thousands of people waiting outside St. Peter’s Square. The young American girl started with her lamenting again, “We want to be outside! We want to see the Pope in person, not on a live screen!” This time I gave her a disapproving look, and was about to tell her to shut up when we were all handed a small piece of paper. The paper was written in Italian, but I knew what it said. We were about to experience a holy encounter with the Pope.
My traveling companions: Natalie, me, Carmelita and Angie
The Company You Keep
We were traveling with our lay group that included two Filipinas, one of whom was Carmelita. Carmelita and I had roomed together on several other missionary trips. She was responsible for getting me into the habit of praying more fervently. Late at night if I made the slightest move, Carmelita would say, “Lynda, are you awake?” I was always tired but would reluctantly answer “yes.” With Carmelita it was never a simple five-minute prayer but the entire Rosary with special intentions in between the decades! She is one of the most faithful, holy women that I recognize as a truly devout Catholic.
Sure enough, just as I suspected, the huge doors swung open and there he was, in the flesh, Pope Francis. Whatever was about to happen was going to be quick and sweet. Carmelita and her friend were sitting next to Cathryn and me. They started to cry, “Oh my God, the Holy Father! The Holy Father! The Papa!” These were real tears and, as I was witnessing this, a quick thought came to me. “Should I cry too?”
With all the emotions and trying to decide whether to cry or not, the Holy Father came to me. I took his hand and kissed his ring. You will never guess what he did to me; he gave me a swift pat on the head and moved to the next person. I received this as a “snap out of it moment!” In a quick gesture, I handed my phone to Carmelita so she could take photos of me with Pope Francis. Carmelita was too emotional for that task, we all messed up in that department.
I tried to remember Pope Francis’ outstanding features: all the freckles on his face, the color of his pearly gray teeth, how he smiled, his gentle soft hands and how he shuffled his feet. I was mesmerized by his presence. This feeling stayed with me the entire day.
The 3:00 a.m. crowdsMe with only 3 hours of sleep
The Canonization of Pope John Paul II
April 27, 2014, was the day of the canonization of His Holiness John Paul II. We had a wake-up call at 3:00 a.m. No vehicles of any sort were allowed near the Vatican, so we had to take the metro. Our tour guide warned us to stay together because of the crowds. I had purchased a small folding stool in California; this would prove to be both a blessing and a curse.
All the entrances to St. Peter’s were secured with barriers.
We were a group of about eight. As soon as we exited the metro, our group was violently separated. In a rush, a police officer opened a small portion of the barrier and hundreds tried to make their way in, trampling others in their path. Half of our group was lost with that episode. We reached an area on the side of St. Peter’s, and we stayed there for hours.
A Polish group kept singing the same annoying song; it was undoubtedly a praise song but it was way too early to receive this blessing. Then a Polish man pulled out an accordion and started playing music. My heavy, sleep-deprived eyes were rudely forced opened by this irritating music. We were all taking turns sitting on the stool. Nothing was more uncomfortable than this stool, but we needed to rest our feet. I wanted to cry from the pain of sitting on this three-legged stool, but the pain of standing outweighed it.
Finally after six hours the barriers were opened, and once again the crowds rushed to get in. I closed my eyes and tried to recall our front row seats from the day before this mayhem. Now we were so far back, sitting on the cold cobble stones, reduced to peasants. Not even the stool from hell brought us any reprieve.
The Special Surprise
As we settled on the cold ground, the most beautiful music filled the crisp air. I cannot compare anything to this welcoming sound; it quieted the crowds into submission and ushered in the anointing. On this special day Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis shared the same stage. I love Pope Benedict, so this was magical for me to witness.
Pope Francis
I struggled with how the mainstream media depicted Pope Francis and because of Pope Francis’ ambiguity, his words were always twisted to make him seem more progressive than he actually was. I loved that Adoration was Pope Francis’ favorite form of prayer. It’s my favorite form of prayer as well. In my humble opinion, there is nothing more powerful than being before the Blessed Sacrament.
God will judge his service as our pope. I have, and will always respect The Chair of St. Peter.
My Prayer
Dear Lord, I pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis. Lord, we beseech You to help us through these trying times. May You, the God of all gods, hand select our next Pope. Strengthen us spiritually to pray for all cardinals, that they would be under the subjection of the Holy Spirit during the Conclave. May the victory of a new Holy Father be in alignment with Your Holy Church. Amen.
Jacob, Wil. me, Mike and Lucas. Maddie will be home from college next week
We truly are the Easter people.
The family
The Abbey
An announcement was made at our parish that during the week of Holy Week there would be no confessions. It had been a month since my last confession, so I felt that before Easter I needed to be purged of my transgressions. My friend Susan and I made plans to go to St. Michael’s Abbey because they were still hearing confessions.
When we arrived the line was wrapped around the building with more than 50 people waiting. We arrived at 1:15 p.m.
I had an appointment with my optometrist at 3:30 p.m. that I had to cancel because I knew this was going to take longer. With four priests hearing confessions, we were done by 3;00 p.m.
Small Talk
Small talk has always been my gift, so I started a conversation with a lady behind us. She had driven from Dana Point, which was a 45-minute drive. As our conversation continued she mentioned that on Good Friday Santiago Retreat Center opens to hikers to go through the Stations of the Cross. “Is it a hard climb?” “Could someone like me do it?” I asked. She was an outdoorsy-type of person who hikes on a regular basis. She answered, “I’m sure you could do it!” This was a challenge, but I did not want to do this alone.
The No Planning Debacle
If you know anything about me, even if I plan things, something always goes wrong. I called Russ ( my son-in-law) and asked if he would like to join me on this hike. I could hear Sonja in the background, “Why are you planning things with my husband?” Russ added that Sonja was off on Good Friday. So between the two of them, the message was clear that they were not interested. But on Thursday, while Mike and I were at dinner, I received a text from Russ saying that they wanted to go on the hike.
On Good Friday I woke up in a panic. “I needed to be at Sonja’s at 7:45 a.m.. “Are you coming with us?” I asked Mike. “Going where? What are you talking about?” The hike, I answered. Of course I forgot to mention all the specifics to Mike but, thank God, he decided to join us.
I had an unscheduled appointment to see Mario, so I wanted to make sure that we finished on time for me to drive to Norco.
Sonja, me and MikeThe pathBlessed Mother Mary watching over the pilgrimsWe made it!
Being unaware that we needed to register online was just one small hurdle. I forgot to bring water, so Sonja supplied us. “Do you have the directions?” I asked as we were driving. Sonja looked puzzled, “I thought you took care of this.” No, just pull it up on your phone,” I answered. “What is the name of the place?” she asked. “Silverado Retreat Center,”I replied. “Mom, there is no such place! I found Santiago Retreat Center.” “Oh, I forgot, that’s it!”
The Stations of the Cross
This experience was both beautiful and challenging. As I looked in the distance I could see the iron cross. I thought to myself, “We’re not going that high, are we?” We were, and it took an hour to hike up to the summit. Some of the terrain was rocky and steep; with each station the walk became more arduous.
When we reached the Forth Station of the Cross, it became more of a spiritual challenge. I knew the Lord was with us at every station. I felt safe. When reaching the summit, I looked at the path below us and thanked God for allowing us to experience this holy adventure. It was around 11:15 a.m. by the time we finished our hike, two hours total. I was in a bit of a rush because I needed to drive to Norco.
The Visit
A quick breakfast of fried eggs and avocado toast, and then I was off to visit Mario. When I arrived at the facility there were two new guards at the check-in station. I arrived a little before 1:00 p.m. I remembered the time that I did not have an appointment I was made to wait until 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon. For as many times as I tried to make an appointment, the prison system was blocking me. In frustration, I gave up. To this day their system is still unable to get this problem resolved.
Two Rude Officers
“Do you have an appointment?” asked the first woman officer. “No, your system is down and I was unable to get one scheduled,” I answered. “Well, we’ve changed the time for walk -in appointment visits to 4:00 p.m. Didn’t you read the website?” she smugly answered. “When was it changed?” I asked. “Two weeks ago, you should have read the website.” We went back and forth, with me trying to explain that not only did I not know about this, but that Mario was unaware of this change as well.
I pleaded with both of these rude women, but they would not give in. I explained that I was the only one there, that it was Good Friday, and all I wanted was to minister to my nephew. One with a tight bun looked at me and told me to stop arguing with them. I was not in anyway arguing but only trying to explain that I could not get an appointment because of their faulty system.
I asked to speak to their supervisor but to no avail. “We’re not going to do that because the answer is going to be NO!” “How do you know if the answer is going to be no if you don’t ask?” I responded.
When I reminded them that it was Good Friday, one of them said, “It’s just a another Friday.” I could not wait three and a half hours, so I left. I cried part of the way home, thinking I let Mario down. By the time Mario called I was more composed; we were both saddened by this rude outcome.
One thing I will never understand about visiting someone in prison is that the visitor is treated like a prisoner.
My Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for allowing us to walk the Stations of Your glorious Cross. I pray for every pilgrim who took this hike to come to the knowledged of how very difficult each station was for You, Lord. Please touch the hearts of these prison employees. Teach them empathy and to treat all visitors with respect. Amen.
