My prayers are efficacious for many, but lately I have added my own spiritual needs. In doing this, many revelations have come to pass. It’s been almost six years since my hammer toe surgery; so after ruining several pairs of shoes and cursing the doctor who caused my botched toe surgery, I had succumbed to the notion that this was my lot in life.

Tripping and Falling

My right foot was a mess because it no longer functioned properly.  When I was referred to foot therapy I thought for sure this would improve my walking. It did not. As time passed, the problem worsened because I was compensating for the botched toe surgery. The tripping and falling continued and my right shoe would wear out much faster than the left.

A few Christmases ago Sonja decided that I needed special tennis shoes to help me avoid my imminent falls. I tried the shoes, but my right foot felt incarcerated. You see, I, on my own, made allowances to protect myself from falling. One of the most distressing decisions training my toes to curl under to prevent a fall. This further complicated my condition because this added a limp to my walk.

Walking is my favorite exercise and I was not giving this up. Since I believed the tennis shoes were the cause of my problem, I thought purchasing the most unfashionable Ecco sandals would solve the world’s foot problems. They were wonderful because even though sometimes I’d trip, these shoes were safer because the strap wrapped securely around my toes, forcing them to become somewhat normal. When winter rolled around, I’d add socks to the sandals, which made my feet look as if I was living in a third world country. I am on my third pair of these shoes. Thank the good Lord that style and colors have been added to the comfortable shoes.

Barefoot Epiphany

I could never walk barefoot because this would create a bigger impediment: the toes on my right foot would immediately go into the protective mode of curling under like a claw. The other night I had forgotten to lock the door to the laundry room. Mike was in a deep slumber and I was too tired to get my slippers, so for the first time in years I walked barefoot. Something very unusual happened: I looked down at my feet and felt a strong urge and heard an inner voice saying, “Follow the lead of your left foot.” “What?” I questioned this voice but again I heard, “Follow the lead of your left foot.” I did this, and for those few minutes that it took to walk down stairs  and up again, all of my toes were in perfect harmony!

The following morning I thought that it was a dream, but when I started walking barefoot I clearly noticed that my right foot was in sync with my left foot. I quickly shared the news with Mike,  he replied, “So it was all in your head all along?”

All In My Head?

Did I create this deformity in my mind? That very well may be the case because after giving up on foot therapy, and believing it was a botched surgery, that is the logical assumption. As days have passed, clearly the foot problem has improved by about 50%. The only reason it’s not at 100% is because sometimes my foot will go the way I trained it. Walking barefoot has helped tremendously, but when I wear shoes my foot has the tendency to revert to the old habit. I’m trusting God for a total healing.

Answered Prayer

Why am I writing about something so trivial? Because I want to relay a very profound and important message: God is in the healing business, and we need to trust Him for all of our needs. I did not think this matter was important enough for God to answer my prayer. I created this conundrum. In spite of all the complaining, with every missed fall I failed to turn this problem over to our Heavenly Father.

Our parish has several steps to the altar, so as a Eucharistic Minister, on a daily basis, it is necessary  to walk up and down these steps. After experiencing many near-tripping incidents, I started to pray: “Lord, guide my every step.” This was the first indication of my healing and recognizing that God’s hand was on this situation all along. But how did I miss the mark by not realizing this sooner?

Missing The Mark

There were three reasons why I missed my healing:

1. Complaining superseded prayer;

2. Not surrendering the problem to God sooner; and

3. Repeating to myself and to others that it was caused by the botched surgery.

All three of  these reasons led to defeat. Once you’re defeated the battle is over. I forgot that the battle belongs to the Lord!

At one time or another we will all experience spiritual battles. Any well trained soldier knows that you cannot go into the battlefield without being prepared. When repeating words of defeat, you’ve set yourself up for failure. I was like the 12 scouts in the Book of Numbers (Num 13:33; Num 14:2-4) “Why did I get this surgery? I was better off without it!” The Israelites wanted to appoint a new leader to lead them back to Egypt instead of receiving the blessing God had for them in the Promised Land. I was doing the same thing by declaring defeat before the blessing.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for allowing me to enter into the Promised Land. I repent of all the negative self-talk about my foot surgery. Lord, I pray for all who are blaming others for their mishaps, including myself. I pray for all those who are in the midst of their battles fighting cancer and other serious medical diseases. Jesus, be at their side and remove any fear. Lead them to the Promised Land of healing. Amen.

Have you ever wondered if you are fulfilling your calling? It takes a lifetime to discern in what spiritual direction you should take. This is the story of St. Paul and how God prepared him for his life’s journey from his birth. We all have a special calling, but we must be willing to say “yes” in order for God to move in our lives. You realize you’re in the center of His will for your life when you have peace and are unstoppable to accomplish the work of God. My assignment as an evangelist, blogger, missionary, and teacher is to share the  Word of God, a calling that was given to me by Jesus.

Gamaliel

God’s perfect plan for Paul’s calling had many different twists and turns. One of the major milestones in his life was his time as a student of Gamaliel. Gamaliel was a highly regarded Pharisee who was a member of the Sanhedrin (Jewish high court), but he will be remembered as Paul’s mentor and teacher. God knew that Paul had to be under the teaching of the best scholar in order for him to comprehend and defend the holy teaching of the Jewish Torah. Gamaliel, the doctor of  Mosaic law, can be found in (Acts 5:34-40). In Acts Chapter 5 Gamaliel defends John and Peter before the counsel and offers words of deep wisdom.

When John and Peter were released from the Sanhedrin they were instructed not to preach using the name of Jesus. This did not stop the apostles from preaching day and night proclaiming the Messiah, Jesus.

The courage and wisdom of Gamaliel helped the first Christians spread the Word of God. Saul was introduced in Acts 7:58 at the stoning of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Saul/Paul

Saint Paul, who had the dual names of Saul (Jewish) and Paul (Roman), was born a Jew with Roman citizenship. To have  Roman citizenship in the time of Jesus was a coveted possession that granted great status. Saul would use this to his advantage on many occasions.

Saul, a hardcore Pharisee, was hell bent on destroying Christianity. He knew what avenues to take and used his influence to gain support. With letters from the High Priest of Israel he headed to Damascus to bring those who belonged to “The Way” back to Jerusalem in chains.

The Conversion

Before Saul’s conversion God had placed the fire of passion in him. This would take a new direction when he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus. His zealous hatred was changed into love to spread the Word of God throughout the world. So Saul, an angry non-believer of Christ, would become one of the greatest missionaries and writers of the early church.

As he traveled spreading the Gospel he would use his Roman name Paul; this was fitting as he witnessed to many Gentiles. God had His hand on this apostle, choosing dual names for him:  Saul, the Pharisee and Paul the missionary for Christ.

Saint Paul’s Preaching

Wherever Paul preached he caused controversy; if he preached in the synagogues it caused division. When he was not reaching the Jews, he would go to the Gentiles. Paul, the preacher of preachers, and his epistles spoke not only the “Good News” but taught his readers that Christ is the model for all mankind. He did not hesitate to remind his believers that he possessed apostolic authority from the Lord. (Gal 1:1). He had a mandate from God and the boldness to speak the truth.

Saint Paul suffered for Christ and was thrown in prison for his beliefs, but his imprisonment was also part of God’s plan. This is where Paul wrote many of his epistles. He could not go in person to preach, so he wrote letters to his followers.  His prison epistles–Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon, are treasured teachings in the New Testament.

St. Paul’s Imprisonment

Because he was a Roman citizen, Paul demanded that he be tried before the Roman magistrates. He was acquitted after his first trial, which allowed him to continue evangelizing. This was another of God’s plans coming to fruition. Paul needed to revisit his earlier converts who needed reassurance and spiritual guidance.

By the time Paul wrote 2 Timothy, he was feeling abandoned because no one came to his defense (2 Tim 4:16-17). But in his loneliness, Paul  knew to cry out to God, because he was confident that the Lord would rescue Him (2 Tim 4:18).

Paul used his Roman citizenship to his advantage. When more than 40 Jews conspired to kill him, God intervened. Jews, under Roman law, could not receive capital punishment. When it was discovered that Paul was a Roman citizen, his life was spared ( Acts 24:20-26).

Paul would appear before Felix, the governor of Judea and Samaria, Festus, his successor, and Herod King Agrippa. In every circumstance his defense remained steadfast. He simply told the truth. Before King Agrippa, a Jew, Paul spoke with great authority. This boldness and authority was Paul’s greatest gift.

The Death Of Saint Paul

It is a historical fact that Emperor Nero accused the Christians of The Great Fire of Rome in AD 64. Under the orders of Nero Paul would have been executed; but because he was a Roman citizen, Paul was spared a crucifixion and was beheaded instead.

The Church of St. Paul at the Three Fountains (San Paolo alle Tre Fontane) in Rome is the site of his beheading. According to legend  after St. Paul’s beheading, his head bounced three times, creating three separate springs of water. These springs of water are still flowing in the sanctuary of this church.

Answering the Call

It baffles me that so many people who have the influence to change the trajectory of our world instead ignore their calling. Their vain existence clouds their vision. In all that we do, whether we are serving God or the Enemy, we will be held accountable. When judgment falls they will be like Nero; no God will save them. We must seek to find what God has planned for our lives. Make a difference by opening your mouth and telling the godly truth.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, I come before You and ask that You convict those who have not responded to their calling. Move mightily in their lives and bring them to their knees. Humble them with Your unconditional love. Amen.

One astonishing fact about this beautiful region that we visited: I never saw a homeless person. There were Roma, but only a handful; I never felt threatened by them as I do here in Los Angeles. According to the statistics from Feantsa Country Finch, Rome does have a population of homeless people. The last update of these figures was in 2017, listing 7,709 homeless in the city of Rome. Of these people, most are immigrants. Compared to Los Angeles’ homeless population of over 42,000, Rome’s problem is a drop in the bucket.

Pickpockets are more prevalent at the train stations are; loud Public Service Announcements keep tourists on alert. In all the cities that we visited, I felt safe.

The Florence Redemption

Through our son Mikos’ job we were able to experience the Chianti region in a new light.  After our traumatic train disaster; God knew that we could use a blessing, so on our last day in Florence we were treated to a tour of the Ruffino Winery. Driving through the Chianti countryside would have been enough for me. Seeing all the vineyards, the beautiful homes in the area, and how people live made me wish I was more than 1% Italian.

Ruffino Winery

What seemed to be a huge castle is now where the Ruffino Winery greets its special guests. Angie, our sommelier, greeted us with a glass of wine. We sat as she told us the history of the winery. The story was so intriguing that I was listening intently to every detail, but Will kept nudging me and telling me to ask for the wifi password. I could not interrupt her story, so I told Will to stop. He was relentless so, in the middle of Angie’s story, I cut her off  and asked, “Can you please give us the wifi?” I think my face turned red at that point, but both Will and Maddie were elated with the wifi information.

After the grand tour we were escorted into a beautiful dining area. Set before us were five wine glasses for tasting, plus a spittoon (spit bucket). Paying close attention to how Angie spit out her wine. I asked her to coach me on how to spit out my wine like a lady. I quickly got this spitting out wine thing down to a science.

We were served  personal charcuteries to complement the different wines. I could not get enough of this experience: the jellies, honey, soft and hard cheeses, eggplant, the meats…Everything tasted great! By this time I had lost my train of thought. All the wines tasted great, each one better than the other, but I lost track of that too.

Angie’s graciousness made this experience extra special; she truly knows her wines. She explained that in the Chianti region grapes can only be hand picked. They will never change this method because it’s part of the charm of creating these great wines.

As we were leaving the Chianti area , we came across the Fendi corporate offices. They’re in the middle of the Chianti region! I want to work there!

Last Night In Florence

Angie had instructed our driver to take us to the top of  the city to get some great aerial photos overlooking Florence, and then to drop us off at Basilica di Santa Croce.

The Santa Croce Basilica, like all the Catholic churches in this region, has a great history. This grand basilica is Franciscan. It started off as a monastery in 1220, but by 1262 a large lot was purchased to enlarge the original church. The Franciscans were considered urban. Santa Croce is surrounded by markets and business activities; it became a large piazza and the center of community life there. This church is Italian Gothic and different from the other basilicas; it is more simple, with frescoes depicting the life of Jesus, our Blessed Mother Mary and St. Francis.

Pizza and Gelato Class

Mikos made arrangements for us to take a pizza- gelato making class. Both Maddie and Will work for a local pizzeria in Anaheim Hills, California, Maddie takes orders and Will makes the dough (dough boy). This was a wonderful family time together. We drank wine, made pizza and gelato. I loved the pizza but not so much the gelato.

Venice

The last time Mike and I were in Venice was over 25 years ago. When we got off the train we had to find a water taxi to take us to our hotel. So many people!  With two suitcases I was a mess! We had tickets to take a larger boat, but it was too crowded! Mikos decided to hire a private taxi to take us. I had totally forgotten that I had to get into a boat! I am not a fan of boats; their rocking motion brought me great fear. “Lord,  please help me onto the boat!” I silently prayed. I made it in to conk my head against the boat’s covering. That happened to me on the way back to the airport as well.

I was so excited because the following day was Palm Sunday and Mike and I would be attending the service at the Basilica di San Marco. We toured the basilica and I was surprised by the design; it looked very similar to the majestic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

On Palm Sunday we attended the most sacred Mass. The choir, accompanied by organ music that reached my bone marrow, brought me to tears. Never have I felt this type of spiritual joy! I stood for the entire Solemn Mass.

After Mass we joined our family to tour Campanile (bell) tower of Saint Mark’s Basilica  and Doge’s Palace. We were directly under the bells when they started to gong. The sound was deafening!

Aside from the Mass at Saint Mark’s Basilica , Venice is too touristy for me. The only good meal we had was at our boutique hotel, which offered the best breakfast.

Mike and I were leaving a few hours earlier than Mikos and his family. Our son got up with us at three a.m. to walk us to our boat taxi. I will never forget the special sacrifices he made for Mike and me.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for allowing us to unite as a family.  I am so grateful for all  the special time together on this trip. I pray for my family to continue to grow closer to You, and to understand that without You in our lives we are lost. Amen.