Alive with God
Once, there was a wonderful family that lived near the sea. They were poor but unlike the other selfish and boastful rich families, they always are generous. They always have that great humility for others. They always are living a simple but happy life. They built a small, white chapel about 100-150 meters away from their house as a thanksgiving to God for all the great blessings they have received even though they can barely buy and build their own sturdy house. They were, if not alone in that island, with 2 to 3 neighbors kilometers away from them. The kids were named Joshua meaning "Yahweh is Salvation, Israel meaning "Struggled with God" and Samson who has the nazarite vow that God gave. Their parents named them after the names in the bible for their faith is so strong and it gives them courage and hope to live a simple but happy life which they know, they will never regret for God is with them. One day, they recognized the strong waves approaching on to the island. The father, though not able to go to school during his younger years, was learned about the tragedies. He knew that a tsunami was approaching their island. He went to their house as fast as he can to tell his family what's happening. They were so terrified. So terrified that they do not know what to do. There is only one thing that came into their minds--go to the chapel and surrender their life to God because they have no other choice. They ran towards the little white chapel with the father's wood carvings of Jesus Christ, God and the other saints. That place was truly a home. A peacful home that everybody should recognize. A peaceful home where everybody could feel so safe and so secure. A peaceful home where you could feel the warmth of God's presence and of His unconditional love. They held hands and together prayed the rosary. The power of their prayer overpowering their fear. But, the father knew about the other two families in the island. "I don't want to be selfish." he said "i'll inform them, the other families in the island." They were all crying because of the father's decision. The mother and the three kids won't let go of his arm. "Look, if we'll die, we'll die together okay so you stay. Sometime from now, they'll recognize it and they'll go here. What else can we do? We will die but with God and with each other so kneel down here and stay and say the prayer." the mother said with eyes so red and with arms shivering with fear that her husband won't make it and die away from them. But. the father didn't say anything and just ran outside and rushed to the other two homes in the island. The mother cannot do anything but to pray and to hold her children strong in her arms. The waves grew stronger and the wind blew stronger. The waves struck their island. It struck them. The father, thouch wet and shivering, was able to gather the two families but he knew that everything was late. There is no time left for them to go back to the chapel where his family was. He gathered them in one of the family's house and instructed them to kneel and pray with him. "Let us pray for our safety and the safety of my family away from me. If we'll die, at least we'll die with God's presence within us. Let us pray..." the father said with tears running down his cheeks, knowing that his family is not with him. The father's family in the chapel were so terrified for they know that it is just too late for the father to come back so they just slept on the cold floor with only their mother's arms around them. They shivered on the cold floor and they drowned unknowingly,without any pain, without any breathing struggles--they just died....PEACEFULLY. A cold rush of wind ran through the father's body and a tear left his eye. He knew and he felt that moment that his family was gone. They soon were hit by the great, great wave. They drowned holding each other's hands strongly with old rosaries in their hands. Just the same, they died peacefully--no pains nor struggles, just....PEACEFULLY.
A hand came on to the father's face. He saw a very generous hand coming onto him. It was so bright full of light and he knew that the man was God. "Come my son, and follow me. You have done the best you can and you were so generous to give up your life and family for other's sake. I will bring you to your family." God said to Him. He woke the other families up and went with God. When they saw the little whit chapel, the father came running towards it, unmindful of his tiredness. When he reached the chapel he opened the door and saw his wonderful family lying asleep on the cold floor. "Wake up my dear family. We are safe. Wake up." he said. The mother got up and so as the three sons and hugged him so tightly. "I thought we died. I thought we died!" Said the mother. "Yes! Your bodies died. But your spirits are still alive and you will be living with me for you lived a simple and generous life here on earth. You will be coming with me in my kingdom and live a happy and very peaceful life with no end. You shall continue on living a simple life. You shall continue on living a generous life." God said. They were all surprised by what they heard for they thought that they were still really alive. They held their hands together so tightly and walked through with God. There in the heavens above, they lived still the simple, happy and generous life they have lived on earth. They knew that the life there with God will never end and they have all the time to be simple, happy and generous. Yes their bodies died and their life on earth faded but the life with God visible to their eyes and the life that will never end truly made them feel happier and safer. They never changed. Their love for each other and their generousness never faded. They were the family whose bodies died but whose spirits continued on living together with God.
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