Maundy Thursday Visions
Stories
Sharing Visions
Divine Revelations, Angels, And Holy Coincidences
In 1985, I was struggling deeply with a very painful friendship. I was also at a time in my life where I was being overloaded with the "Christ suffered on the cross, so it is the calling of all Christians to suffer like him" sentiment. I could not make the distinction between the "cost of discipleship" and healthy self-care and self-love. Things in the friendship had come to a head for me one day. I was weeping and praying, saying, "God, I just can't do this any more! I can't stay in this friendship any more -- it is tearing me apart!" Not coincidentally, this was Maundy Thursday, and I had just come from a worship service that told me more about Christ's suffering, and our call to suffer, again!
As soon as I cried out this prayer, I had an image of Christ on the cross, glaring down at me! And he said, "I'm hanging here -- and you can't handle a little pain?" Almost immediately, I knew that this vision was a parody of how I had been seeing Jesus! I laughed and cried, knowing Jesus had sent me that vision to free me from my unhealthy perceptions of him. Because of my personality, I know that a vision of Jesus saying, "There, there," would never have had the same impact! Because of the vision, my spirituality and prayer life have been forever changed.
Sara Jan Garza
In January, 1978, my firstborn child, a son named Robin, died of crib death (SIDS) at the age of thirteen months. I was devastated and suicidal. I felt like my son was all alone and needed me. I went to the grave every day so that he wouldn't feel so alone.
A few months later, while trying to decided whether or not to use an overdose of pills to "follow" my son to the grave, I went to the Maundy Thursday service at my church. As I knelt at the altar rail to prayer, I felt the urge to open my eyes and look up.
There I saw my little boy, smiling, holding someone's hand. I was amazed to see him, and then more amazed when I heard someone's voice. I looked up and saw that it was none other than my Lord, Jesus, who was holding Robin's hand. Jesus said to me, "Why are you so worried about your son? He is my son too, and I am with him. I will take care of him for you."
I have never stopped missing him, but I have the peace of knowing that Robin no longer needs me; he is well taken care of.
As soon as I cried out this prayer, I had an image of Christ on the cross, glaring down at me! And he said, "I'm hanging here -- and you can't handle a little pain?" Almost immediately, I knew that this vision was a parody of how I had been seeing Jesus! I laughed and cried, knowing Jesus had sent me that vision to free me from my unhealthy perceptions of him. Because of my personality, I know that a vision of Jesus saying, "There, there," would never have had the same impact! Because of the vision, my spirituality and prayer life have been forever changed.
Sara Jan Garza
In January, 1978, my firstborn child, a son named Robin, died of crib death (SIDS) at the age of thirteen months. I was devastated and suicidal. I felt like my son was all alone and needed me. I went to the grave every day so that he wouldn't feel so alone.
A few months later, while trying to decided whether or not to use an overdose of pills to "follow" my son to the grave, I went to the Maundy Thursday service at my church. As I knelt at the altar rail to prayer, I felt the urge to open my eyes and look up.
There I saw my little boy, smiling, holding someone's hand. I was amazed to see him, and then more amazed when I heard someone's voice. I looked up and saw that it was none other than my Lord, Jesus, who was holding Robin's hand. Jesus said to me, "Why are you so worried about your son? He is my son too, and I am with him. I will take care of him for you."
I have never stopped missing him, but I have the peace of knowing that Robin no longer needs me; he is well taken care of.
