A Timeline of Mercy

December 6, 2002

I write a notice to our local Immaculate Heart of Mary homeschooling group:

"Dear Friends,

As you know, the Little Flowers close of season party is next week, December 11th. It was originally scheduled for 2 pm, but I've decided to move it up to 1 pm to get the most of the daylight. It's supposed to rain, unfortunately, but the children wouldn't really be able to play outside in the cold anyway, so we will not postpone. The theme of the party will be "Our Lady of Guadalupe" because her feast is the next day. A wonderful craft and activity are planned, so I hope you will all try to attend.

Love, Alice"

December 11, 2002

9 am

The weather is icy and rainy. I briefly consider calling off the party at the last minute, but hesitate to postpone with Christmas coming.

1 pm

The party is in full swing. [MacBeth and her family visit for the first time--she and I hit it off instantly.] Brigid O'Neill brings cappuccino bars--a special treat for her coffee-loving hostess. The children enjoy creating Juan Diego paper dolls and pose for a group picture near a Guadalupe banner painted by my friend Lorraine and her children. Emily O'Neill, Brigid's seven-year-old daughter, appears on the right, wearing a white turtleneck and dark jumper.

6 pm

The place is a mess! Brigid, who normally leaves promptly at 4 pm, has stayed behind to clean up. When she finally gets four-year-old Danny and seven-year-old Emily into the car, she returns to say goodbye, making the observation, "It's viciously slick out there!" The family leaves, beginning the Rosary, as is their usual practice.

The moment the house is empty, I make a quick phone call to Lissa in Virginia, leaving a message on her machine saying, "This was such a great party! I really wish you'd been here!"

6:15

A speeding eighteen-year-old's car flips across the divider on the Meadowbrook Parkway, landing on the hood and roof of Brigid's van, before overturning his SUV more than once. The crushed roof narrowly misses the heads of the two small children strapped in the back, barely grazing little Danny. Emily has the presence of mind to unstrap her young brother and drag him out a broken car window to safety. She stands next to her grievously injured mother in the pouring rain, refusing to leave her side.

6:45

Brigid's mother calls with the news. She does not have any details except that Brigid is in critical condition and the children are well. The other driver was able to walk away from the accident. Brigid's husband is on his way to the hospital.

I call Lissa and leave another message very different from the first.

8:39 pm

Lorraine writes to our local group:

Brigid O'Neill was in a very bad car accident this afternoon. She is in critical condition, unconscious, in ICU. The children are fine.

Please pray.

A trio of mothers heads straight to the hospital with relics and a small image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Those of us at home begin an emergency nine hour Novena. Lissa, Lorraine and I alert the larger internet homeschooling community, begging for prayers from the CCM mothers and anyone else we can find. [Many of you remember this well and were a part of the enormous prayer and fasting effort offered for Brigid by hundreds of mothers.]

December 12, 2002, The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Lissa, helpless and distraught in Virginia, is setting out for the Adoration chapel in Staunton to pray for Brigid when two packages arrive, both sent independently by her two best friends. The first is a pair of pink and blue personalized Rosary Beads from me--an early birthday present. The second is a care package from Brigid--cappuccino bars with the note, "If you can't come to the party, we'll send the party to you." (Brigid had spent $36 overnighting them to Virginia.)

December 23, 2002

Just in time for Christmas, Brigid squeezes her husband's hand on command, in his words, "the best Christmas present ever."

January 3, 2003

A saintly woman from Westchester contacts us asking to take the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Brigid's bedside the following Sunday at 3 pm, "The Hour of Mercy."

January 5, 2003

I write an update to our local group (slightly edited here):

"Dear Friends,

Patty B. brought the Image of O.L. of Guadalupe to Brigid today, and it was just beautiful. Tracey and Elizabeth were there when we arrived, and afterward we were joined by Dan, Brigid's mother and father, Mary Anne, Kathleen, and Patrice. It was very moving. The image was huge, over 6 feet tall. Patty told us all about the miraculous healings and conversions associated with this particular image, and then offered to bring it to Brigid's children . . . . [I]t was dark and the snow was coming down fairly hard, but Patty insisted on bringing the image inside my house before she left. My children were each able to kiss Our Lady and kneel before her to say the Memorare. You can imagine how blessed I felt, especially because Brigid's wonderful parents were there as well. Brigid's father actually took pictures of my family with the Image! It was incredibly special.

Now I just hope Patty made it home tonight in the snow. When I expressed my concern, she smiled and replied calmly, "How can I not be safe when I have Our Lady with me?" I guess we've found ourselves yet another saint.

Love, Alice"

January 2003 to April 2007

The pain and suffering, joy and hope, along the road to recovery is Brigid's story to tell, and I cannot begin to do it justice. These years haven't always been easy--not by a long shot--but she is with us, and her children have their beautiful mother back again.

April 7, 2007

A newer member of our local homeschooling group leaves a message (read by me on April 10th):

I would like to offer the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the IHM moms. Easter Wednesday is the only available day left. . . . . Can you offer a suggestion for where we all can meet for a couple of hours, somewhere halfway?

It just so happens I am already scheduled to host the first day of Little Flowers on Easter Wednesday. I gratefully accept her offer, requesting that she bring the Image to my house.

April 11, 2007

Brigid and her children attend the party, three living miracles and reminders of God's mercy. Brigid has but one request--a picture to send to her Mom:

At the end of a grace-filled day, I take another group shot. This time Emily stands third from the right in the back row. Many of those tall young ladies were little ones in the original Guadalupe photo, and some of their younger brothers and sisters--babies back then--now stand alongside them. Time marches on.

Somehow, it seems, Our Lady has brought us full circle, continuing to ask, in her words to St. Juan Diego, "Am I not here who is your mother?"

Yes, she is here. She has always been here, standing by our side as faithfully as that little girl in the rain.

May we never cease to thank our Mother--the Mother of Mercy--for the gift of Brigid's Life.

*******
This Timeline of Mercy is dedicated to Miss Emily O'Neill, on the occasion of her twelfth birthday, which happens to fall--not surprisingly--on Divine Mercy Sunday this year.

Comments

[Brigid!]

Alice, Thank You for this beautiful Mercy lesson - so much of that time was erased from my memory. It is wonderful to be under a mother's care like this. So many graces have been received, we are just in awe of His mercy! Love, Brigid :)

[Karen E.]

Oh, Alice, you've got me in tears here. How absolutely beautiful.

Brigid, we've never met or corresponded, but I hold you in my heart through our connection with Alice and through many prayers prayed for you with every request and update that came our way.

God is so good, and our Mother so merciful.

[Jennifer in TX]

Alice,
I remember praying for Brigid all those years ago on the CCM list... Thank you for letting us know the whole beautiful story and praise be to God for Brigid's health and his loving Mercy and care.

[KC]

I echo Karen's sentiments. This is such a moving piece.

[Jenn Miller]

So beautiful, Alice.
His mercies endure forever! Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us! Jesus I trust in Thee!

[Cheryl M.]

Alice, the further I read the more my eyes filled with tears - such a moving piece - thank God for Brigid's restored health!

[Lissa]

Oh, Alice! And oh, Brigid!

Brigid, do you know how much it fills my heart with joy that you are still here with us, able to comment on this post! And still, I might add, sending me wonderful packages with funny notes and your little signature caricature that is one of my favorite things in the whole world to see. I am thankful every single day for your recovery. BEYOND thankful

Those phone calls, Alice. I heard them both in a row--first your merry voice calling for our regular chat, and then ten seconds later, I'm listening to a you I've never heard before: devastated, sobbing. Oh, it was awful.

And then Brigid, your package. You and I had cooked up a plan--I was going to drive up and surprise Alice by crashing the party. But I wasn't able to pull it off, and you must have wanted to make sure I got to experience it vicariously. Opening that box full of cappuccino bars and cinnamon mini-muffins, with your cheery note on top, the little smiling Brigid doodle at the bottom of the page...and I kept thinking, if only I'd gone, maybe the timing would have been different, maybe you wouldn't have been on the road right at that moment...

I was really grateful that my parents happened to be coming for my birthday a couple of days later, so that Scott and I were able to leave the children with them and drive up to visit you in the hospital. The ICU waiting room was packed with your friends and family...so many people wanted to be by your side.

The best part of my trip to Alice's this past summer was sitting on her couch with you once more, gabbing like old times. When I look around our house, so much of it is Brigid! Books, the baby's blanket, little toys you've made for the kids over the years...

How thankful I am that God gave you back to us!

Alice, thank you from the bottom of my heart for this beautiful tribute to our Brigid--and Our Lady.

[Robynn]

Alice,

Thank you for posting this beautiful tribute to Brigid. I often wonder how she is doing and continue to pray for her and her family. Brigid is just beautiful.

[Kathryn]

Oh Alice, it took me two attempts to read this to the end through the tears. How well I remember that awful time of praying for Brigid and hoping for good news. She had been on my mind recently ... I was wondering how she was doing and had been meaning to ask. Thank you so much for this post.

[Janette]

Alice, I am in tears! What a beautiful story of Our Lady's care. You have been witness to so many miracles and blessings. Thank you for continually sharing them with us, that we may all praise God's infinite goodness together.

Brigid, though I do not know you, I know that you must be quite a wonderful woman! May God continue to bless you and your family.

[Gwen]

I remember praying for Brigid for several years. I wondered many times, "How is she doing now?" My eyes have been brimming with tears all afternoon and this just sent them brimming over. I don't know you Brigid...but I do...those who have prayed together for an unknown friend will know one another well, on that day.
Oh Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I Trust in You!

[Beate]

Thanks so much Alice, for this post. How often over the past several years Brigid has popped into my thoughts and prayers. Brigid, if you read this, you have become part of our lives down here in Texas! How wonderful to see your photo...my girls will be thrilled :-)

[Suzanne]

So beautiful, Alice! I'm just sitting here all in tears.

[Alice Gunther]

Thank you everyone!

Gwen, when I was going through old emails, I found a message to our local group from Lissa mentioning you and your prayer efforts! I was so interested in this because I don't think that I knew you back then!

You are all such beautiful friends.