– ” Dear God, I come to you in my despair as someone close to my heart has been affected by sickness. Give me strength every day to try to be a good human being, so that I can support and encourage. Help me in the darkness of the night so that I do not to lose my courage and my faith in you. Let me feel your presence when troubles gather by me. Those who walked through the valley of death; help me to endure all things, bear all things and hope that all things such as love will conquer, here and now and into the limit of eternity.
Amen”
She looked up at the altar while making the sign of the cross, at the same time as the priest in front of her and the congregation around her made the same movement.
– ” This prayer is for someone in our church who has chosen to remain anonymous but asked us to pray for her and her loved one who unfortunately cannot be with us today, but who is in our thoughts” the priest continued. She felt her cheeks becoming red and hoped that it was not visible to the others.
– “But this prayer is for all of us who have someone in our surroundings who needs strength and our belief that everything can and will be OK. To know that there is a candle burning for them and their journey on Earth,” continued the priest . ” Let us now sing Hymn 68 – ‘Children of the heavenly father.’ ”
The congregation began to sing but she could not bring herself to join them. It had been years since she had been in church, but the priest had welcomed her with open arms, as if she had never left. Some of the members of the congregation had looked at her with disgust, as if she had committed a sin by staying away all these years. Had they only knew why, that it was not her choice… If he found out that she had been there today… She shivered at the thought.
Suddenly everyone stood up around her; the sermon was over. She took a deep breath and started to follow them. The priest glanced at her as he spoke to one of the members. She nodded at him as if to say thank you and started walking towards the exit. One of the clergymen stood by the exit and opened the heavy door to let everyone out. She looked out through the door and saw him, El Capo, waiting for her with grim eyes and his arms crossed over his chest. She stopped for a second terrified, how could he know that she was here? She then took a deep breath and took the heavy steps towards the end.