by Marcin Mogielski OP

In my prayers I asked for alms, for prolonging the life on earth, for "silver and gold", while the Lord gave the most precious thing He had: fullness of life in his Kingdom. By saying to Basia: "rise up and walk", He called her to Himself

In the church in which Basia's funeral mass was celebrated, from the side of the presbytery I could admire a magnificent, round stained-glass window. In its centre there was a big, colourful cross, filled with blooming flowers which - because of the sun - were shining with an amazing light and bright colours. This beauty could not be seen from the outside of the church but you had to enter it.

I had a reflection that this is what Christ's cross is like; from our human side it is dark, sad, full of pain and misunderstood. But from God's side it is the sign of the greatest love and the most beautiful experience of our time on earth, offered for those who are loved until the end: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends". I think that Basia can already see this Beauty in its full glory. I believe that we will also be given that.

Before Michał and Basia were married, he travelled a lot around the Word, visiting different continents. The Internet and electronic mail were not as easily available then as they are now. So Basia got an idea to send letters to Michał poste restante to the places which he was supposed to reach soon, e.g. to Beijing. In a similarly surprising way Basia wrote her last letter to Michał on the day on which she left for the Father's House. For quite some time Michał had been receiving from a Catholic Internet portal mateusz.pl daily mass readings. Because he was very busy and did not have enough time, he did not read them and deleted them from his mailbox. When he came back home from the hospital on Friday, 29^th June (the day of Basia's death), he turned on the computer and found in his mailbox readings for the day of Saints Peter and Paul. Particularly the one from the Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy (2 Tm 4, 6-9.17-1) spoke to his heart. He had an impression that it was Basia speaking to him through Saint Paul's words:

My beloved one:
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Referring to this farewell love letter, I would like to tell you something about the beautiful love between Michał and Basia and about the great gift from God which was meeting them in my life.

My beloved one: For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

They had been aware of the coming separation for quite a long time. Of late, rather than asking God for curing Basia, Michał asked Him to give them time to prepare for this moment together and to talk about what would happen next. And this time was given to them. Michał was beside her every day "until death do us part". Basia wrote letters to their son, Mateuszek, told Michał how he should bring up their son. He also asked them to go to church services often, also on weekdays so that Mateuszek would have a close and frequent contact with God. She asked about the date of her funeral. She asked not to make it a sad occasion.

She was lying under a respirator, unable to speak, so conversations were made through arranging letters and writing on a palm of a hand. During that month they were preparing for the sacrifice of love, so difficult to understand for us, busy people exhausted with their everyday lives.

When she was four months pregnant Basia was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease in the lymph nodes. The physician in charge wanted to treat her but without the child in her womb For Michał and Basia there was no "but". They had waited for Mateuszek for five years and their prayers were answered when they asked for the miracle of conception at the grave of Pope John XXIII in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. As Michał puts it, Mateusz is a Roman because Michał and Basia brought him from Rome. That is where he was conceived. His name in Hebrew means: "given from God". In those difficult times, however, there appeared a light in the tunnel. Together they found a physician with a symbolic surname: Lampka (lamp) who undertook to treat Basia together with Mateuszek. Mateusz was born healthy, and on Thursday, 28^th June, he turned two. Basia died the next morning, giving her life up for him.

While driving to see Basia in hospital, I prayed for her health and I strongly believed that my prayers would be answered. I read the words from the Holy Bible (Acts 3, 1-10) which I read during my prayers as the promise of complete healing. My faith was strengthened even more when I received the same excerpt during prayer again, as well as I found it in the liturgy on the eve of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, in the evening of 28^th June:

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

On Friday after Basia's death I was having a very hard time, I had an argument with God, I felt deceived. I cried like a child, not only because we lost Basia but maybe mostly because I felt helpless, confused and disappointed. So many people begged Him to cure her. For a very long time I had planned to go on an Ignatian retreat which I cancelled because of the date of Basia's funeral. However, God, Basia and Michał prepared for me something unique, something which I had not been able to plan. Meeting Basia in the hospital, with her patience, gentleness and hope in her eyes, as well as the Saturday three-hour conversation with Michał were like the retreat of my life. Only then did I realise how human my understanding of what I saw was. Michał told me the story of his relationship with Basia, their travels around the world together; he told me about his grandmother who said "she's OK" when she saw Basia; how long they prayed and waited for Mateuszek; how they fought with her disease, day after day, without complaining or feeling sorry for themselves. What touched me most was that they were both aware of and open to the fact that the illness may not abate because God knows what is best and life has its final fulfilment in eternity. I was the one who received support from Michał after Basia's death, he was the one who comforted me and confirmed me in my faith. Michał suffered but this suffering was filled with love and strong hope, coming from ardent faith. After all, the name "Michał" means "who is like God". In my prayers I asked for alms, for prolonging the life on earth, for "silver and gold", and the Lord gave the most precious thing that He had, fullness of life in his Kingdom. By saying to Basia: "rise up and walk", He called her into Himself. God and Basia showed me that health is not the most important thing in the world but love. It was truly the retreat of my life.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness

When on Thursday evening Michał and I were beside Basia's bed, her pulse was very fast. On the screen I saw number 145. Michał asked her tenderly: "Basia, where are you racing?" I didn't know then that Basia was exerting herself at the end of her course. In our Saturday conversation with Michał we both discovered that the race (course) is not an end in itself, the point in it is to reach the finish line as soon as possible.

I remember the day when John Paul II was dying. When his death was announced people gathered in Saint Peter's Square - to my great surprise - were applauding. Why? Because he reached the finish line, he won! The aim of life is not its length here on earth, measured by the number of years. The aim is to become similar to God, who is love. Time is given to us only in order to transform everything we have into love.

Only whatever has turned into love may be fully united with Pure Love. Therefore, sainthood is reaching the fullness of humanity in unity with God. It is theosis. It's not the number of years that's most important here but a person's maturity. Jesus lived 33 years on earth, while Basia - 31. They both gave up their lives out of love, thus reaching the fullness of human life very soon.

Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me

This is an encouragement and invitation given from Basia to Michał, to fight the good fight and start his race (course) towards the marked finish line as she did. Michał, who loves the mountains, told me that dealing with his various life and professional problems is like climbing mountains peaks. It's enough if someone shows him the summit and he will find the right way to get there. Yet Basia showed him not only the summit but also the specific route. It is Mateuszek, a gift and an assignment from God. Basia testified that Mateuszek is worth living and dying for so that this life could be regained but this time in its fullness and for ever; without pain, suffering or separation. It is "a human who is the way of the Church", meaning every Christian, Basia, Michał, me and all of us.

The Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; (...) and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion

Each time I visited Basia I brought the Holy Sacrament with me. On Wednesday, two days before her death, her parents and I were next to her bed. I saw fear in her eyes. She tried to tell me something but I couldn't understand her because of the respirator. So she drew the sign of the Cross on her palm. Her mom said that Basia was trying to tell me how much she loved Lord Jesus. I asked if she wanted to take Him into her hands. With the movements of her hand and eyes Basia clearly confirmed that this was her wish at that time. She pressed Lord Jesus tightly to her heart and adored Him in this way for one and a half hours. Her mom, who thought that I don't have time, told Basia to give Him back to me. With her imploring eyes Basia asked me not to take Jesus away from her. I told her then: "Basia, keep Lord Jesus as long as you want". In response her eyes brightened up with joy and gratitude. They were so beautiful. Also on Thursday, during our last meeting, I put Lord Jesus on Basia's heart, and both Michał and I clasped her hands.

Today I think about this event as our race for the finish line together. Saint Faustina wrote in her Diary how important it is to pray for the dying and to keep them company in these difficult moments because at that time a person experiences horrible temptations against his/her faith, leading to doubt and despair. I believe that the risen Jesus, who rested on Basia's heart, delivered her out of the terrifying "mouth of the lion", from the abyss of death, into which He descended so that he could deliver us out of it.

That by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear

Basia and Michał once went to a concert Tu es Petrus together. Later Basia listened to the song Zdumienie (Amazement) at the intensive care unit (OIOM). She requested that this piece be performed at her funeral. Zdumienie says that both death and life are meaningful, but this meaning has to be discovered. Every person who met Michał and Basia was enriched by their testimony of finding the meaning of life in love until the end. It is our task to spread this news. We may not keep it to ourselves. All the world and every person living on earth is hungry and thirsty for meaning. Michał and Basia, thank you for preaching the Gospel to me, the good news that: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

And the Lord will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

MARCIN MOGIELSKI OP
"Poste restante"