At about 7 pm after the game time and dinner was concluded, I had begun to collect the many and varied games, balls and toys that had been brought to the area that had been reserved. The 120 people who had attended Mass were beginning to head home, visit, or listen to an informal talk and entertainment. I was feeling that “better get going” feeling and was rolling up a tent when the familiar feeling hit me, my Moma Alarm rang in such a way that I stopped what I was doing. Visually checked the kids, starting with my youngest, Felicity, and then the others, I surveyed the landscape of children playing. Nothing seemed amiss, the Alarm sounded again. I walked to the nearby table where Dr. G, his wife, and Father Steve were having a lively discussion. I teased them and then put Dr. G on notice. “You’re the physician in the room,” I said, “My Alarm is going off and I expect an emergency in the next 7 minutes.” Father Steve remarked, “You’re amazing!” I thought he was kidding me so I smiled, always happy to be called “amazing” and went back to looking for the impending disaster.

My mother found me, her Alarm was ringing and now there were two of us trying to figure out who was in danger. “Where’s Cecilia?” She asked and I unbelieving agreed that I had not seen Cecilia. We rounded the area and happily found 11 year old Cecilia, playing with a little one. She was safe. We were not satisfied and rounded the park another time trying to satisfy our itch, almost feeling foolish.

Our circling of the area complete, we encountered the vigilant Cecilia. Felicity and her best friend had been caught trying to walk back to the camper. “What were they thinking,” I laughed. The four year olds had wanted to play at the camper and asked Mrs. G (Felicity’s best friend’s moma) who said “NO” so they decided they could just walk. “Silly Girls!” was my reaction and I shared the story with Mrs. G. that Cecilia had caught them at the edge of the parking lot heading out. “Thank God for Cecilia!” she shared and without a thought I returned to collecting volleyballs and croquet sticks.

After returning to our campers with campfire blazing with guitar and banjos playing, I spoke with Father Steve. “You said I was amazing today,” I mused, full of pride. His answer was that he had learned as a child to take his mother’s guardian angel alarm seriously. That he had left a campground as a small child with an older boy and when he saw my reaction and added the reaction of my mother, he and the others at the table stopped and he had prayed for the protection needed. He prayed that all the guardian angels would prevent any accident foreseen. Thank you, I replied, glad that it was a false alarm.

Sleep came easily until 3 a.m. A sense of anxiety woke me and unable to find comfort, I got up and tried to meet any physical need that would allow me to return to sleep. I could not. I recounted the day, when the reality was revealed – that God had prevented a tragedy. The Alarm that sounded was that of two four year olds who decided they could walk cross-country encountering a swollen Shoshone River easily within the mile. These little ones had asked permission and decided to have their own way unknown to adults and were stopped at the edge of the filled parking lot by a dedicated sister. I had honestly given the scenario little thought until awoken. Obviously, Father Steve didn’t, because he connected the danger alarm, prayer, and the dangerous situation for me earlier and still I had not thanked God or considered what had been avoided.

Still, I was not comforted. The anxiety preventing sleep persisted. I then realized it was Our Lady who was properly rebuking me.

The Alarm you sensed was a response to the Mercy of My Son, Mary clarified,

as He sent of His Army of Angles and unleashed a storm cloud of Divine Mercy.

Even in the knowledge of danger averted, you granted Him no blessing or acknowledgment.

You do not know the Divine Intervention that poured out to prevent tragedy.

What you are experiencing now - the pain, the discomfort is a

mere “shadow of a single tear” you would have shed tonight.

Knowing this reality, I know you will acknowledge

the action and Mercy of My Son.

The Shadow of a Single Tear, she was right. The thought of how we would have finally discovered the girls gone. Remembering that I had looked for them first, finding them missing would have taken time, I considered the search . . . Emotionally, I can’t go on. I can’t continue the thought that results in tragedy. I repent. I repent of the impudence that characterizes my life. The ingratitude and casual nature that God’s blessings reveal in my nature. All things are ordered for our good through God. God is good, All the time!

When Mary got my attention, I am not surprised to discover, the time was about 3 o’clock. I thank her now for being my good mother and giving me a good mother. Thank you Mary, for loving me enough, and loving your Son, Jesus, enough to wake me with this gift of sorrow. It is hard to bear, this shadow of a single tear. I will do my best to share this experience in which she extends her Son, and the depth of His Love and Mercy.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have Mercy on us and on the Whole World,

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, Have Mercy on us and on the Whole World,

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, Have Mercy on us and on the Whole World!

Amen

Pictures below

Far Left - The view of the park area where the girls left the group to travel the 4 miles (as the bird flies) to the campground pictured far right.

Center Picture - The Shoshone River, beyond capacity.