Author says he felt Christ's loving embrace in near-death experience

Proof of the Afterlife - CNS Photo

CNS STORY: Author says he felt Christ's loving embrace in near-death experience

The book cover and following excerpt is from the Catholic News Service:

By Emily Lahr

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The afterlife is a common topic of discussion for a religious brother in Santa Paula, Calif., since the publication of his book, "Proof of the Afterlife -- The Conversation Continues," a book of hope, forgiveness and mercy.

"People can say, 'Oh that wasn't just a dream.' God was having a conversation with their life," said Brother Gary Joseph, a member of the Servants of the Father of Mercy, an association of vowed and lay members in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Brother Gary said he has had encounters with God and been involved in conversations with the afterlife ever since his "near-death experience" Sept. 27, 2005: At 1:15 a.m., "an out of control" heart arrhythmia caused him to collapse and his heart to stop, and he felt the overpowering presence of God.

In that state, according to his book, he was immersed in the embracing love of Christ and absorbed spiritual messages. When he was resuscitated, Brother Gary said, he awoke and noticed the clock read exactly 1:45 a.m.

"I had been like a dead man, immersed in this encounter for exactly 30 minutes," Brother Gary told Catholic News Service in a Feb. 8 telephone interview.

A priest guided him to a spiritual director who at the time was planning on doing a film on spiritual encounters. The spiritual director encouraged Brother Gary to keep a journal and eventually write a book. The manuscript was sent to Los Angeles Cardinal Roger M. Mahony for theological review prior to its publication last November by the Servants of the Father of Mercy.

He believes the book can help people who have a terminal illness, referring to his mother and a cousin, who both fought cancer. "It's a perfect match for those with illness. It can give a lot of hope."

"Proof of the Afterlife -- The Conversation Continues" ($19.95, softcover) is being sold by Barnes and Noble in its stores nationwide and online. It is also available at Amazon.com. Brother Gary said BookMasters also plans to stock the book in its national warehouse in Ashland, Ohio, promoting it to clients such as Ingram, Baker and Taylor and their retail outlet, AtlasBooks.

Read more: Proof of the Afterlife

Praise God for His Blessings as We Celebrate Thanksgiving on November 24th

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

Thanksgiving Prayers from the website of American Catholic.org

For Appreciation of Each Other

We thank you, Father, for the gift of Jesus your Son who came to our earth and lived in a simple home. We have a greater appreciation of the value and dignity of the human family because he loved and was loved within its shelter. Bless us this day; may we grow in love for each other in our family and so give thanks to you who are the maker of all human families and our abiding peace.

From The Catholic Prayer Book, compiled by Msgr. Michael Buckley

In Gratitude

Thank you, Father, for having created us and given us to each other in the human family. Thank you for being with us in all our joys and sorrows, for your comfort in our sadness, your companionship in our loneliness. Thank you for yesterday, today, tomorrow and for the whole of our lives. Thank you for friends, for health and for grace. May we live this and every day conscious of all that has been given to us.

From The Catholic Prayer Book, compiled by Msgr. Michael Buckley.

Thanksgiving Table Prayer

O Gracious God, we give you thanks for your overflowing generosity to us. Thank you for the blessings of the food we eat and especially for this feast today. Thank you for our home and family and friends, especially for the presence of those gathered here. Thank you for our health, our work and our play. Please send help to those who are hungry, alone, sick and suffering war and violence. Open our hearts to your love. We ask your blessing through Christ your son. Amen.

From Celebrating Faith: Year-round Activities For Catholic Families, by Mary Cronk Farrell

Prayer at Harvest and Thanksgiving 

O God, source and giver of all things,
You manifest your infinite majesty, power and goodness
In the earth about us:
We give you honor and glory.
For the sun and the rain,
For the manifold fruits of our fields:
For the increase of our herds and flocks,
We thank you.
For the enrichment of our souls with divine grace,
We are grateful.

Supreme Lord of the harvest,
Graciously accept us and the fruits of our toil,
In union with Jesus, your Son,
As atonement for our sins,
For the growth of your Church,
For peace and love in our homes,
And for salvation for all.
We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

From Living God’s Justice: Reflections and Prayers, compiled by The Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors

Prayer of Thanksgiving

by Walter Rauschenbusch

O God, we thank you for this earth, our home;
For the wide sky and the blessed sun,
For the salt sea and the running water,
For the everlasting hills
And the never-resting winds,
For trees and the common grass underfoot.
We thank you for our senses
By which we hear the songs of birds,
And see the splendor of the summer fields,
And taste of the autumn fruits,
And rejoice in the feel of the snow,
And smell the breath of the spring.
Grant us a heart wide open to all this beauty;
And save our souls from being so blind
That we pass unseeing
When even the common thornbush
Is aflame with your glory,
O God our creator,
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

From Living God’s Justice: Reflections and Prayers, compiled by The Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors

Thanksgiving Prayer

This Thanksgiving let those of us who have much and those who have little gather at the welcoming table of the Lord. At this blessed feast, may rich and poor alike remember that we are called to serve on another and to walk together in God's gracious world. With thankful hearts we praise our God who like a loving parent denies us no good thing.

From Songs of Our Hearts, Meditations of Our Souls: Prayers for Black Catholics, edited by Cecilia A. Moor, Ph.D., C. Vanessa White, D.Min., and Paul M. Marshall, S.M.