Friday, April 11, 2003 5:39 PM

Jesus sat next to me

Thanks to Fernando de La Riva and Joao Inacio Wetternick for forwarding this terstimony from Brazil:

When Vassula first came to Brazil, in 1994, the nearest place to where I live was 1,200 kms away. Well, I decided to go listen to her. One week in advance I bought my ticket with the bus company that leaves my home town (Rio Grande) and follows the road up to Rio de Janeiro, passing through Joinville, where I would meet Vassula.

I had read in ”True Life in God” at that time, that Vassula’s cousin used to invite Jesus to accompany her in all her chores and that this greatly pleased the Lord, as He Himself had said to Vassula. Well, from that moment on, I decided that I too would invite the Lord to accompany me in all my activities, and to go with me everywhere I went. The day I would travel to Joinville, before leaving, I consecrated my family and my home to Our Lady, and invited Jesus to travel with me. I got into the taxi that would take me to the bus station and said: ”Jesus, come with me ”.

When I got into the bus I observed the number of my seat was 34, and No. 33 was next to mine, by the center aisle – that was Jesus’ seat. I even commented to him: ”Quite significant this number of Yours, Jesus”. Note that when I purchased the ticket I had only asked that it be in the middle of the car, without choosing any specific number, having found out only upon embarking.

When I sat in seat No. 34, next to the window, I solemnly invited my Beloved travelling Companion to sit by my side, in seat No. 33.

The bus left my city with only 6 passengers, as it was the beginning of the line, to fill up the rest of the places along the way.

At the next city, it picked up more passengers, without yet having completely filled up all the available seats. I prayed the Holy Rosary, Jesus was listening to me, I dozed off, and when I woke up, Jesus was smiling.

Thus, we reached Porto Alegre about noon, in suffocating heat. The bus stopped at the main Station and the driver asked everyone to remain seated for he was personally going to pick up passengers to fill the remaning empty seats.

People started getting into the bus to take their seats. Seat No.33 was occupied by Jesus, my travel Companion. When all the seats were taken, two people remained with their tickets in their hands, without a place to seat in the bus. The attendant took the following attitude: he got into the bus, went all the way back to the toilet, opened its door to see if there was someone in it, and returned all the way to the front, placing his hands on the seats, counting two by two. He would pass by seats 33 and 34 and count two more persons.

I shivered from emotion, for, in seat 33, where I knew in my heart Jesus was seating, even though I was not seeing him with my eyes, nevertheless, the others were seeing him occupying this place and counted him as a passenger. This verification and counting took place twice, without having requested ticket verification.

Due to the passengers uneasiness, the attendant explained that some error could have developed in the computing system, but that no one should be alarmed, as those who were left without places would be sent by plane to their final destinations by the bus company. My heart was bursting with hapiness, Jesus smiled.

This bus, during its itinerary, went into several cities where people got off and so many others got on, several times. There He remained for 18 hours, only for love of me, as He told me in my heart various times. And when I asked Jesus as to why this sacrifice of staying there for 18 hours, He answered: ”BUT HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN MY SON, THAT IT WAS MUCH MORE PAINFUL TO BE IN THE CROSS!”

And thus, we got off the bus in Joinville on January 31, 1994, me and my Jesus, to listen to Vassula.

And, at the end of Vassula’s talk, Jesus permitted me to feel a little bit of Heaven when she narrated Jesus´message to all Brazilians, there in Joinville, transmitting His Blessing to all with THE BREATH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT on our brows. This blessing has remained marked on my brow forever and is remembered in all the moments of my life.

L. C. Terra