My Mom went to Heaven this this morning.
I can say this with rock solid certainty. Though I've lived in Florida for 45 years, and my Mom lived in New Jersey, I had a close bond with her.
My Mom is Amelia L Rodgers, Sr. She was a Devout Roman Catholic. However, some who knew her did not know that her Mother, my dear Grandmother, was from a Luthern family. Not that various sects of Christianity make that much difference: We all believe in the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and His message of Grace, Salvation and Eternal life.
I would say the goal is the same, but the path to reach that goal differs somewhat. When I was 13, I started to drift away from the Roman Catholic Traditional worship. The first thing Mom did was to take me to the local priest at Our Lady of Grace Church in Somerdale. The priest was very kind, and he insisted I confess the error of my ways and put Mom's heart at ease.
The dilemma I was having was that I was reading the Bible and not following the Catechism. I was starting high school, and I took Latin. Rater than limit myself to Caesar and his writings, I tried to read the Catholic Bible in Latin. Really, but I was not that good. My other interest was English Literature. I read and read, and learned to analyze literature. So now here was this great long Book called the Bible, and being an immature teen, I thought I could digest it as a great piece of Literature. My English Teacher pointed out that many great writers, especially Shakespear used many passages and stories from the Bible. In fact, I started to learn that many "great" writers freely lifted entire stories and passages from the Bible. Thus, I concluded it would be a good book for me to read. This is realy not the way to do it folks. The Bible is a Holy and inspired Word of God. It is not a novel.
Getting back to Mom, she never really told me not to study the Bible, she was such a good woman and wise. She saw early on that I needed guidance. That is why she sent me to the priest.
I never got the impression Mom was controlling me; just helping her rock headed wayward son.
Again, I was a great disappointment to her, because after several meetings with the priest I had a burning desire to read the Bible more, and learn the meaning of the Scripture sans Catholic doctrine.
The priest just threw his hands up, and I was starting into College by that time. Everytime I saw Mom she would tell me she was praying for me to come back to the Church.
Later in life I left formal membership as a Catholic. I joined a Presbyterian,then Methodist, and finally a Baptist Church. It took me years to learn what my Mom knew all her life: There is only one God and salvation is found only by believing on the name of Jesus. Actually, I was not officially Baptised until August 27, 2006 at age 60. I am a slow learner.
Mom taught us to be strong and follow our hearts. She would say, "You can do anything if you just put your mind to it."
My Mom and Pop were such a sweet couple. They had a rebirth of love in their marriage somewhere after I got married in the late 1960's. Mom, ever faithful to her Church convinced Pop to go on a couples retreat. God blessed them on that retreat, and they renewed their marriage vows and their lives changed. There was more love and affection. My parents held hands and looked into each others eyes like newlyweds. Also, I remember going to their 50th Wedding Anniversary. It was so beautiful: They got married all over again in a full wedding ceremony performed at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church.
Pop started doing a lot of work helping out at the church. Mom was one of the strongest members, and led many church groups. I remember her always speaking of the Alter and Rosary Society, She was on many more committees and church organizations. She was so proud to be a member of the Eagle Mothers. Despite my self absorption, I did manage to become an Eagle Scout in around 1960. Mom was so proud to be an Eagle and it was the same with all her children. She served on the Eagle Mother's committee and was part of their annual dinner. Whenever we achieved anything she was there supporting us and giving us strong and positive feedback. You couldn't ask for a better Mom.
Mom was very proud of all her children , and much of our success was the result of her encouragement and example.
I took part in the Band and Orchestra inspired by Mom trying to teach me the Violin one summer. She played violin after a brief stint in the Haddon Heights High orchestra. She confided that when she had to leave school to help her family during the Depression of the 1930's, giving up the violin was her biggest heart break.
She added that one day she would finish High School, and get her GED. I believe it was in the 1980's she did finally take classes and got her GED/ High School Diploma. This was yet another example and lesson for her six children that she was a woman of strong determination and lasting will power. I love her so much for giving me this, and yet it took me years to tell her of my love.
I was a bad ungrateful kid. I could not see due to my ignorance and self centered teen mentality the great sacrifices my Mom and Pop made for me and and my siblings. Both of them worked, but they still managed to maintain a strong discipline in a large family of six kids.
Theirs was top down management that passed responsibility down the line and organized a household like no other today. As I study scripture, I can see that their method was a page right out of the Holy Bible, though they did not read it daily, they sure knew what was in it. The older kid was responsible for the next youngest. Chores were assigned, and enforced oldest to the youngest. Steve is my next youngest brother, and he was always a willing worker and a good kid. That's part of what made him so successful in life.
I am amazed that Mom worked out a way for all her children to complete private Catholic school k through 8. It must have been a giant financial burden. I remember overhearing when I was young that my dad was making - like $86.00 a week.
I had a loving and repentant talk with Mom a few years back. Mom and Pop managed to get me into Bishop Eustace Prep High school. Being the stiff necked teen that I was, I really did not want to go. They had just built the brand new Sterling High near me, and all my friends were going there. I told my mom nearly 40 years later how I knew I had hurt her by dropping out after the fall semester.
Mom had a great wisdom in dealing with me as a teen. She had made a great financial sacrifice for me, and saw the potential that I would be the first son to go to and finish college. She was hurt and angry that I had thrown it all away. Later she was relieved that I was awarded a scholarship and was accepted at Temple University after High School.
Her immediate reaction was one I did not understand until many years later. After Christmas break, I said to her that she had to go with me to register at Sterling High. She was calm and kind. She told me that I had made the decision to Leave Bishop Eustace and go to Sterling, therefore I would have to be the one to go there and take care of things myself. I walked to the school on a cold snowy January day and registered myself. Mom later did go there to sign papers. We did not have a phone, so they could not call her. I started out as an unusual 'case' at Sterling.
Mom's decision was the best any mother could conceive. It told me where I stood, and it made me understand the consequences for thoughtless action. I will never forget her wisdom, and I regret I did not use it more with my children.
I have not seen Mom much in the past 10-12 years.
In 2004 I spent a week in Jersey and went everyday to see Mom. We would talk and go to the cafeteria at the nursing home. I took a lot of notes about the family. We went over our Prussian roots, and the Germanic influence as Lutherans. It is interesting that I later married a fantastic, talented and wise woman from Lithuania, Loreta. I guess it is Serendipity that western Lithuania . now Kaliningrad, was East Prussia or Konigsberg -Oblast all the way over to the port of Klaipedia where Loreta studied music and went to college.
Mom shared many family stories of how Grandmom [her mother] became a Catholic. I took many notes on family history, and we talked about my renegade days as a teen. We loved and smiled and bonded more than I have ever done as a young man. This is when I asked her forgiveness for my foolish youth. She smiled and said she loved me and all her children, and that she was still praying for me to come back to the Church.
During a later visit when Mom could still communicate she told me there was a young protestant minister who came to regularly to visit with folks at the nursing home. She said I would be surprised at how much he knew about the Bible, and he wasn't even a Catholic. I got a big kick out of that.
Mom was a very Pure of Heart person. Some would say she was a bit naive in some ways. I say she was, a perfect Christian: in this world, but not of this world. In that way she remained pure in her heart, and always looked at everyone as being inherently good. Love was always in her heart, and for that she was so loved by everyone she met.
Mom was a 'child of God' and I pray forever to be more like her in my Christian walk.
Mom told me to look for the old German Bible at my sister Amy's house. My sister recently died, and I have not gone to look for that Bible that was in the family for years. Mom said I would see the list of births on the inside covers of this old Bible. I was never able to find that Bible. Mom gave me a blue felt covered book which her Mother and Grandmother kept. In it each child was required to write a poem or a short note to their Mother about something significant in their lives;[usually entered at Christmas or Easter]. I still have that book and I cherish it with entries going all the way back to 1883.
I knew I had been to self absorbed; busy making more mistakes; divorce and financial ruin. Yet through it all Mom continued to tell me she loves me and is praying for me and all her children.
Her last conscious words to me before her debilitating and lasting Stroke were that she continues to pray that I come to Church
For my own selfish reasons I will miss hearing those words of affirmation form Mom.
I give praises of Joy that she now walks upright and whole with Our Lord Jesus, Forever,
