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Pages: 81
Goes Well With: Fresh-baked bread and fresh-brewed coffee, with a vase of white roses on the table.
An intriguing prologue sets the scene in author K. M. Daughters’s third Gospa Journeys story, Resurrected Love. An orphanage is in need of funds. A sister thanks the Lord for the villagers’ help. And a little child from nowhere leads the way. But this isn’t the orphanage’s story or the child’s. Rather, it’s the tale of two wounded people, a marriage torn apart by the tragic loss of a baby, and the precious gift of forgiveness.
The village of Valselo in Croatia is the home of Gospa Journeys, and it’s the place that Father Mark wants Jack to visit. But Father Mark always has more in mind than what appears on the surface. Jack’s visit, if he takes it, could change his life, even as Jack’s money could fund a much-needed furnace. Meanwhile, Jack’s estranged wife, Beth, wonders if they might get back together.
Warmth doesn’t come just from fuel in this story. Generous people spread warmth with their welcoming words, and generous faith offers the possibility of miracles. No, time doesn’t heal all wounds. Pain might never go away. But God’s love stays.
Readers of previous Gospa books will delight in hearing Elizabeta’s recital as Our Lady of the Roses greets her pilgrims. “Dear children,” Nadia translates, and at once a sense of peace and love settles over listener and reader alike. Those of us who’ve grown up Catholic will most likely share Beth’s memories of the childhood confessional. And those who’ve struggled with forgiveness will find particular wisdom in the gift you give yourself.
Our Lady of the Roses offers flowers that will never die. Beth and Jack travel their different journeys to forgiveness, meeting God and healing in ways that have been tailored to their different needs. Then love, like the mystical rose, might bloom again.
This is the sort of story that leaves you warm and smiling, believing that there’s more in the world than the eye can see, and knowing that pain can be washed with tears of joy. The language is simple, the scenery beautifully described, and the spiritual aspects are fed gently and naturally into the tale. Highly recommended for anyone seeking lessons in forgiving yourself or just wanting a fine, uplifting Christian/Catholic read.
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