A Leap of Faith: The Journey

By José Masilotti Pafundi

This book is a commitment with myself that I will start to read the Bible and study its content. I wrote this book with the sole purpose of exploring deeper into the pages of the Bible and learning more about my own faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503568686

José Masilotti Pafundi

José Masilotti Pafundi was born in Italy. When he was around six months of age, his family immigrated to Vanezuela country, where he grew up. In 1979, he moved with his family to the United States to complete his education. In 1982, he obtained his master’s degree in sciences. José published his first book, Cuando Los Hombres LLoran Spanish Edition, in October of 2013.

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Copyright © 2015 by José Masilotti Pafundi.

ISBN:      Softcover       978-1-5035-6869-3

               eBook            978-1-5035-6868-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 05/22/2015

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

THANKS

CHAPTER I THE GENESIS

CHAPTER II NOAH

CHAPTER III ABRAHAM

CHAPTER IV MOSES

CHAPTER V NAZARETH

CHAPTER VI EGYPT

CHAPTER VII JUDEA

CHRISTIAN MEDIATION

We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature, trees, flowers, grass grow in silence, see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…we need silence to be able to touch souls. Blessed Mother Teresa

Final scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition, compared with the most ancient authorities and revised A.D. 1946,1952 and 1965. The original Catholic Edition of the RSV translation was prepared by the Catholic Biblical Association of Great Britain.

This edition was revised according to Liturgiam Authenticam, 2001.

Ignatius Press San Francisco

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my partner and wife, Felicia Camilo. Felicia’s enthusiasm helped me to complete this book.

She found the manuscript of my first book in Spanish CUANDO LOS HOMBRES LLORAN, forgotten and dusty at the bottom of a box and after reading it, Felicia made me promise that I would publish it, and… I did it.

Felicia’s joy was contagious and encouraging. Thank you for your help.

This is my gift to you.

I love you. José.

To Chispita.

TO MY PARENTS

GERARDO MASILOTTI DESANTIS

R.I.P

AND

ANNA PAFUNDI DE MASILOTTI

R.I.P

IN MEMORY OF MY BROTHERS-IN-LAW

RUBEN ANTONIO DUBUC HERRETES

R.I.P

LUIS ALBERTO DUBUC HERRETES

R.I.P

AND MY DEAREST FRIEND

JOSE MONTIEL

R.I.P

INTRODUCTION

Dear reader:

For many years I wanted to study the bible, explore its content and try to find in what I had read the story of humanity as well as my own story.

I cannot remember how many times I opened Genesis with the intent of reading it all, but instead closed it and set it aside to take up space on my nightstand.

This book is a commitment with myself that I will start to read the bible and study it’s content. I wrote this book with the sole purpose of exploring deeper into the pages of the bible and learning more about my own faith.

I thought that if I put the bible in a different context, more as a story, it would be easier to remember it.

I did not intend on changing, teaching or influencing anyone’s decision in regards to their beliefs when I decided to have this book published. My hope is that anyone who embarks on a journey into his or her own faith, finds the answers to the questions they had about God.

Christ must be the center of our life. Without Him, nothing is possible.

Be faithful to your beliefs and don’t let your heart be troubled with the changes that are happening in front of your eyes.

Good luck, and may God bless you all.

THANKS

Whenever we write a letter to a relative or friend, we take the time to think and then express our emotions in each of the words contained in that letter, trying to follow a grammatical and orthographic order.

We want that letter to convey all of all the feelings that we seek to share with that person. Writing a book for the first time in English is not easy, especially when you have been writing in Spanish most of your life. However, I ventured out of my comfort zone and I did it

The inspiration behind this book or muse as it is called, brings an overwhelming amount of ideas to mind. These ideas turn into paragraphs and blank pages become an intrinsic part of an imaginary or real history, which forms one with the inner self of the writer.

But the stories are not made alone and shouldn’t be unknowns. These experiences have to be shared, but one wonders with whom?

I had the opportunity to share this story with many people. From them I received unconditional support and constructive criticism and comments. But there is one person I want to thank infinitely for his time, advice and lessons: Lawyer, writer, man of letters, humanist and, artist Colombian doctor Esteban Herrera Iranzo. He is the author of many popular books, including his latest book The Primate

I also want to thank my nephew Fernando Perdomo Jr., my brother in law Fernando Perdomo Sr. and my sister Angela Masilotti de Perdomo, for her prayers, support and personal advice often necessary during all the difficult times in my life.

I would like to thank my adopted sister, Dr. Gisela Avila and her family who over many years have given us their friendship, affection and unconditional support. God bless you.

To Sarah Corona, Sharon Marina Dubuc Herretes, Donna Johnson and her children Jeremiah, Mathew and Rachel Johnson, Pedro Lizalde and his son Pedro Lizalde Jr. Ryan and Nazlee Nath and their children Ashley Ashton and Alex Nath. Anel Marshall, Mrs. Carmen Vega, Ester Velez and Ashlee Fuoco. My compadres Celestino Sánchez, Emiliana Santiago, Odalys Sánchez, Rogelio Sánchez and Ivan Sanchez. To my adopted Venezuelan brother Pedro Ramirez and. To my relatives in the Dominican Republic: José Rafael and Glennis Camilo; Zechariah and Maria Esther Camilo. Here in the United States: Yanides Camilo and Delfina and Alex Arroyo.

I would like to thank all of those people for their interes and support during the development of this book.

Also, I could not forget a very special person to me, my dear mother-in-law, Mrs. Rafaela Camilo for her kindness and wise counsel, which were received with great affection.

And to all of my many friends, thank you.

CHAPTER I

THE GENESIS

It was a cold day in Albany. It was Friday, my day off from work.

My siblings went to school and my parents had just left for their respective jobs. The house was quiet and I liked it that way. I went down to the kitchen to make some coffee and start breakfast.

I like to eat arepas, a kind of bread made out of white corn and they are filled with sharp yellow cheese, typical of the Venezuelan gastronomy. Along with a glass of orange juice, and my espresso made with coffee from the mountains of the Andes, a breakfast that I will call completely ethnic and truly delicious. Empowering.

The temperature changes in the weather, were announcing the approach of autumn. Autumn a season of the year that my mother and siblings enjoyed so much. I did not look forward to it because I knew that winter was pushing its way thru, and the snow would change everything.

The low temperatures at night forced us to have a fire in the fireplace the chimney on all the time. I liked the smell of the burning wood. It was romantic and cozy and warmth.

One at a time, the small trees around the property, were growing naked. The leaves that once were covering their branches, now dry, were flying around in the air, forcefully pushed by the soft breeze that was coming from the west. Others, regal as their leaves changed to magical colors; some orange, others yellow and gold and few purple. It was magnificent to watch it.

Since the day was so beautiful, I decided to go for a walk in the park. It was close to my home, and I would usually go there on my days off from work.

As I was walking between the bushes and trees that lined the walking trail, I heard the soft chirping of the birds that were flying from one tree to another. Blue Jay, Robbins, Woodpeckers and Hummingbird were al part of the ecology. They blended so well with the peaceful and beautiful scene.

The squirrels were chasing one another, jumping on and off the trees, carrying in their mouths the few acorns that they had found under the piles of leaves scattered around the fields. It looked like a game of catch me if you can. They seemed to enjoy it.

As I entered the park, to my right was the lake. Hundreds of Canadian geese shared its water with seagulls and other aquatic species.

I stopped to admire a rainbow with its colors above the colorful scenery. It was so breathtaking that I could have stayed all day standing there, watching the sun go thru the beautiful colors of the clouds in the sky.

It is magnificent said a voice I heard behind me.

God is perfect! Don’t you think? the voice continued.

His presence rattled me. I did not want to talk to anyone. This was my time alone. I wanted to enjoy it in quiet. And I did not need anyone to talk to me about God. I knew enough about Him I didn’t need someone come into my life to try to teach me a lesson on religion.

The voice had pushed my buttons. In an act of unexpected anger, I was ready to turn around and spell out my thoughts. When I spun around I saw a skinny, tall man, I would say about 6’.7". My eyes landed on his nose. It was the resting place for a pair of round glasses which framed his blue eyes.

How can I help you, Sir? I managed to ask in a soft tone of voice, trying not to be impolite with the old man.

Young woman, he said, how very kind of you I do not need any help. I was just enchanted, like you, watching that beautiful color display from the rainbow. I hope my comments did not disturb your interior peace. Your facial expression tells me you are holding your breath.

I did not know what to say, but I was certain anything that come out from my mouth was not going to be nice.

I tried to go back to minding my own business, but I was not able to concentrate. This old man had ruined my day.

Why, if the park was so big, and there were so many people walking around, it had to be me that he singled out to disturb?

I decided to walk back home and try to finish enjoying my quiet day. Perhaps listening to music or reading a good book would restore my stillness.

I can’t recall what happened after that. Everything around me was very dark. So dark that I couldn’t even see my own hands. It was scary.

What is going on? I asked myself. "Am I alive? Am I dead? If I am death, why am able to ask myself all these questions?" I did not like this situation. I wanted to go home, but where was I? How could I get back to where I came from? Man. This was something that I did not expect. This really sucked. In all my years of life, this was the scariest thing that ever happened to me, not to say that I had few of those.

Was I sitting down? Was I laying back somewhere? I remember that I was walking back home, and then? Oh God. What is going on? Please help me! I begged.

Wherever I was, something needed to happen to bring me back home. This must be a bad dream. Soon I will wake up and the nightmare will have gone, I told myself. But, why I am not waking up? I want to wake up and I can’t. Then, this means that I am dead.

Ok. If I am dead, why do I not see the brilliant light, and the tunnel that people talk about, when they die? Perhaps I am on my way to hell? Who knows? Oh God, if you can hear my voice, I beg you, to come to my rescue. Please!

Suddenly and unexpectedly I started to spin around.

I did not know what to expect next. I tried to hold on to something, but at no avail. This was freaking me out!

I was being dragged into a whirling funnel. The speed was increasing as I neared the vertex. Now I was heading down. Scared and resigned I let it be. Since there was nothing I could do to stop it I decided to go with the flow.

When the spinning stopped I felt my feet standing on an uneven surface. I tried to survey the area, but it was far too dark. Fearing there was another trap I decided not to move.

Let there be light, I heard a strange voice saying.

As soon as these words were spoken, my eyes got hit by this sparking and intense light that blinded me.

Now, the voice said:

Be the night separated from the day

"Wait a minute, I said to myself, I know that voice. It sounded very familiar, but where had I heard it?"

I didn’t have to wait long.

He was the old man that this morning… I think was this morning, intruded and bothered me at the park

How are you doing? He asked.

How do you think, I’m doing? I angrily replied.

I hope that you will forgive me for having been rude and harsh to you He continued.

I have to admit, that this has been the worst nightmare I ever had in my life. I hope this is only one of those bad dreams, you know?

No, Shawnie. This is not a bad dream. You have been taken to the beginning of the creation. I am the Lord, your God.

Well, now things were getting really out of hand. I was having a bad dream, and this person was telling me he was God. This was going too far from the normal. Who was going to believe me? Some people would tell me I was hallucinating, others that I was tripping, or just crazy.

I just wanted to go home and continue with my daily business, but this seemed far from ending.

How do you think I should call the light? He asked me.

Why ask me? You are God. You will figure this out on your own.

You are right, but do you have a brain?

Ok. Well! Now that we are getting personal lets call the light day and the darkness night. What do you think about that, I replied.

Wow! God said, Your brain still works. Amazing! Amazing!

What is amazing?