Apostle of Lesotho Chapter Five

RAMEHLOLO - FATHER OF MIRACLES

To teach about Christianity is a commitment. Joseph Gerard possessed no car, telephone, or computer. And yet Joseph got the job done. Not having a car was one thing. To have to cross a swollen river on horseback after heavy rains had fallen was another. However, Joseph was a man of prayer who believed that nothing is impossible with God. He knew that faith can move mountains. He surrendered himself totally and absolutely to God without holding back any part of himself. Prayer was his mainstay and if he needed anything, he used to turn to God in prayer about the issue. He never forgot what Jesus has told the Apostles about the power of prayer:
"Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you. For the one who asks, receives. The one who seeks, finds. The one who knocks, enters. Would one of you hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf, or a poisonous snake when he asks for a fish? If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to anyone who asks him." (The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 7, verses 7 to 11).


And so Joseph never hesitated to ask God for needs. The Basotho saw miracles that occurred after Joseph's prayer. Their tradition records many of these marvels. One such incident was as follows. People came to Joseph to tell them a man named Azarias was dying. When they arrived, Joseph was about to celebrate the Mass, and he finished the celebration first. At the end of Mass, others came and told him Azarais had died of a haemorrhage. "He would not have gone without speaking to me first," Joseph said. The people tried to reason with him but he ignored all arguments and made his way to the dead man's hut.


Upon arrival, he called out his name: "Azarias!" three times. The dead man stirred and his chest heaved.
Joseph removed the death bandage from his head and said: "Azarias, my friend, you would have amazed me if you had gone before I came. you're going to speak to me first and I will give God to you."
"That's good, Father," Azarias said. His sister asked; "Has my brother really come back to life?"
"Go out of the hut and leave me alone with my friend," Joseph said.
After hearing Azarias' confession he called in the relatives and administered the Sacrament of the Sick.
"Peace be with you, Azarias. Now you can go on your way," he said. "Remember me when you get there."
Joseph left the hut and Azarias died.


At times when Joseph was praying from his breviary, he was sometimes seen to be surrounded by a halo of light. A group of women said they once saw him flanked by angels. The Basotho believed the evidence of their eyes. It was not only due to his example and preaching that Joseph's mission among them became so successful. The wonders people saw were a great inspiration to the Basotho.


*Photograph taken by Catherine Nicolette