Sincere, But Sincerely Wrong

Sincere, But Sincerely Wrong “Sincere” and “zealous” are the words which describe the religious aspects of my life for twenty-nine and half years as a Roman Catholic. I so desired to do what was right. I went to Mass, received the sacraments, loved my neighbors, and basically tried to do good to all people. I always thought that by going to Mass, doing good and being nice to people was the way to get to Heaven. The desire to do good to all people led me to become a member of a religious order, the Sisters of Mercy, for four years, 1967-1971. In October of 1973, while waiting to undergo surgery, another patient came into my hospital room and asked me a question. The question would lead me to a totally new life in Christ as a child of God. “If you were to die in surgery today, Wilma, do you know for sure that you would go to Heaven?” she asked. “Yes, I do”, I replied. Our conversation was interrupted at that point by a nurse ordering her back into her room across the hall. During the nex