Last Wednesday (15th November) I lost my cheque book while in the office. Normally I do not take my cheque book home. The reason is, this cheque book is used by me for my official business. When the cheque book is not being used, it is kept inside the top drawer of the left side drawers of my office table. Last week I did not attend office. I went there only on Wednesday. When I went there and looked, the cheque book was not in that drawer. However much I inquired, I could not find what has happened to the cheque book. Although I inquired from others in the office, I could not get any valuable information from them. I immediately telephoned the bank and informed that I have lost my cheque book and cancelled the cheque book. But the loss incurred on account of this was immense. The reason is, most of the time my business transactions are conducted through cheques and details of payments are written on the counterfoil on the left side of the cheque leaves. Therefore, these counterfoils are very valuable to me. The details therein are very important for my business activities. Most businessmen do write details of payments in a separate set of books, but I used to write details of my payments in the counterfoils which are on the left side of the cheque book. I came home in that evening like a person carrying a fire on my head. I lost a lot of information on my business transactions with the loss of the cheque book. Next morning, on Thursday, I did not go to office. I was a disoriented person at that time. I telephoned the best friend of mine who is also a business partner of my business and told him of the loss of my cheque book. He also knows that I keep details of my accounts in the counterfoils of the cheque book. During the day, he came to my home. I live in Battaramulla. My office is situated at Bambalapitiya. My friend came to my upstairs room in my home. We normally meet in this room, most of the time. After listening to my story, he said, there is a method to find the cheque book. After that, he explained details of Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine. At the same time, he went to the computer and connected himself to a web site and showed me full details of this Miraculous Shrine. Only at that time, I came to know that my friend is a regular Devotee of Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, and he had obtained many miraculous, favours and benefits from that wonderful Shrine. He advised me “You access the internet today itself and read all the details of this famous Miraculous Shrine. After that if you feel any faith that you should go to this Shrine and plead with Mother Virgin Mary; then only you tell me.”
After my friend left, I read all the information in the internet published in Sinhala and English about this Miraculous Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine. I felt ashamed that, although I lived in Sri Lanka, I was not aware of this powerful miraculous Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine. By about 6 pm, day same (Thursday), I have read almost all information about Our Lady of Katunayake Miraculous Shrine. After reading about miraculous feats performed at this Shrine, I felt in my heart lot of faith towards the Mother Mary of this Miraculous Shrine and knew from depth of my heart that Mother Mary will come to my help as well. I was very sure of that. I telephoned my friend immediately. I asked him, “Shall we go to Katunayake Shrine now?” He asked me if I had read all details about the Shrine. I told him that I read all the details and that is the reason why I want to visit the Shrine immediately. He said “your faith is good, we will go there now and I will come to take you. But the Miraculous Prayer is only on Saturdays.” I replied, “I also know that, we will go on Saturday for that, but we will go now also”. As discussed, both of us left to Katunayake on that day (Thursday) night, and went in to Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine grounds, and lighted Rose Candles, in front of the statue of our Mother Mary established in the Holy grounds and prayed. The atmosphere was so Holy and Peaceful, not felt anywhere else. During the time I stayed there, I felt lot of easiness in my mind. I stayed for very long time in the Holy grounds. Again, we went to Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, on the next day (Friday) as well. We lighted Rose Candles and prayed.
On Saturday, my friend came home to take me to Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine. As usual he came to my upstairs room. By that time, I was dressed up to go to the Shrine. He told me to write a letter to be placed in the Red Box. I sat on the chair and started writing the letter, by keeping the small paper given by the Shrine officials in front of me as well. I wrote like this letter with consultation of my friend. “Dear Katunayake Blessed Mother”! “My mind is all upset. I lost my cheque book. Please find it for me”. As advised by my friend I wrote about my burning problem in short making it less than 25 words.
Both of us left for Our Lady of Katunayake’s Miraculous Shrine and reached there in time. By holding the letter above the head, I attended the Miraculous Prayer and placed the letter in the Red Box.
After recitation of the Miraculous Prayer, we had a great opportunity of lighting a special candle in front of the picture of the world’s One and Only Jasmines fragrance emanating Mother God’s Statue and offer our prayers to her. This was a great opportunity. Both of us lighted the special candles. There were arrangements to offer prayers individually. Officials of Shrine were very kind, courteous, and gave us proper instructions and I wish to convey our thanks and appreciation for their dedicated work at the Shrine. I kept my hand on the picture of that Glorious Statue and prayed silently “Dear Katunayake Blessed Mother”! “My mind is all upset. I lost my cheque book. Please find it for me”. I kept on repeating this by keeping the hand on the picture. After that, we knelt down before the Blessed Mother Mary’s Statue in the Shrine Ground and prayed. Lighted two Rose Candles in front of the Statue as well and left the Holy Ground after the prayers. We had dinner in a Colombo hotel on our way back after prayers.
Then both of us came directly to my Battaramulla home. My friend wanted to freshen up and came to my up-stair room. We put on the light. Oh! My God! My lost cheque book was found was on the table. At once both of us embraced each other by saying ‘machan cheque book’. We both felt little scared also. We sat on the bed. I wrote the letter to be put in red box, on this table. Pen was given by my friend. He took it out from his shirt pocket and gave it to me. I left the pen on the table after writing the letter. I forgot to give it back to my friend. The miracle is that the pen was kept on the cheque book. My friend had tears rolling down his cheek. He rang the bell for my helper and got down a glass of water. His mouth was dry. I took the cheque book and went through it. Everything was correct and intact. Nothing was missing. All my notes were there as written by me. Cheque book was lost in my office situated at Bambalapitiya. I have never brought this cheque book to my home. Our Lady of Katunayake’s Miraculous Shrine has heard my humble prayers and brought the cheque book to my home.
I asked my friend to stay with me that night. He said now itself we will e mail all details to Our Lady of Katunayake’s Miraculous Shrine. Although we tried to type out the mail in that night itself, we had no strength to do it. We were really scared stiff from this miraculous incident. Next Sunday only, we started writing the e mail to Our Lady of Katunayake’s Miraculous Shrine.
The Miraculous Prayer conducted at Our Lady of Katunayake’s Miraculous Shrine, is a wonderful Prayer. I think, when we place a letter in the Red Box, it is similar to a letter posted to Mother Mary. From this incident, now I know the power of the world’s One and Only Jasmines fragrance emanating Mother God’s Statue. If the picture of the Statue is this much powerful, how powerful would be the world’s One and Only Jasmines fragrance emanating Statue of Mother of God.
I will always remember in my life story that for the first time, at a certain time and at a certain place, Immaculate Virgin Mary Mother, performed a miracle for me also.
Milinda Deshapriya
Battaramulla (Sri Lanka)
