Living Monstrance

As a Minister of Holy Communion in the hospital, I had the privilege to visit many people who came from all types of backgrounds and were in all types of situations.  I would see joy, sorrow, pain, relief, the whole gamut of emotions it seems.  But the greatest sadness I ever saw was from a man who had become a medical success story.

I entered his room and found an 80-some-odd year old man all alone.  After a little introduction, I asked him why he was in the hospital.

“Oh, I had open heart surgery.  It came on all of a sudden, and the doctors say everything is going great.  My wife is coming by soon today, and it’s great to be with her.”

“Wow, that’s great!” I said, “And you are blessed to have your wife for company.”

He began to tell me more.  See, she is his second wife.  About 40 years ago, his first wife suddenly died.  A little while afterwards, he re-married.  But, his children didn’t like it.  They didn’t like that he re-married so soon.  So you know what?  They left him for good.

He hasn’t had contact with them since.  Over 40 years.  They don’t know his second wife.  They don’t know him.  They never knew he was this close to death.  They didn’t know he was in the hospital.

When he finished telling me this, I felt so bad it’s hard to describe.  But even worse, he gazed out the window, and then I saw in his eyes the greatest sadness I have ever seen in my life.

You know what?  If his children showed up, that sadness would have disappeared in a heartbeat.  There would be no accusations, no hard feelings from him, only joy, a great, great joy.  If they showed up, there would be a party - they would make his day.

“And rising up he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and running to him fell upon his neck, and kissed him.  And the son said to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you, I am not now worthy to be called your son.  And the father said to his servants: Bring forth quickly the first robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring here the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry: Because this my son was dead, and is come to life again: was lost, and is found.”  (Lk 15:20-24)

Do you feel sometimes you and God are complete strangers, that you don’t have any contact with Him, that you don’t know Him at all and what He is living through?  Then know He misses your presence like you wouldn’t believe.  Know that He is waiting for you to come home to Him.  He is waiting for you to have a party for you.  He is waiting for you to make His day.

Happy Father’s Day.