WORD of the Vine

Sometimes we learn profound things from our everyday experiences, even at work. I work as a part time chaplain with Community Hospice, as well as provide retreats/conferences and spiritual direction to my parish and way beyond. One day, I was called to visit a man with dementia in a local care facility. He was always either sound asleep or unresponsive when I visited him. I never had a conversation with him and he never opened his eyes and looked at me, but he taught me profound things about cultivating habits of holiness through the Eucharist.

I phoned his wife and learned that he had been a daily Mass goer, a sacristan, an involved member of their parish  and a compassionate and successful business man back home. They had moved to my town once he got sick to be closer to their daughter. We spoke about ways she could honor her marital commitment to him when it was difficult to figure out how to relate to him. She could rub his hands with lotion etc. She requested that I arrange sacramental anointing, which I did.

What really moved me was when I came to his bedside along with his wife and daughter on the day he died.  While he seemed unresponsive, I broke off a tiny morsel of the Eucharist, recited the Lord’s Prayer with his family and said, “Bob, This is the Body of Christ!” He opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue. His daughter bolted off her chair and shouted, “He hasn’t even opened his mouth in 10 days! Look at that!” I was dumbfounded too. He died a few hours later. The power of his love for Our Lord in the Eucharist came through at the last hour! This is truly Eucharistic adoration at it’s best!  ~ Mary