Nurse's Prayer

 

What’s a priest to do if he gets laryngitis? Imagine if father couldn’t speak this Sunday, most likely in your parish, Mass would get over a lot quicker. However, in my case, you learn to “gut it out.”

 

The memorial service for my cousin was over, however, I had twelve online patients on Monday and then came “only a whisper.” Laryngitis could not come at a worse time, since I had a scheduled onsite debriefing for a group of Intensive Care nurses on Tuesday night. Yes, I could have rescheduled, but then I would have missed the courageous stories of some of the best nurses in the county.

 

I learned that this group had loving taken care of a young mom with four school age children over four months before the young mom died of Covid. These dedicated women and men shared that they had cared for over 80 patients who died of Covid in the past six months and for a small community hospital this was historic.

 

With my laryngitis, they kept offering me hot tea and I just listened to their stories when at Christmas they brought a tree into this mother’s room and gave gifts to all her children. But a moment still most painful for a young nurse was when she took out the tube before this patient died. She told me, “This gave her life and I was the one who took that away.” The family had made their decision to withdraw life support so that their daughter could rest from her pain and suffering.

 

To all our nurses who daily display the compassion of our Lord to the sick and dying, our gratitude can never express our humble thanks for those moments none of us would be able to face nor perform. With laryngitis, you listen more as another nurse shared her painful story of working a twelve-hour shift in which six patients died, though numb, she performed her duties and hugged every family member after the death of their loved one.

 

So maybe if I was still serving in a parish, the service would be shorter and I might even have someone read my reflection to save my voice. But I am glad I made no excuses to go out when needed and affirm and bless the good work of this courageous group of nurses.

 

So what’s my point, you may be feeling out of sorts, in a “funk” meaning listless, cranky and irritable. I took my OTC pain relievers, drank lots of hot tea, wore my mask, sucked on a lozenge and listened with the mind, heart and soul of Jesus who taught: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in.”

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, all our nurses who offer Your comfort and love to all Covid patients. Forward the following “A Nurse’s Prayer to be Enough during the Covid Pandemic” by a nurse Sister Patricia Linehan.

 

Lord Jesus, You only have us
to care for COVID-19 patients,
to reassure they are not alone, that we will do our very best, and they are safe.
Let us be Your presence.

 

Lord Jesus, You only have us
to watch closely for changes in breathing, panic in eyes, quickened pulse.
We act, respond to whatever presents, and then we pray.
Let us be Your healing touch.

 

Lord Jesus, You only have us,
to give comfort when pain is in every movement, without loving family support.
We medicate, monitor, adjust ventilators and IV lines, and invent communication pathways.
Let us be Your comfort and relief.

 

Lord Jesus, You only have us,
to come back tomorrow, to face our own fears and exhaustion.
We use caution, and PPE, and experience, and new technology to stop corona progress.
Let us be Your vigilance.

 

Lord Jesus, You only have us,
to stand in for You. Make ours Your healing touch. Make ours the words You’d speak.
Make our outreach to families and loved ones the comfort and hope You’d give.
Let us be Your love.

 

Lord Jesus, You only have us,
when a colleague falls ill, our ranks are diminished and threatened.
Make our efforts enough to go ‘round, let it be enough for all,
As you did the loaves and fishes, enough for all.
Let us be Your enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Story of Faith

 

Last week, I received a record seven critical incident requests. It is a humble privilege to listen and provide comfort to many employees who are shocked and numbed by the news that their co-worker had died. But last week’s “God moment” came attending my cousin Butchie’s funeral service.

 

To Sandra, his wife, he was her Hank, to his 91 year-old and my aunt Helen, he was her son Butch, but to me and all his cousins we knew him as “Butchie.”  

 

For the past five years, he lived at Kirkhaven Nursing Home coping with the miserable disease of dementia. However, Sandra’s son shared that he was grateful how well Hank had cared for his mom. He shared that his teenage son would miss Uncle Hank because when this nephew came to visit, he picked a western or sci-fi movie and the two of them would watch together.

 

There was no solemn church service, or grand choir, a few “amens” from the congregation when the local church deacon preached. When invited to speak, I shared that Jesus loves the helpless, especially the children and Butchie was a “child at heart.’ He had no control over his past addictions and the Alzheimer’s but Jesus taught “blessed are the children for they will inherit the kingdom.” In our helpless state of affairs, Jesus comes to bring His compassion and mercy.

 

But the sacred “God moment” came when Kathy, another cousin, shared that on the night he died, she came with his mom earlier and they told Butch to let go and let God take you home. He would be with his dad and two brothers. Once they got home, the nursing home called and told them he had gone to heaven. Kathy shared that Butch was sending his mom and Kathy messages from heaven that he was at peace.

 

Reading her bible on the following day, she read from James which meant that Butch was with his brother Jimmy. She then found a card he had wrote his mom, and in his own writing expressed how grateful he was for putting up with him and that he loved her for standing by his side through the struggles of life. Without a doubt, Kathy shared with Hank’s wife, his mom and her family that Butch was safe in the tender arms of Jesus. Lots of “amens.”

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who have not been inside a church in awhile.

Rest assure that Jesus knows our weaknesses and how hard it is to let go of our bad habits. Like Kathy, may we know that God made us in His image to be His child forever. I asked Butchie to pray for all of us so that our faith will grow strong until we meet him in paradise.

 

 

 

 

Teaching is a Calling

 

Pray for the teacher that feels in over her head. Who walked in her loud classroom to someone rolling on the floor and another writing on the desk who is wondering if she picked the right profession today.

 

Give that teacher assurance that she/he is called.

Pray for the teacher who has the hurting child today. The child that left home from a hostile environment that is doing their best to hide their pain but needs someone to notice and advocate for them.

 

Give that teacher insight.

Pray for the teacher that has the child with the undiagnosed behavior problem. Where the parents are in denial and the teacher is trying to teach a classroom and manage a child that is demanding all their time and they feel drained.

 

Give that teacher grace and extra love.

Pray for the teacher who is a new mother that is trying to pump and nurse and manage it all with a classroom of kids that feel like babies themselves.

 

Give that teacher energy.

Pray for the teacher who feels her entire class is not respecting her. And the passion she once had for teaching has now turned into lessons on respect and she’s worn down.

 

Give that teacher the gentle authority she needs.

Pray for the teacher who has a hurting heart today, and a classroom of kids that need her. For the one that woke up today needing encouragement and an extra dose of love.

 

Give that teacher peace today and let her kids love on her.

 

Teaching is a calling.

A ministry.

A place where many go to teach science, math and English, and for this senior priest “deacon formation”  but where they often find themselves teaching about emotions and self-control more than anything academic.

 

Your teachers need your prayers today just as much as your children do. So let’s cover them in prayer. So they can change the world one child at a time

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are teachers in their homes, the classroom, the church school of religion and those who serve as mentors to students of all ages.

May our prayers for them on this Valentine’s Day express our sincere appreciation for all their compassion and love to their students.

 

 

 

Cutting a Path to Compassion

 

Last Monday, the weather lady in Buffalo was already predicting a winter storm warning to slam into Buffalo and all of Western New York. Predictions were estimating ten to a foot of snow beginning Wednesday night and then another eight inches of snow lasting into Friday afternoon. 

 

Already my anxiety chemicals were rising thinking would the tractor start in sub-zero weather, would it get up the hills with the ice that already covered the surface, or worse would it get stuck in a ditch spinning its wheels unable and we would be snowed in for the season.

 

Sometimes our minds get stuck on a negative thought and instead of letting go we dwell on the worse that can happen. It seemed there was a moment when the disciples were stuck in their boats all night long without any anything to show for their efforts. Along comes Jesus and His response is simply, get back into your boats and try again. It would appear Our Lord’s friends are burnt out from their labors and just want to go home to bed. Instead, Jesus rallies their spirits and they head out from shore most likely grumbling under their breath, what does this carpenter know about fishing. 

 

Well, the carpenter must have “heavenly radar” because next thing we hear the boats are swamped with fish that they fearful they will capsize. The lesson here is when we find ourselves exhausted from the struggles of life, Jesus comes to save us. Maybe, we don’t need a boatload of fish, but a little positive attitude not to be afraid of another winter storm.

 

At 6am, on Thursday morning, I plowed 4 inches, then at 10am, another 4 inches, next at 6pm, another 4, then at 10pm we were up to 16 inches and still snowing. Friday, we had 3 inches overnight and it kept snowing till 5pm when the air cleared and our snow totaled a record 25 inches.

 

The driveway was clear for Sue to make it to her doctor’s appointment in Rochester on Friday morning. But there was another path that needed to be cleared. You see my spouse takes care of all creatures great and small,  Her kitties are the small ones. Mittens is an outdoor kitty that we have fed for several years, Sue had built insulated huts to keep him warm during the cold winter. However, he had disappeared during the storm. Sue searched for him and found him hiding in the next door neighbor’s shed. Smart kitty but how will he get his food in four feet of snow. 

 

Sue starts shoveling a path from the side of our house where the kitty huts are located to Maggie’s backyard barns. We had cut a path through 700 feet of snow though the woods and grape vines until we had shoveled a path to the neighbor’s shed window where Mittens had survived the storm. 

 

 

 

Why would anyone bother doing such a heroic act of kindness to keep a stray kitty fed and watered. Simple, it’s love. Inspired by my spouse desire to keep this kitty safe, I finished the path, and in the end we were both exhausted. I was grateful that I had married such a compassionate partner. 

 

 

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that we are grateful for those people who inspire us to be compassionate. We had cut a path to help Mittens find his way to his food bowl and water. Perhaps, you have someone who is feeling empty, desperate and in need of a helping hand. Lord, as You filled the boats with food for your exhausted disciples, come fill our dropping spirits with Your compassionate heart and love.

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Roger's Story

 

Let me share a story about Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. He captivated people from every walk of life. It didn't matter, your race, your creed, your income, where you lived, what your occupation was, nothing. There was something about him, a presence, a kindness, an unexplainable depth to him that just seemingly brought out the best in everyone around him. 

I have a favorite Mr. Rogers story. And it features a little boy with cerebral palsy, and he was paralyzed from the waist down. One day this little boy heard a preacher say that God created all things. And since this little boy considered himself a burden who really couldn't do anything for himself, the little boy concluded that God must hate him for creating him so useless. So the boy started self-harming, hitting himself whenever he recognized the burden that he placed on others. The only thing that would calm him down when he started self-harming was watching Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. 

 

So one day, the little boy's mother arranged for him to meet Fred Rogers on the set of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Moments before he was to meet his hero, Mr. Rogers, the little boy, he had a thought. He thought, "Mr. Rogers is such a good man. He must be so close to God. And if he is so close to God, then I am completely unworthy to be in his presence." So the boy started hitting himself. Then out walks Fred Rogers. He had no idea what he was walking into. Mr. Rogers walks up to the little boy, and he bends down to be eye level with him. And he says, "Little boy, will you do me a favor?" "Yes, Mr. Rogers, anything for you." "Little boy, will you pray for me?" Later that day, the little boy had this thought. Mr. Rogers was such a good man and so close to God, and he thought the boy was worth something. But maybe God did, too. And the little boy stopped self-harming.

 

Years later, when the story reached a reporter, he asked Mr. Rogers how he knew that this was the perfect thing to say to that little boy. Fred Rogers simply responded by saying, "I didn't. I just know that someone so young, asked to suffer so much, must be so close to God. And I could use his prayers." 

 

The Sunday gospel is an amazing one, and it gives a wonderful formula for deep living. Step one, get into the classroom of silence every day and talk with your God. Talk with your God, in whom you live and breathe and have life in. Two, listen to the word of God. Get passionately curious about the life and teaching of Jesus. Three, be like Peter. Have the courage of Peter. Share your doubts, your misgivings about being worthy of living a deep life, about following Jesus, about living up to the unique call he has for you. Lay it all out there and give Jesus the space to respond. And finally, four, have the courage to put your misgivings aside. Take Jesus at his word and accept his invitation to adventure by following him as closely as you possibly can into the deep waters of your life.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that they put aside those things in which they feel a burden or a failure. Help us to press close to You because you see only the good and give us the courage to trust and accept Your love.