Easter Ethel

 

This is a true story, one that I promise you will never forget, and one that will cause you to think of Easter in a totally different light. 

 

The lady's name was Ethel Lamont. She was a wonderful Christian who lived in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was the patient of a fine Christian doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people.

Ethel was his favorite patient. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of her. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Ethel with her big black bible in her lap. She was earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Dr. Phillips knew why Ethel was there and what she was doing. You see, Ethel Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way "Hello, my name is Ethel Lamont. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would see Jesus for the first time as she told his story. 

 

Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse Beverly. Beverly had first met Ethel when she was taking her blood pressure. Ethel began in her usual way by saying, "My name is Ethel Lamont. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?" Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up." Well Ethel kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a living relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Ethel into the office quite yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room. After being called back in the doctor's office, Ethel sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?" Dr. Phillips said, "Now Ethel, I'm the doctor and you're the patient." With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Ethel, you're not going to live very long." Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!" Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this is!"

Ethel continued coming to Dr. Phillips every day. Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Ethel did not show up. Later that afternoon, Ethel called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be going to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter?" Well, they did just that, and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. 

 

Many women met their Lord through Ethel. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients were so excited about Ethel, that they started calling her Easter Ethel; everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse. She made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times; she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book. 

 

Well, one morning the two nurses who were to attend to Ethel were sick. Ethel had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a flu shot. When she walked in, Ethel had a big smile on her face and said, "Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you." Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me. It won't work. I'm not interested." Ethel said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family." Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never happen." She walked out of the room. Every day, Phyllis Cross would walk into that room and Ethel would say, "God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you." One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Ethel's room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Ethel said, "I'm so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day." Phyllis Cross said, "Ethel, you have asked everybody here the question, 'Do you believe in Easter?' but you have never asked me."

 

Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked..." Ethel took her Bible and shared with Phyllis the Easter story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?" Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life." Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels.

 

Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Ethel said, "Do you know what day it is?" Phyllis Cross said, "Why Ethel, it's Good Friday." Ethel said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter, Phyllis!" Well, two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Ethel and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter. When she walked into her room, Ethel was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible.

 

There was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Ethel's hand, she realized she was dead. Her left hand was on John 14 "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down her cheeks, said, "Happy Easter, Ethel - Happy Easter!" Well, Phyllis Cross left Ethel's body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"

 

How about you, do you believe? Is Jesus risen or is he not? Or is it after all just a child’s fable? Ultimately we are asked which path we will follow. The skeptical, calculating path of doubters, or the trusting, patient route of those who keep learning to believe like Ethel Easter.

 

May the tender mercy of God bring you and your family Peace & Joy. fr. matt

 

Easter Story

 

 

I am concelebrating the Holy Thursday service at the cathedral with our bishop who says: “hold the holy oils while I bless them and if I need anything else just be ready.” My response: “not a problem, just give me a nod.”

 

Part of the Holy Thursday rites include the bishop washing the feet of his parishioners. I noticed he had lots of volunteers, as the rites asks the celebrant to imitate Jesus who washed the feet of his disciples. The master and teacher takes on the role of servant. I was thinking during this rite what is means to be humble.

 

True story, two hours earlier, I was talking with our volunteer fire chief telling him I had been counseling his son. I learned his son had quit the fire department in disgust after serving for 14 years over a decision made at their last department meeting.

 

This young assistant chief had been searching for three months for a gator and trailer to be used to rescue people in remote locations.

 

One quote was $12,000 for the trailer, but that was too much. Rather, our young firefighter found an aluminum bed for only $5,000 that he felt fit the need to haul the gator. However, another opinion questioned that figure with an older trailer for $3,000 but they never shared that it needed all new tires and an upgraded electrical system that would add thousands to the costs. Our young firefighter felt hurt and disrespected and so he quit.

 

His dad is the chief and he shared “the kid” can be stubborn but his son was right and had the best solution. Sadly, our shun firefighter had not called his dad since the meeting. The chief texted his son asking him to join him to evaluate safety equipment but he had not received a reply. Stubborn kid or just being human when people failed to appreciate all our hard work.

 

I forwarded the following text to this young man. “I know you are taking a time-out because you were hurt and felt no support from your crewmembers. However, your dad needs you tonight and values your opinion about this safety equipment. Sometimes I am called to serve knowing that people don’t really care or whose opinions are not very respectful, but I go when needed. Your dad needs your help, just go.”

 

Jesus was sent by His Father to teach us how to love God and neighbor. Sadly, those same neighbors crucified his Son. From the cross, the human Jesus felt hurt, pain, abandoned. Rather, instead of calling for his angels to save Him from the cross, he spoke words of forgiveness.

 

To be servant means we have to have the confidence to tell that young fireman that I appreciate all his sacrifices and hard work, but my text hoped to encourage him to return and continue to serve his community despite a “few cheapskates and arrogant neighbors.”

 

That’s the Easter message: Taking what was dead and giving it new life.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who feel hurt, disrespected or bruised by the times people failed to support them. Let us turn our thoughts and hearts to Jesus in thanksgiving for giving us a new life, new hope and the promise of the resurrection. Blessed Easter. fr. matt

 

Retreat & Be Still for Holy Week

 

On my recent missionary journey, I had hoped to explore Death Valley National Park. Little did I realize that a “God moment” would occur when the motel owner Roy shared that his wife Roberta had been diagnosed with stage four cancer. As I knelt at the side of her wheelchair and offered Roberta a healing prayer, the Spirit of the Lord came upon us to offer hope and healing. Roy thanked me through his tears.

 

Now as I drove into the park, little did I realize that I was making a retreat and allowing God’s spirit to renew my heavy heart and praying for this courageous woman. In the stillness of the desert, take a moment to experience what I saw and allow Our Lord to be a source of comfort in your time of suffering and pain.

 

 

The early Christian Celts were heavily influenced by the early desert hermits and Desert Fathers and Mothers of Egypt such as Anthony the Great, Sarah of the Desert, and John Cassian. The Irish word ysert or diser, meaning “desert,” retains its original meaning, referring to a place of solitude or a retreat for a more intimate encounter with God. During Holy Week, set aside distractions such as television, social media, or shopping, and instead retreat for a time with the Lord.

 

 

One of the earliest Christian saints of Ireland was St. Kevin, the famous hermit monk of Glendalough. Kevin was renowned for his love of silence and stillness, as one legend about his life reveals. One morning as Kevin was praying, a blackbird landed in his outstretched hands. So afraid was Kevin to disturb the bird that he allowed it to make a nest in his hands during Lent. The legend tells us that the eggs hatched on a bright Easter morning and flew from Kevin’s hands 

 

 

When we practice stillness like St. Kevin, our own hands—our whole being—become a space to cradle new life. Each of us ought to place a premium on stillness during Holy Week and, like St. Kevin of Glendalough, when the world becomes too rushed and noisy, seek out spaces for solitude.

 

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends as we enter Holy Week, may it be a time to simply “be still” as we awake the dawn of hope and our resurrection.  

 

 

 

Unworthy

On my recent deployment to Divine Mercy Catholic Parish in Las Vegas, I was sadden to learn that many of the Hispanic people do not receive Holy Communion because they feel unworthy. It seemed very ironic since I noticed many families came with their children and were most devout in offering prayers. Why they carried this negative attitude about themselves was a mystery so I decided to challenge this tradition.

 

At the beginning of the liturgy, the penitential rite invites people to examine their conscience and ask the Lord for forgiveness. The Sunday Gospel described a woman standing in humiliation and the ancient law of Moses says she must be stoned to death for her crime. Stoned to death!

 

It’s a clever trap for the Teacher. Somehow I am thinking that our Hispanic people must be feeling like this woman. They feel disgraced and ashamed. The response of Jesus is profound for He leans down and scratches absently in the dirt. People hold their breath, and the accusers worry. Why is he silent and what will he say? Jesus says: “My Abba has loved each of you through all ages, no matter whether you were sinners or not.”

 

Abba means, “be my people. Love one another. I love you, and I forgive your sins.” But hatred is the motto of those accusers and perhaps the inner voice these Hispanic people carry deep within their hearts. That toxic voice wants them to stay away from communion for they feel unworthy. They stand in humiliation and their hearts say in terror, “our accusers are right, we are unworthy.’

 

But notice Jesus lifts his head and utters a sentence that sums up this Gospel and all of Lent. “Let the one among you who is without sin throw the first stone.”

 

The crowd creeps away quietly, submerged in their own consciences.

Now we stand alone before this quiet Teacher, and your terror has subsided. There is something about him that makes you feel worthy.

 

In the penitential rite, I reminded all our humble Hispanic people that I offer the prayer of absolution. In the Gospel Jesus asks, “Well, where are they, Has no one condemned you?” She says, “No one, sir.” Jesus also asks, “Do you condemn yourself?” You, the woman, spend a long time on this answer because it is so very hard. Finally you whisper, “I do not want to condemn myself, Teacher.”

 

“Neither do I condemn you,” answers Jesus. “Go and sin no more.”

 

Aa our humble congregation bowed their heads to receive absolution, I reminded them that Holy Communion is Jesus’ way of giving them a big hug and the grace to be the best Christians they can be for the coming week. If we could each accept our own sinfulness as well as the forgiveness that surrounds it, we would have peace.

 

It took me 20 minutes to distribute communion to 350 parishioners kneeling at the rail. People had never had seem such a crowd line the aisles to receive Holy Communion.

 

I can honestly say the spirit of the Lord made this happen for finally this unworthy crowd could stammer at last, “I believe, Lord. Help our unbelief.”

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who feel unworthy that during this Lent we do not condemn themselves. Help us to believe, and drink the compassion of God, who has been there all along, tracing in our souls, “neither do I condemn you.”

 

Quinceanera

 

The Quinceanera refers to the traditional coming-of-age celebration for Latinas. It is an elegant party on the girl's 15th birthday, highlighting God, family, friends, music, food and dance. To mark her passage into womanhood, a ceremony is held in her honor, which presents the young woman to the community while giving thanks to God for his blessings.

 

On my deployment to Divine Mercy Catholic Church in Las Vegas, I have celebrated the Quinceanera Mass for Magali, Angie, Julia and Sophia. With all their young friends, most of them teenagers, this was my story to help bring them closer to Jesus.

 

One of my hobbies is to take landscape photos at national parks. I was humbled by the generosity of a parishioner who let me borrow her car to take a 24-hour trip to Death Valley National Park. However, before this adventure, I contacted a modest motel to stay overnight. The owner bargained that if I would take photos of their motel rooms to update their website, he would offer me a free room for the night.

 

When I arrived in Beatty, Roy, the motel owner, immediately took me aside to share that he had just brought his wife Roberta home from a Las Vegas hospital where she was diagnosed with stage four cancer. At the quinceanera, I shared that the devil is about getting. Jesus is about giving.

 

I asked Roy if I could visit his wife and give her a blessing. He said that he was not a Catholic, like this really matters to Jesus. Within minutes, Roy says, “Come” and I am walking into their humble home, knelling down at the side of his wife’s wheel chair, taking hold of her hand and offering a blessing prayer asking Jesus to heal her and give her courage for the next step in her treatments. I reminded her that God loves us and especially wants to be close to us in our time of suffering. A prayer of hope, healing and compassion. Roy cried as we walked outside their home to express his thanks.

 

I finally drove into the park and stopped at the visitor center to get my day pass, where I met a young park ranger who said she lived in Rochester. I replied with delight, “that’s my home too.” Then I thought, what a wonderful image for God. I told our 15 year old quinceanera and her young friends to think of God like a park ranger.

 

A person who serves. A park ranger serves her visitors by giving out maps so they won’t get lost, Jesus helps us who are lost in this life. Our ranger points visitors to find the best places to visit and see God’s beauty. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. The ranger suggests hiking trails and shares information how to stay safe. Jesus teaches that the most important word in life is forgiveness. The ranger leads special classes about the environment and local animals that inhabit the land like the coyote and mountain goats.

 

What a wonderful image for God. Jesus is about giving and this young ranger was giving me ideas where to find the best spots to take my landscape photos.

 

On this special day of your quinceaneras, where do you think Jesus is calling you to serve?  For a young teenager, it might be the time you are asked to babysit your younger brothers and sisters, or volunteering to help visit your grandparents, a lonely neighbor or family member. There are tons of ways a young person can serve Jesus. Maybe sing in your church Hispanic choir.  

 

My dear Sonshine Friends, what about you? Where do you think Jesus is calling you to serve?

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, that God inspires us to choose where we can use our special gifts and talents to serve God and be the best Christian we can be

 

After I taught our young peopel that Jesus is about giving, this is the prayer the young lady recites asking Jesus for His help to serve Him.

 

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the gift of life for creating me in your image and likeness and for calling me to be your daughter through baptism. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to save me and your Holy Spirit to sanctify me. To that which in your goodness and love you will for me, I say “yes,” With your grace I commit myself to serve my brothers and sisters all my life.
 

Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, I dedicate myself to you. Since you are my model of faith, help me to continue learning from you what I need to be a Christian woman. Help me to hear the Word of God as you did, holding it in my heart and loving others, so that, as I walk with Jesus in this life, I may worship Him with you in all eternity. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus is About Giving

 

Temptation. It’s a craving for my coconut ice crème at night before bedtime. The family rule is you scoop a small portion into a bowl, but the temptation is to cradle the half-gallon carton in your lap with a spoon until it’s all gone. Why would anyone do that, because it tastes so good. Forget the calories, it was yummy in my tummy.

 

Satan is playing hardball with Jesus. He comes with three final temptation doozies after 40 days of temptation. Think about it – if Jesus, the Son of God, is not exempt from temptation, then who is? 

 

Lent's a good time to be reminded that's why we pray, fast, and give alms. Those are designed to help you and me overcome temptation, to be anything less than the best version of ourselves. Satan's message is clear. "Get all you can, Jesus. Look at the splendor, look at the sparkle. It's all yours. Don't worry about God, don't worry about pleasing Him. Please yourself, Jesus. That'll make you happy. Simply worship me."

 

The devil is all about getting. He's about getting because the more we focus on getting, what we think life should be, the less and less life we actually have. You can call it acquisition; you can call it purchasing; you can call it consuming. Call it what you want, but you and I live in a culture of getting.

 

Getting, getting even, getting my way, getting what's mine, getting while the getting's good, getting all I can, getting what I want out of life, getting, getting, getting. And no matter how much we get, we still want more. We get what we want, and life's still not right. Our soul’s not settled, our heart's not satisfied. We want more revenge, we want more assets, we want to get more pleasure. We are a culture of getters.

 

Reminds me about the little boy, Brian, at the birthday party. His mother was about to serve the cake when he shouted, "I want the biggest piece!" She replied, "Brian, it's not polite to ask for the biggest piece." So he looked at the floor and he said, "Well, then how do I get it?"

 

It's not Brian. There's just something in our souls that always wants to get more. But it's crucial to understand as Lent begins. The devil is about getting. Jesus is about giving. "Don't try to get life," Jesus says. "Give your life away, and when you do then you'll find it." Because life is not about us. It's about God. As long as we focus on ourselves, our needs, our wants, our passion, our spirit, our desires, we'll never actually find what life is about. That's the irony, isn't it?

 

So when Satan offers the world, Jesus replies, "Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him." Because Jesus understood you can only have one master. You can serve whatever you choose, your passion, your desires, all the world's stuff, or you can serve God. "Just know," Jesus says, "that to serve anything other than God is to choose Satan." In other words, do you want life? Give it away. That's why Lent's just so powerful. It's about these simple habits: pray, fast, give. Habits that help you give your life away to God. When you invest your heart, when you invest your money, when you invest your life in God, then you will find life.

 

Let me share an example about someone who understands that. Matt was a forklift driver. He lived near Detroit. He worked as a forklift driver for most of his adult life. Even when he was 78, he was still driving that lift. He lived in a one-bedroom apartment, drove an old Ford Escort, didn't take vacations. What did he do? Matt gave his money away. Over the course of his lifetime, he'd given more than $1 million to church ministries and educational scholarships. He said, "Big house, big car? That doesn't excite me. Giving is my joy." Funny who understands that. A 78-year-old forklift driver.

 

Look around you. There’s a war going on in Ukraine. women and children are leaving their homes by the millions while their husbands stay to fight for freedom. The Ukrainian people in our country are collecting food and medicine to send to their families in a war torn country. The devil is about getting. Jesus is about giving.

 

A lot can happen in 40 days of Lent. How are you going to use yours? What are you going to do with your 40 days? Jesus is inviting you to give your life away, and when you do, you just might find that you have more life than you ever had before.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, keep safe the mothers and children who are running for their life to safety to other countries, bless the volunteers from all nations who welcome the refugees into their homes, and watch over the men who are willing to give their life for freedom and bring their spouses and children back home to Ukraine.

 

 

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.