My mother and I were always very spiritually close, evidenced by many extraordinary experiences confirming this truth over the years. One day my mother suffered a brain aneurism that caused a stroke. After all available treatments were exhausted, and due to complications that caused brain seizures heavy medications became a necessity. Her physical and mental condition forced me to place her in a special care facility. This was very difficult for both my dad and me, but I made every effort to insure that she received the very best of care. What made it most difficult for me was her inability to recognize me.
During the week I visited her in the evenings. Approaching her she would look up at me from her wheelchair and ask, “Who are you?”
Most often she mistook me for my father or my brother. Even though I understood the cause, it still hurt and painful tugs gripped my heart. However, God saw fit to show me something important that eventually brought peace to my heart with the situation.
Each Sunday after conducting the morning church service in one of the San Diego area congregations, I took whatever detour necessary to stop at the convalescent home. I wanted to serve my mother with Absolution, Holy Communion, and to pray with her. I had a living hope that in spite of her condition; somehow the blessing of God would reach her soul.
Without failure, every Sunday I walked into the entrance of the convalescent home, the first thing I saw was my mother in her wheelchair. She was first in the line of wheelchairs at the entry to the dining hall. She was hunched over, her eyeglasses askew and smudged to the point that she could not see anything very clearly through them. I entered the large reception room from the foyer and Mother immediately looked up, raised her “good” right arm and called out my name saying, “Allan! Is that you?”
I always responded with, “Yes, it’s me.”
Mother, loud enough for the whole room to hear, said, “Do you have my Holy Communion?”
I assured her I did, gave her a kiss and wheeled her back to her room. There I shared the highlights of the morning church service. I spoke to her as though there was nothing wrong with her comprehension. We prayed together the Lord’s Prayer and to my constant amazement, she prayed that pray as though nothing was wrong with her! No slurring of her words, no saying the wrong words, perfectly prayed as it would by a fully healthy person.
I followed the Lord’s Prayer with pronouncement of the Absolution. I prayed a brief prayer of thanksgiving, consecrated the elements and served her Holy Communion. Finally I pronounced the Benediction.
We said “Amen” together and mother looked up at me and said “Who are you?”
I released the brakes on the wheelchair and took Mother to the now filled dining room for lunch. I kissed her again and said goodbye with mixed feelings flooding my soul.
The first few times I had this experience, I left my mother deeply saddened and aching in my soul but also thankful I could serve her. Eventually, I realized that God was showing me something very important.
There was a lesson in all of this for me. It became clear once I was able to extricate myself from the emotional pain I felt. Now I saw that even though her physical faculties were impaired; her soul remained healthy and strong! I am forever grateful for that insight and the comfort and peace it offered.
Turning Point
This experience became a turning point in perspective. I wondered why I hadn’t recognized it sooner. Strong emotions have the effect of blinding one to the obvious. This turning point perspective equipped me to serve others to overcome their emotionally induced blindness in similar situations and see the truth of a broken body with a healthy soul.
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