Message from Fr. Jim Wright

Dear Friends:

I was told a true story recently about a man who was ill and his wife who was seeking a way to assist him. A friend recommended she write his favorite Biblical verses on 3x5 index cards and give them to him. She did so and soon noticed him sitting in his chair in the evening and picking up the cards and reading them. She also noticed him developing a more positive and cooperative attitude towards life.

A few months later, as the man's illness worsened, he was at the doctor's office and the doctor asked him how he was coping with his situation. The man paused for a moment, reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the 3x5 cards, handed them to the doctor and said "this is how I am handling my situation." The man's wife had no idea her husband was carrying the cards with him. The doctor looked at the cards and said, "this is great, I think you've got it."


The woman in this story was blessed with good advice from a friend, and she enjoys sharing this story in the hope it will bless others in similar circumstances. But this story can also be a blessing even if we are not in the circumstance of caring for a loved one who is ill.
All of us will one day face our own illness and death. We often think of making practical preparations for our time of dying, by drafting living wills and otherwise making our desires known to our family. But it is just as important to make spiritual preparations.

One way is to keep track of our favorite Biblical verses by highlighting them in our Bibles, writing them down, or entering them into the computer. If you are not a Christian you can apply this idea to whatever writings you find uplifting and inspiring. In this way there will be a collection of written spiritual resources available to you and your loved ones when illness and death come your way.
Of course, these same writings will also give you inspiration during your time of health and vitality. Indeed, it is likely that such writings will enhance your health and promote a longer and happier life. And that is a blessing as well.

Fr. Jim Wright

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