D E N I E D

It was a pure act of Love

It was a pure act of Generosity

It was a pure act of Compassion

Stolen
STOLEN
S T O L E N. . . .

It was several years ago.

I was visiting a patient who was actively dying. Her family was out of town, trying desperately to get back to be with her before she died.

I was sitting beside her bed and I was reading

(PRAYING)

the Rosary for her which was in her hands.

She was completely unresponsive and just as completely comfortable and managed.

While I was Reading the Rosary on her behalf a lady came to give Communion to the patient I was seeing and her roommate.

We had met before. She had come to a workshop/presentation I had done at that nursing home,

A PRIEST, A RABBI AND A MINISTER CAME TO HOSPICE.

We greeted one another and after she had given Communion to the roommate, she came over to the foot of the bed of the patient I was providing simple presence.

“I don’t think she’ll be able to receive Communion today. I think she’s readying herself to take her final journey.”

“What about you,” she asked?

“ME?”

“Yes. You. Would you like to receive Communion?”

“I’m afraid I’m not able to because as you know I’m a Protestant Chaplain.”

“I didn’t ask you if you were able,” she said, I am asking if you would like to receive Communion on this Good Friday?”

What she was offering I had never been offered; never had to consider.

Honestly, it wasn’t her WORDS, her invitation, it was the look in her eyes as she offered.

LOVE FILLED.

I honestly believed at that moment, to REFUSE her offer would have been a wrongdoing;

A SIN

She Extended the Host to my Mouth

I humbly accepted.

Hours later, I went back to the office and shared the story and was severely chastised by a colleague, a fellow chaplain, a Eucharistic Minister who demanded to know the name of the person who had extended such an outrageous,

SACRILEGIOUS

G I F T

so she could be reprimanded and stripped of her duties of being a Eucharistic Minister.

It’s taken me a long time to learn the lesson

and I learned it painfully many times over

but I actually didn’t say anything to the remarks…

I didn’t respond or react at the attempt of

ALMOST BEING ROBBED OF SOMETHING SACRED FOR SOMETHING SORDID

BUT I THOUGHT

I THOUGHT. . .

D E N I E D

(I won’t be)

It happened several years ago but

I Remember. . .

I Remember well

(just as instructed)….

Communion isn’t what you Eat or Drink. . .

It’s what YOU DO.

A lesson LEARNED

is only half Accomplished…

When TAUGHT–

fully COMPLETED…

Completed in me
Completed in you

Communioned in ALL

DENIED

TO

NONE!