Ballard of Anna Lee

Blessed are those when the face of God shines upon them.

Father Clement at St Mary’s told us on the Solemnity of Mary that when and if we are fortunate enough to see the face of God, we have a responsibility to share the experience.  Do not keep it secret he told us, and in this way, we can be missionaries in the Kingdom of God.  With this lofty goal I will share a tale from St Mary’s Hospital ministry about a woman I met whom I shall call Kathryn.  But first a reflection on a long-forgotten poem.

“The Old Man” by Edgar Allen Poe

Edgar Allen Poe a Catholic admirer, sometime Baltimore native, and cousin to my children, wrote an unpublished poem that has haunted me for many years.  Sadly, I forgot the lines, the actual name of the poem, and can no longer find it anywhere on Google. But It’s about an old man on his death bed.  The priest is there by his side.  He wants to hear the old man’s confession, give him absolution and forgiveness, but the angel of death has robbed the old man of his ability to speak and confess his sins.  He is doomed to watch helplessly in despair as the awful horror approaches with forgiveness and salvation just beyond his reach. 

Kathryn

I was making my rounds as a Eucharistic Minister at the Hospital on the eve of the Solemnity of Mary. The nurse was attending to my patient at the moment talking loudly as Kathryn was hard of hearing.  I waited outside the room where I heard the most beautiful voice asking questions in childlike wonderment.   Soon it was my turn.  I entered the room to see a tiny, frail, old woman, ”… and who are you?” she asked sweetly. 

“When you have your health, many things can be done, but when you are sick what will you do?” (a Kempis)

I told her I was here to bring her Holy Communion but that there was a note on her card saying she had  been put on a puree diet and could not receive.  Poor Kathryn, the angel was approaching and had already robbed her hearing, ability to walk and now to eat the “Bread of life”, and she was beginning to despair.  She told me about the day before when another Eucharistic Minister had given her Holy communion, but she was worried greatly because she had not been to Church for many months, “I might have committed a sacrilege” she told me.  I assured her that we have been instructed to never deny anyone communion in the hospital, after the priest has seen and anointed them, and that even Pope Francis himself has repeatedly told us he never denies anyone Holy communion - it is the sacrament of healing the Pope says.  Kathryn was very worried because surely, she could have gotten someone to bring her to Church, but she confessed in the same thought that she did not want to inconvenience anyone.

The gift of Spiritual Communion

I had been prepared for this and had with me the Act of Spiritual Communion given to St Alphonsus Liguori by the Holy Spirit for exactly this situation.  Kathryn was delighted and could not believe that there was such a prayer and that she had had the good fortune to receive it.  “You mean I can receive communion even when I am sick or cannot make it to Church?  We said the act together and she was happy for a while, but she soon returned to despair – “I could have asked someone to help me and bring me to Church she said …. it was my fault. ” 

The gift of the Ranger Rosary

I reminded her again that she had just seen a priest the day before, and that he had anointed her and completely and totally absolved her from all her sins.  But the angel of death was fogging Kathryn’s mind and she was confused about what had happened.  I told her about the Solemnity of Mary coming up the next day and how if we ask our Mother Mary, she will bring us close to her son Jesus and give us peace.  I gave her a pair of Ranger Rosaries and told her how they were handmade at St Mary’s, Blessed by the Redemptorists and given out to soldiers around the world, and how all the Catholic Mid Shipmen in Annapolis receive a pair at graduation to take with them on board ships of the US Navy.  She was delighted that we were now giving them out to the hospital patients and thought they were truly handsome – “all handmade!” she proclaimed in wonderment.  I told her all she had to do was  hold the blest Rosary tightly in her hand, say the name Mary, and the Mother of God would help her.  She was at peace for a little while, but she was still not sure.

I heard heavens bells – heavens bells for thee.

Then I told her to listen carefully as I prayed the words of the Memorare to the Blessed Virgin Mary for her, which would confirm Mary’s desire to help.  Only a short way through the prayer Kathryn joined me as she started to remember yet unstolen words from her past….  “It has never been known that anyone who sought thy help… was left unaided”.  She was smiling broadly now, holding her rosary tightly, her confidence overflowing as she remembered well each line of the prayer, a prayer engraved in her memory by repetition… in preparation for this very moment. I could easily look into her eyes now and see the face of God shining, as with Mary’s help she confidently approached the “Throne of Grace to receive mercy. “Hebrews 4:16 

I felt wisdom crashing into me.

It is in the ordinary people we meet, like Kathryn, that the Holy Spirit and our Mother Mary comes to us bringing words of wisdom. Many of us will be tormented to despair on our death bed like Kathryn or the old man in Poe’s poem; it would be well then to establish a prayer life now while “God is listening, and our prayers are heard … First Friday and First Saturday devotions, devotions to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and especially the Daily Rosary…  Blessed the one who is daily disposed to die.” (a Kempis)  

“Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners,

 now and at the hour of our death.”