So as many of you heard we had a little scare today...actually a big scare. Sunday, my dad was having spells where he would be dizzy, light headed and short of breath. Though he knew something wasn't right, things would get back to normal soon enough so he didn't think much of it. He went to bed Sunday, only to wake up around midnight not feeling well. He woke my mom and told her something wasn't right. She asked him if he wanted to call my sister-in-law who is a nurse and he said, "I think you better call 911." She did and they were off to the hospital. When they arrived, they hooked him up to a heart monitor and realized that his heart rate was dropping drastically, then jumping much higher than normal. It dropped 3 times and then he flat-lined. My sister says it was like a movie, they all came in and started working on him to get his heart going again.
This all happened before I returned from school. When I got back to the house from class, I checked my email and saw that my sister had called. Not realizing that it was still pretty early there, I called her thinking that maybe I would have another niece or nephew in 9 months (no pressure I promise!). The news was shocking to say the least.
They were able to bring him back, thank God. Hearing this news and being 16+ hours away from home makes one feel rather helpless. However, as soon as I began to feel that way, it was as if God looked over at me with wondering eyes, as if to let me know I had forgotten something. "Really, you can't do anything?" I am in Rome, 16+ hours away from home because I am studying to be a Catholic priest, yet I think I can't do anything. Alright I said, I get the point.
You see the past few days in the daily Mass readings there has been all of this talk about faith and how important it is for us to believe. In his audience last Wednesday, Pope Benedict spoke about how the early Church combated persecution and other problems with prayer. I realized that I could do just as much here as I could have done back home. Sure it would have been nice to be there for my mom, but I could do a great deal from here. I could PRAY! And I did. I prayed a rosary, asking our Blessed Mother to watch over him and the doctors who were operating on him. I prayed for my mom and my family back home. I put a prayer intention on the board here where 250 + seminarians, priests, and bishops would walk by and upon seeing it would offer prayers for my dad. It was as if I was being confronted with the Scriptures and my faith was being put to the test. It is great to pray and have faith when things are good, but do we turn to it when we are in trials? This is where "the rubber meets the road." Do I truly trust that God will protect me and my loved ones. Do I believe in the power of prayer? Does God hear me, does he care? As I thought of these questions, I am glad to say that they were all answered with a resounding YES! I DO believe; God DOES care; He DOES listen when I cry out to Him!
Thankfully, at the end of the day, my dad had a pacemaker put in and is in his room doing well and recovering. He should go home tomorrow as there was no blockage, just "electrical problems," which the pacemaker should solve.
Thank you God for giving my dad the sense to go to the hospital. Had he not been in the ER when he flat-lined, this blog might be very different. Thank you for using even this horrible situation to teach me something about myself, but more importantly to teach me something about You. Thank You for showing me how much You love me, how much You love all of us. Thank you for giving me the grace to believe!
I was already anxious to see my family, but now, I think those hugs will last just a bit longer as I realize even more how precious each of them is to me. 45 days and counting!
In Our Risen Lord,
Patrick
This all happened before I returned from school. When I got back to the house from class, I checked my email and saw that my sister had called. Not realizing that it was still pretty early there, I called her thinking that maybe I would have another niece or nephew in 9 months (no pressure I promise!). The news was shocking to say the least.
They were able to bring him back, thank God. Hearing this news and being 16+ hours away from home makes one feel rather helpless. However, as soon as I began to feel that way, it was as if God looked over at me with wondering eyes, as if to let me know I had forgotten something. "Really, you can't do anything?" I am in Rome, 16+ hours away from home because I am studying to be a Catholic priest, yet I think I can't do anything. Alright I said, I get the point.
You see the past few days in the daily Mass readings there has been all of this talk about faith and how important it is for us to believe. In his audience last Wednesday, Pope Benedict spoke about how the early Church combated persecution and other problems with prayer. I realized that I could do just as much here as I could have done back home. Sure it would have been nice to be there for my mom, but I could do a great deal from here. I could PRAY! And I did. I prayed a rosary, asking our Blessed Mother to watch over him and the doctors who were operating on him. I prayed for my mom and my family back home. I put a prayer intention on the board here where 250 + seminarians, priests, and bishops would walk by and upon seeing it would offer prayers for my dad. It was as if I was being confronted with the Scriptures and my faith was being put to the test. It is great to pray and have faith when things are good, but do we turn to it when we are in trials? This is where "the rubber meets the road." Do I truly trust that God will protect me and my loved ones. Do I believe in the power of prayer? Does God hear me, does he care? As I thought of these questions, I am glad to say that they were all answered with a resounding YES! I DO believe; God DOES care; He DOES listen when I cry out to Him!
Thankfully, at the end of the day, my dad had a pacemaker put in and is in his room doing well and recovering. He should go home tomorrow as there was no blockage, just "electrical problems," which the pacemaker should solve.
Thank you God for giving my dad the sense to go to the hospital. Had he not been in the ER when he flat-lined, this blog might be very different. Thank you for using even this horrible situation to teach me something about myself, but more importantly to teach me something about You. Thank You for showing me how much You love me, how much You love all of us. Thank you for giving me the grace to believe!
In Our Risen Lord,
Patrick
Praying...come home to us soon. Much love.
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