Praise God! Shortly after writing last month’s newsletter, I found out that lying prostrate on the ground was just a test, a training session, practice for the real challenge ahead. As a regular listener to Food for the Journey, I heard Sr Ann Sheilds describing a booklet she had written called “Hope in the Midst of Suffering.” She recommended giving this to people who were suffering sickness or pain, to help them unite their suffering to Christ. Guided by The Holy Spirit, I ordered and started giving these booklets to the people who were really suffering physically, as a means of help. Shortly after, I was talking with a friend about his uncle who still worked as a cardiothoracic surgeon at 85. I asked him how he could work for that long and he told me that he prayed before every surgery. That was what kept him going. The next day in prayer in adoration, the Lord put it on my heart to pray with my patients before every surgery. Even after lying prostrate I was still a little afraid of jumping completely out of the boat.
Now for years I had been asking the Lord if He wanted me to change my job to become a missionary or lay minister, but I had never gotten an answer. So I took that as a “stay where you are”. Though I truly enjoy my work and helping people, I would find myself getting tired after long days and frustrated at times with how hard the work could be, especially never being completely sure this is what God wanted me to do as a disciple. So this time there was no resistance. I told the Lord that if this is what he wanted, I would do it. I enlisted my secretary, a wonderful Holy woman, to tell my patients that I would offer to pray with them before surgery, to see if it was all right. She immediately told me a story about a surgeon who once joined in prayer with the Priest just before surgery and how great her sister thought that was. This gave me more encouragement. I decided to start the next week.
The first patient was a nurse, and about to have a knee replacement. She was as nervous as anyone that I had ever seen before surgery, like she wanted to run screaming out of the hospital. She was crying, sweaty, clammy and even squirming a little when I entered the room. She was afraid to have the surgery; afraid she was going to die. What she did not know is that I also was very sweaty and nervous about praying with her. It was my first time. I am not sure who was squirming more her or me. The Spirit gave me a prayer that I rehearsed about 100 times so I would not forget. I asked to hold her hand and prayed, “Dear Father in heaven, thank you for bringing us here today to help Deb with her knee. Please send your Holy Spirit to heal her body, mind, and soul. Please Lord, guide my hands during surgery and afterwards, speed her recovery. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” During the prayer, I could feel the Holy Spirit flowing through me to them. Karen started crying and both Karen and her husband were immediately calmer, and smiling, thanked me, shaking my hand as I left the room.
I have to say I was pumped, kind of skipping down the hall, rejoicing for the gift that God had given me! He sanctified my work! He has given it eternal purpose and great joy. He has freed me from the fear of praying with my patients. I wondered if this is what the apostles felt like when they had cast out demons in Jesus’ name. I have done this ever since and am surprised that only 2 people of the first 50 patients have said, “No” to praying with them. If we are obedient servants in small things, the Lord will give us more to do. Praise God! Amazing Grace!