Our life is lived in a mysterious way. Each day is a call to make decisions and choose the path of life we want to journey. We are called to be ready for whatever outcome and consequences of the choices we have made in life – those decisions that we laid down as being the best for us at that time. These may give us hope, contentment, happiness, challenges, or conversion to new life, or they may turn out to be horrible decisions. Acceptance of what happens in our life often becomes an important part of our journey.
Life is beautiful indeed and full of challenges. In life there are many bountiful good things that can happen to us that we celebrate these with joy and gratitude with God. Life also has unpleasant moments, possibly through wrongly made decisions that make us feel regretful and sad. When we see the negative effects of our wrong choices we at first become so stressful but these can also become blessings too. Wherever possible, we can look at things in a positive light especially when we have learned from our mistakes. Our prayers can help us to overcome failures in life and that can help lessen our distress.
We are called to live a simple and a happy lifestyle however in reality our life can become complicated. In life everything has its own expiry date. When the right time comes, especially when we consider the day when our life on earth shall expire, we pray for a happy ending. I am saying this because, ultimately, each day of our life is journeying towards our end time.
In my journey, through the ministry of giving communion and the sacrament of presence, I have the opportunity to visit a nursing home and hospital and I see people there who are on a fragile or critical journey. I have listened to their memorable, favourite and repeated sad or happy stories. They give me an insight and inspiration to give valour to the life that God has given me. My journey shared with the people in home care can be a big challenge because I can see them deteriorating, struggling to live life – and I see their hope for a better, extended life. Yet, I am sad to say that, whether they like it or not, they are on their way to their final day. My desire is to prepare them for a happy death but this is not an easy thing to say to them so I remind them to continue praying and that I, too, am praying for them.
It is good to experience this kind of apostolate with the sick, the old and the dying; giving communion to them and praying with them. On these visits, I have always look forward to meeting the staff and the residents/patients every Wednesday and sometimes on Sundays. It can be such a challenge to be with them: I have found it sometimes difficult to listen and to communicate with them because their senses of hearing and vision are declining. Some others hardly recognize me but when I wave my hand with my veil and show them the pyx for the sacred hosts these help to jog their memory and they recognize me as the one bringing them communion. I find that the most important thing is to be present with them. Seeing them is seeing my life in the future as I reach their age (or even lesser years if I am to face the battle of sickness).
The truth is that life is short. The memories we have will last forever as stories are recounted. We must hope for the good, live our life as best as we can and we must never forget that our life has been offered by and for the glory of God, the source of our life.
