Beautiful Witnesses

In my fifteen years of hospice and nursing home ministry, I heard some wonderfully moving comments and questions from people with dementia. Joan W., for instance, near the end of her life: “Why do I love Jesus so much?” Elizabeth N., as December began in 2007: “When Jesus comes, will he walk with me in the hallway?” Bunny, confined to bed as the end neared, usually just babbled. But one day, as I entered her room, she was humming. I knew her faith tradition, so I asked her if she would like me to sing a hymn for her. And I started: “On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross …” And she immediately joined me, on pitch and word perfect. And after the closing words, “I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown,” with tears in her eyes and a few moments of silence, she went back to babbling.

Dear friends of Dial Hope, our Lord is with us always – in sickness, in health, during tough times, and happy times. And in the midst of dementia. Those were just a few of the profound faith experiences I was grateful to witness and share in. These three women, and many folks like them, were as much of a gift to me as I hope I was to them. And they enabled me to witness the truth of those famous words in William Cowper’s hymn, “God moves in a mysterious way/His wonders to perform.”

Let us pray these words from The Book of Common Prayer: Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.