Last Words to Jonny

Jonny,
Each of us is the result
of a thought of God,
and God is love.
Peace be with you.
Your friend, David

Today at work we got an e-mail informing us that a former coworker, Jonny was not doing well. He has terminal cancer and has entered the dehydration stage of the dying process. I wrote about him when I used to post on another blog site. You can read that post clicking here.

Just as I struggled what to say to him back in February at his retirement party as we all knew he was terminal, I prayed for quite awhile before I decided on something to say to him in the giant card that was being passed around the office that one of our managers is taking to him tomorrow morning. The above is what I wrote. I have Pope Benedict XVI to thank for the words, and the Holy Spirit for the inspiration.

I don't know if John found God over these last few months. Some probably thought my message was not very politically correct for our spiritually sterile corporate culture. But a man is dying. Somehow just saying, "thinking of you" or "wish you were here" or "get well soon" just didn't seem to cut it. I in no way wish to demean the people who wrote those things. It's so terribly hard to know what to say to a dying person.

I know if I lay dying, my friends would encourage me with my faith. Some would pray the rosary with me; some would tell me to look up their departed grandmother; others would ask me to pray for them when I got to Heaven. I don't wish to die any sooner than I have to, but at the same time I don't fear it. My faith has given me that peace to know that I am an eternal soul, claimed by Christ. While I cannot be sure of my eternal salvation, I know that I am pointed in the right direction. I have hope that at my dying moment when Christ calls to me, I'll be able to say "here I am, Lord."

I have yet to find the gift that God has given me that he didn't intend for me to share with at least one other person. Even my wife I share with Him. So the one gift I had to give to Jonny, is a little piece of my faith that I hope will bring him a greater peace. I trust he won't be offended because he knows of my love for God.

I prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet with Jonny in mind this afternoon during the 3:00 hour. Tomorrow at mass, I'll receive communion for him. And I have great faith that my spritual works for mercy on his behalf will help him in his journey, and I have great hope that one day, as I lay dying, a soul in Heaven I once knew as Jonny will return the favor of asking our Lord to extend His Divine Mercy to me.

Please say a prayer for my friend Jonny. Don't worry about the last name. Jesus will know who you're talking about.