I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say

I am not sure if you noticed one of the comments posted last week where we were asked to call Gabriel or his mother, Lucilla. It took me a day and a half to find their phone number and I was told by Gabrel that a young man, who is a fellow class mate of our son Michael, had been helping his father cut down some trees and had fallen and was in critical condition at the same hospital Paul was taken. He had a serious head injury. I learned later in the day that the mother of Francisco attends daily Mass at our church, St. Stephen's. Our family started to pray immediately for Francisco and his family. We knew exactly what they were going through. The next day, Paul emailed me and asked if it would be okay to leave work early because Jerry and his mother, Judy, were going to go to the hospital and were going to pray with the family. I told him it was the best reason in the world to leave work early and I said that I really wished I could join them. Unfortunately, there was no way I could leave, so told Paul that I was really glad he could go and represent the family.

Jerry called me later and said that Paul was so kind and gentle when he spoke to the family members and they were able to say a rosary while they were there. Apparently, a nurse was walking by the waiting room and recognized Paul. She was so happy to see him and she took him into the ICU area so that the other nurses who had taken care of him were able to see him also. Jerry said it was so incredible to be a witness to the outpouring of love from the nurses and how happy they were to see him. I remembered that when we left the hospital December 8th, 2005, I said that when Paul was well, we would bring him back. The nurses said it really helps them when they can see patients after they have recovered. It gives them hope.
Paul also gave an accounting of it all and he said that he was so glad he had been able to go, because he could see how incredibly sad the family was. We said a rosary for them again that night and each night since. I found myself dwelling on how the family must be feeling, remembering the early days for us, like it was yesterday. I had planned on going to see the family also, but on Sunday morning, after we got home from the 8:30 AM Mass, we learned that Francisco had died at 5 AM. That news was so shocking to us. Jon and I immediately held each other and cried. It was raining outside and stayed raining all day. We have been in a cloud of sadness for Francisco's family.
Do we know exactly how they feel? Almost.
Do we know how much they need prayers? Absolutely.

Please keep the Madera Family in your prayers. While we didn't know this young man personally, we have heard that the family is a very holy and loving family and they are devastated. Please lift them up in prayer so that they can have some peace, some comfort in so tragic a circumstance.

Tonight, Paul was leading us in prayer and he asked God to take care of their family and then he thanked God for his life. He asked God to help him get better so he could go out and do everything God wants him to do. He took time to thank God for each of his brothers, one at a time, and also Marie, his new sister. He thanked God for his parents who keep helping him. Jon and I just looked at each other and I know we were thinking the same thing. Why were we allowed to bring our son home? We are literally overwhelmed by the fact that God allowed Paul to live. It is a reminder that we have to be ever more attentive to what God wants from us and from Paul. And any struggles I think I have? I will keep Francisco's mother, Beatriz, in my heart and will ask God to lift the burden from her instead.

Paul went on to do something very different tonight. We were in our room with James and Michael and Paul had walked in and had gone into the restroom. I barely noticed it until I heard a motor. I listened and realized he was shaving his face with his electric razor! Jon and the boys noticed the sound at this point and we all looked at each other and Jon said, "Is he doing what I think he is doing?" I said, "He is shaving!" James asked, "Are you kidding me? I've never been able to get him to shave!" We all sat there for a moment longer, listening to the little motor buzzing away. When Paul came out, he found us all staring at him. He said, "What?" Jon said, "Nothing much, just wondering why you are shaving at 10 PM." Paul's response was, "Oh. Okay, good night guys." And he walked out of the room.
I can attest to the fact that it takes more than an act of Congress to get Paul to shave each day. We have decided to pick our battles and we only insist on it every other day or so. Jerry and Jon are the best at helping coax Paul into accomplishing this task. I immediately called Jerry to tell him what Paul had done. I started the conversation with, "Are you sitting down?" He asked what was going on and when I told him he was incredulous. Paul then said, "He is sitting down now......because he fell down!" Paul stayed awake a long time tonight and after we thought he had gone to bed, James, Michael and I were again surprised when Abby came walking downstairs into the kitchen. Right behind her was Paul. He came down to see what we were all talking about. He then joked around with his brothers a little longer, than went to bed. I came up a little later and he asked me to sit with him a minute longer. He took my hand and said he was so thankful that God allowed him to live. That is when I knew why he had been acting so alive and active all evening. He knows that he has the gift of life.

"I heard the voice of Jesus say,
Come unto me and rest;
lay down thy weary one, lay down
thy head upon my breast.
I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn and sad;
I found in him a resting place
and he has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
the living water; thirsty one,
stoop down and drink, and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's light;
look unto me, thy morn shall rise,
and all thy day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
in him my Star, my Sun;
and in that light of life I'll walk
till traveling days are done.

Words: Horatio Bonar, 1846

May you be blessed with the grace to live your lives according to
the will of the Father. Thank you for your prayers that have brought
us this far. They have truly helped me hear the voice of Jesus.
Love,
Jon and Rebecca