My wife, Pat, and I found ourselves in unfamiliar surroundings on New Year’s Eve. At 3:00 in the afternoon, waiting for surgery to begin on Pat’s daughter at the very new and technologically well-equipped William P. Clements Hospital in Dallas, Texas – part of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. We knew in any case the surgery would be intricate, but could be resolved in either a straight forward way or could become extensive and complicated.
The surgery nurse called at 4:00 PM to advise that the surgery had commenced. Now things were in the capable and qualified hands of the physician but the outcome was uncertain. We had to trust in God and believe that she would be alright.
Just before 7:00 PM a call came that the surgery was finished. The surgeon entered the waiting area and with only a slight change of expression said the sought for words “It’s complete and she’s ok”. Before 8:00 PM she was in recovery and in just four hours it would be a new year.
We welcomed the New Year at a nearby hotel without fanfare. For the first time in a month since learning that surgery would be required, Pat’s anxiety level was lessened and prayers had been answered.
The next day, we were up fairly early and off to Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral in downtown Dallas to offer thanks and to celebrate the arrival of 2016. Pat and I had chosen to sit not too far from the front altar up a side aisle in the midst of the some 600 in attendance. As is customary after the Bible readings and homily several attendees take the gifts (the bread and wine) up to the priest at the altar.
Here we were in the large Cathedral where we knew no one and no one knew us, yet the usher came up the side aisle and asked Pat and me to take the gifts to the priest. The priest taking the gifts usually gives a blessing using a sign of the cross. That day the priest, making eye contact with both of us as he took the gifts, said, “Wait, today I have a special blessing for you.” The priest gave us a beautiful blessing. I thought, “I don’t know how we got selected to bring the gifts to the priest, but that blessing was just what Pat needed.” What a way to start the New Year!
This was a simple yet profound way for us to see how God is in each of our lives if we just open our mind and eyes to see His presence. Resolve in 2016 to keep watching for how God touches each of our lives.
God says, “I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to prosper you, plans to give you hope and a future . . . pray to Me, and I will listen to you” Jeremiah 29:11-12.
Bob Gass in the Word For Today challenges us in the New Year when he asks, “If money wasn’t a consideration how would you spend your day? What have you learned about your purpose though failure? How would you describe your vision for your life this year?”
As you begin this year ask God for His plan, then create your own vision for success.
Pat and I just returned from a few days of needed relaxation and recreation in Arizona at the Enchantment Resort. While there, soaking up the beauty of God’s creation and nature, we spent one evening “star gazing” with two local volunteer astrologers looking through their telescopes. Do you know about the star Beetle Juice? It is many light years away from earth. Our sun is believed to be one million miles across. Beetle Juice is believed to be two billion miles across. Numbers of this magnitude are staggering. They make us realize we are but a speck in space and time. It makes me realize the importance of our belief in God, religion and our faith.
On January 4, we celebrated the feast day of the first native born American saint—Sister Elizabeth Ann Seton. She was known for her role in establishing the first free Catholic girl’s school in America. Today six groups of sisters can trace their foundation to her. One of the most helpful things for a Catholic is her three reasons of why a person should be Catholic:
- Because of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist;
- Role of Mary in Salvation history; and
- Apostolic succession from St. Peter on.
A great way to explain what we believe and why we are Catholic.
An unknown author said, “Happiness keeps you sweet, trials keep you strong, sorrows keep you human, failure keeps you humble and God keeps you going.”
With God’s blessing, we will keep going and it will continue to be a good year.
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Timothy Von Dohlen is the founder and president of the John Paul II Life Center and Vitae Clinic in Austin, Texas. (www.jp2lifecenter.org) For a more robust bio, click here. He may be reached at Timothy@CatholicBusinessJournal.biz