OPEN THE GATES

In Streams in the Desert, a devotional book compiled by L.B. Cowan, one reading declares, “Faith does not say, I see this is good; therefore God must have sent it. Instead, faith declares, God sent it; therefore it must be good for me.”

With all due respect to Mrs. Cowan, I think that’s a bit of a stretch.

What Jacques is going through today is not good for anybody. His constant pain has migrated to the left side of his abdomen, the feeling in his legs is going, his breathing is becoming more laboured, his voice is thin and raspy.

He wants to die now.

He’ll be on morphine tomorrow, a step up from the oxycontin he’s been taking for the past month. I asked if I could have any of the extra oxycontin to sell in the jungle, his name for a densely populated area a few blocks south of his home, sort of the Regent Park of Downsview.

“Ya, we can split the profits,” he responded feebly, a trace of a smile on his face.

I don’t know if humour is good at a time like this but I’m not that good at the heavy stuff.

Though my visit was short, I did bring along two large framed drawings done Cathy Pieroni from Brebeuf College. Jacques had asked Cathy to draw these special pictures to be used at his commemorative service and funeral.

“They’re perfect,” he whispered. “Please tell Cathy how much I appreciate them. I can rest now.”

With that, all his affairs are in order. He’s said all his goodbyes, he wants to be at peace.

God, please let him go.

I appreciate that You are all knowing, all powerful, all universe. But, even You need an in-service from time to time.

Let me explain. Last weekend, my four year old grandson was over for the weekend. His dad was proud to say that Noah’s number skills are coming along really well.

“Noah, can you count by tens for Papa?” my son Derek asked.

Diligently Noah responded with a sequence of tens right up to one hundred.

Then he piped up with, “Papa, I can even count by zeros.”

“Let’s hear it,” I encouraged, wondering to myself what on earth he meant.

In a moment, Noah was shrieking at the top of his lungs, “ Zero, zero, zero, zero….” as he raced around the living room. Even his two year sister, Audrey, got into the act, laughing uncontrollably.

In all my years in math, I had never considered counting by zeros. I couldn’t help but marvel at this little bit of genius. I was learning from a child.

So God, take a tip from me, a child in Your eyes to be sure. Let Jacques go. His time is up here and he’s more than ready for his graduation. Get out his white gown and final diploma ….start the music, open up those gates and welcome him home.

Remember God, “Zero, zero, zero, zero……”