 |
| Author | Post |
|---|
Darlene
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 868 |
| First Name: | Darlene | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Christian, trusting His love and forgiveness |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 17th, 2007 07:11 pm |
|
Greetings CHN Family,
The last time I emailed all of you regarding my husband, he was in the hospital and the doctors could not determine exactly what his illness was. After doing many tests on him, they diagnosed him with having temporal arteritis.
In a nutshell, this is what happened. A few weeks ago, my husband contacted an upper respiratory infection. I had it before him and think that he contacted it from me. He also had an ear infection along with it. At some point, bacteria broke away from his ear infection and traveled to his optic nerve, causing it to swell which caused the blurred vision. He is currently on two kinds of steroids to reduce the swelling. The opthomologist said he could not reassure him that he would regain vision in his left eye. As it stands now, he has some vision in that eye, but it is very blurred. He likened it to looking through a blurry windshield when it is raining and the windshield wipers are off.
This loss of vision has been difficult for my husband. The positive side of this trial is that my husband has been examining himself and his walk with the Lord. He has also been open to whatever Jesus wants for him. He told me that he asked Christ to forgive him of anything that may have brought this illness on. He also asked that the Lord make him open to His will and direction for his life.
At one point I asked him, "What would you think if Jesus was trying to show you that you need to accept me becoming Catholic?" He didn't react adversely to my question which is another step toward progress. I do believe that the Holy Spirit is opening his heart toward the Catholic faith. The other night he had a dream. In that dream, he said that some Catholics had "cornered" him and tried to convince him of the Real Presence in the Eucharist. He said amuzingly that I must have sent those Catholics to corner him.
Also, he informed me of the visit he had with our pastor during his hospital stay. He said that the pastor cautioned him not to scrutinize or over examine himself, saying that sometimes life just happens. During the course of this conversation, the pastor told him of a friend whose wife had a miscarriage. His friend, who was Catholic, was obsessing over what he might have done wrong to cause such a thing to happen. Our pastor tried to tell him that he shouldn't beat himself up, that these things happen in life and it usually doesn't have anything to do with our sin. Then the pastor commented that his friend came to understand this way of thinking once he and his wife "came to know the Lord." My husband relayed to me that he was surprised our pastor does not believe that Catholics can be saved. He told me that he could not agree with this kind of thinking and that he thinks there are definitely Catholics who know the Lord.
Then on Sunday morning, he decided to watch some religious broadcasting. He turned on the t.v. and I couldn't believe it. Here, the Catholic Church that I have been attending was televising their service. We both watched as Father preached an excellent homily on being willing to suffer for our Christian faith and proclaiming the gospel. My husband even said how impressed he was with Father's preaching. Of course, when the Mass began, he decided to change channels. But after about 5 minutes, he came right back to the same channel and told me to enjoy the rest of the service. At one point he asked me if I knew any of the people who were in the congregation. You cannot know how surprised I was that he was even willing to watch any part of a Catholic liturgy.
Later on in the day, we watched a movie about a priest who left the priesthood due to all the horrors he witnessed under the Nazis. At the end of the movie, the man returned to his Christian faith and the priesthood. My husband reacted favorably when the man returned to the priesthood.
Yesterday, I went to visit Father and it ended up being a long visit. When I arrived home, my husband asked if I had been visiting my Catholic friends. I told him that I had had a visit with Father. Instead of reacting negatively, he asked me if Father knew anything about the Council that decided on the books to be included in the Bible.
All of these occurances are indications to me that the Holy Spirit is working on my husband. I have faith that prayer works and I have lifted him up in prayer daily. I thank all of you that have prayed for my husband as well. I realize, however, that he has a long way to go should he desire to journey toward the Catholic faith. He has many misconceptions and prejudices that he will have to work through. It will not be easy. I know this because of my own faith journey and the hurdles I have had to tackle.
Nonetheless, our God is an AWESOME GOD, nothing is impossible for Him. Please pray that the Lord Jesus, our Great Physician, heals his eyesight in his left eye. And pray that the Lord Jesus continues to open his heart and mind toward the Catholic faith.
Love in Christ,
Darlene
____________________
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
|
|
|
David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2282 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 17th, 2007 08:14 pm |
|
This loss of vision has been difficult for my husband. The positive side of this trial is that my husband has been examining himself and his walk with the Lord. He has also been open to whatever Jesus wants for him.
When I read he was in the hospital, this self-examining was the first thing I thought of, because God is often the first thing that people turn to when their lives are turned upside down. It will either slough off after a few weeks (especially if he recovers his vision), or it will be the turning point in what may be his conversion. We will prayerfully wait and see what course he takes.
David
|
|
|
Juan
Member
| Joined: | Tue Oct 17th, 2006 |
| Location: | Texas USA |
| Posts: | 247 |
| First Name: | unregister | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | unregister |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 17th, 2007 09:39 pm |
|
You might want to familiarize yourself or even give your husband a book entitle "the Lamb's Supper" by Scott Hahn. Then next time you watch the Mass together on TV, you can unlock for him the meaning of the Book of Revelations:
The Lamb's Supper:
http://www.catholiccompany.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=714
I agree, sounds as though the Holy Spirit is moving very powerfully in your husbands life. Perhaps like Saul, the Holy Spirit decided to knock him off his horse for a time.
I'm also happy to hear that he seems to be getting better.
May God continue to bless you (both).
Sincerely,
Juan
|
|
|
Prodigal Daughter
Member
| Joined: | Wed Nov 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 200 |
| First Name: | Deborah/PD | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptized Catholic, received First Communion, left during Confirmation year. ... |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 18th, 2007 09:54 am |
|
Dear Darlene,
I missed your first post about your husband being in the hospital. So sorry to hear. He will be in my prayers for healing and for his journey of faith.
Deb
____________________
"Man should tremble, the world should vibrate, all Heaven should be deeply moved when the Son of God appears on the altar in the hands of the priest."
St. Francis of Assisi
|
|
|
Current time is 04:17 pm | |
|
|
|
|
|
