As I was reflecting on this reading, I happened to flick to the inside cover of my bible.  I came across the memorial card of Monsignor Joe Dullard, parish priest of Myrtleford who died on June 8, 2004.  On the front of the memorial card, I found these words taken from the gospel of St John, Chapter 10, verse 10.  "I have come to give you life and life to the full".  These words made me go back to something that happened to me many years ago.  An episode that made me realise how powerful the Word of God is.  After all, He still speaks to us today.

I was in the parish of Maidstone/West Footscray for four years.  During that time I was also a chaplain to the Western General Hospital.  This hospital ministry was like going back to school: the school of life.  It is one thing to read about suffering and sickness.  It is a totally different thing when one has to mix on a regular basis and walk with people who are undergoing anxiety and pain.

I recall it was a time when I was doing it tough.  Nothing seemed to be working.  Plans were not coming to fruition and I became despondent.  This particular day, I was on duty at the hospital.  I was called by the hospital at about midnight and returned home at about quarter to one.  The phone rang again about two in the morning and I had to return to the hospital.  When I returned home about three o'clock I expected to hop into bed and get the necessary sleep.  However, the phone rang again at about four o'clock.  I was so tired and annoyed that I really had a very serious altercation with God about how unjust this whole situation was.  I really did not want to go to the hospital and I pretended not to hear the phone hoping that it would stop ringing.  However the ringing persisted and I had to answer it.  I was being summoned back to the hospital.

When I arrived I was told to go to Intensive Care.  Normally the doctors and nurses are very cooperative and so accommodating.  It was not the first time that I put on the protective gear that nurses and doctors put on during emergency procedures and while they are attending medically to a particular patient I would work around them and pray or administer the Sacrament of the Sick.

However, this particular night, the nurse told me to wait for a moment because they were still attending to this person whose name was Sebastian.  To be perfectly honest, those were the very last words that I wanted to hear.  All I wanted to do was to hurriedly do what needed to be done so that I could go back to bed.  I retreated to a corner and kept watching the nurses and the doctors as they attended to this very sick person.  I always carried a leather pouch with me.  I would keep the Blessed Sacrament, the crucifix, the Holy Oils and the Bible in this pouch.  As I was waiting, I opened this pouch and took out the Bible.  I opened it at random and I eyes fell on the very words that are written on the memorial card of Monsignor Dullard "I have come to give you life and life to the full".

I was thinking about these words when I felt Jesus saying to me.  Joe I know that you are very tired and that you cannot concentrate much.  But this is precisely why I brought you here this morning.  This is my work.  I have chosen you as my priest, but you cannot do this work on your own.  Now go to that man and tell him that you did not want to come but that I have asked you to come and that you will tell that sick person that I have come to bring him life and life to the full.  I was still lost in these thoughts when the doctor approached me and said, "well Father, he is in your hands.  We have tried our best".

So I approached Sebastian, who was unconscious, and I was going to use the normal prayers.  But then I stopped and recalled what I felt Jesus saying to me.  I went around and bent down close to his face.  I took his hands and I spoke to him very close to his ears.  I said, "Sebastian, Jesus sent me to you this morning.  I did not want to come.  He sent me to tell you that He is here to give you life and life to the full".  As soon as I finished these words, he opened his eyes.  He looked at me.  He smiled and he died.

It is so helpful to get more familiar with the Bible, the Word of God. We do this not in order to be smart so that we will be able to quote different passages.  We need to get familiar with the Bible so that we live according to what the Word of God suggests.  The more familiar we become with the Word of God, the more familiar we become with God.  As a start, we can take a bit of time and read and pray the daily reading that we have at Mass.

God bless.