4th September 2005 - 23rd Sun A.

S: Good morning, Today we’re on about resolving conflict and how the best time to do it is now.

B: to illustrate this, this morning, we have a short story to tell you called: “Desperately Seeking Forgiveness”.

S: The nurse doing her final rounds found the patient in Room 712 stable, his pulse strong, with little indication of his heart attack that morning. He looked up with tear-filled eyes; ‘Nurse, would you phone my daughter? Tell her I’ve had a slight heart attack. I live alone and she is the only family I have.’

B: She adjusted his nasal oxygen; ‘Of course, I’ll call her.’ He insisted: ‘As soon as you can – please.’ He was breathing too fast.
She phoned the daughter – Jane, from the next of kin list. The answering voice screamed: ‘No! He’s not dying is he?’ The nurse’s talk of ‘stable condition’ didn’t convince even herself.

S: Father and daughter had a year-old row over her boyfriend. Her departing words to her father were ‘I hate you’. She wanted to come for forgiveness for so long. All she needed now was 30 minutes to get to the hospital.

B: Just then the alerts sounded for Room 712. Another cardiac arrest which sent the emergency team scrambling to attempt resuscitation and then … We’ll never know what happened. Did she or he make it?

S: More importantly, you know who you need to reconcile with. Life is as fragile as a snowflake. But delicate as life is, relationships can be mended. There is not a moment to spare. Do it now, do it as in the Gospel – privately and in a spirit of love.

B: You’ve been listening to “Just a thought” with Brenda Cribbin...

S: and Seamus Madigan. We can be contacted through the Limerick Diocesan Offices at 66 O’ Connell Street or by e-mail on smadigan@limerickdiocese.org. If you would like your own copy of this reflection you can download it by clicking on limerickdiocese.org

S: We look forward to your company again next week, so in the meantime - take care…..

S& B: Byeeeeee……

© Copyright Diocese of Limerick 1991-2007 - Disclaimer