By Deacon Tom Christie
Like all of us when we are children, we have a core group of people that have strongly influenced our lives and have formed us into the people we are today. They demonstrate their kindness through their gestures, conversations and their overall interest in our life. One such individual in my childhood was a Scottish grandfather of an old school mate. I remember his Scottish charm and my difficulty in understanding his thick Glaswegian accent! He was a man of faith and he wrote me some deeply insightful cards for my First Communion and Confirmation, which I have kept to this day.
Unfortunately, in his later life he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. In recent years, this condition has received more public awareness through the work of the Daniher family. The distinctive blue beanies are ubiquitous in the community during the winter months. To me, these beanies are a symbol of our human solidarity to make this world a better place. Let’s hope and pray the researchers eventually discover a cure.
When my friend became bedridden in the later stages of this debilitating illness, his daughter asked me to bring Holy Communion to their house. There were many Sundays where I visited him to administer the Eucharist. Even though he couldn’t talk and was largely immobile, his eyes glowed and glistened whenever he consumed the Eucharistic host. He was close to God. He was preparing himself to journey from this life to the next.
After he had passed away, I looked back with gratitude on these final moments of his life. He was a witness to the preciousness of the Eucharist and how it provides us with spiritual nourishment and strength, even in our most fragile moments.
Currently, I am living and working as a transitional deacon at Nazareth Parish in Torquay, Grovedale and Anglesea. One of my duties is to administer the Eucharist to residents in nursing homes and those in palliative care. Time and time again, these people are reminding me of the sacredness of this sacrament. It is a lasting treasure for all of us in the Church.