Reflections on Home? (Br Anthoney Liew)

Home? Every family should have one. Yet, it can be a big word for those who do not have one! It can be a precious thing that many are longing for. In fact, I have different impressions of “Home” after I had this encounter! It all began like this…

“I want to go home! Can you please, please ask them for me, ‘I want to go home’”? This was the first statement a patient uttered to me when I was doing my pastoral work at the General Hospital in Penang. He looked so skinny and was without a leg. After having a conversation with him, I got to know that he had been there for more than two weeks. Yet, no one came to visit him. He felt so lonely and helpless. In fact, I could almost feel what he felt. I knew that there was nothing else I could do except to lift him up to God in my prayers. A week later, I went to see him again. He uttered the same statement to me again, “I want to go home!”. I tried to comfort him by befriending him and buying him some food he wished to eat. After talking for a while, we said bye to each other.

A week later I looked forward to see him again. To my surprise, I saw no one in his bed. Then I learnt from the nurses that he had passed away. He fell down and died when he tried to run away from the hospital. At the bottom of my heart, I knew that he tried to go home as it was what he was longing for. I had a bigger shock when I got to know that his body was still in the hospital as the nurses could not get his family to come and take the body for burial. He was totally abandoned by his family. I felt so sad and helpless. In my helplessness, I continued to lift him up to God in prayers. Having reflected on the psalm 41 which brought me back to this experience, I realized that his situation was like the psalmist of this psalm who longs to go home and be with his family. Now, I thank God for He has indeed brought him home. He was no longer alone as I believe that he is at home now with the family members who would not abandon him anymore.

Tomorrow commemorates the 9th year of 911 tragedy. As we commemorate this event, let us continue to pray to our Heavenly Father that He will continue to grant us peace – Peace that the world cannot give (Jn14:27). We also lift up to God all those who passed away on this day. May our Lord Jesus Christ bring them “Home” – the place where He has prepared for them (cf. Jn14:2) where they are granted eternal rest.

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Stay tuned for the next post by Br Jude David on 12th Sep 2010.