What Is So Good About Good Friday?

Fr. Dale Matson

Have you ever posed this question to yourself? “What is so good about Good Friday?”  I think the key to providing an answer lies in a simple statement from Genesis by Joseph to his brothers. “What you intended for evil God intended for good.” (Genesis 15:20) In fact, the situation was similar. Joseph’s brothers betrayed him simply because they were jealous of him. They were jealous because he enjoyed a special relationship with his father. They turned him over to the enemy.  This is the same jealousy we see toward Jesus. He had a special relationship to His father. In fact Jesus claimed to be God. In John Chapter 8 Jesus stated, “Before Abraham was I am.” (Verse 58) On hearing this, the crowd picked up stones to stone Him knowing that He was claiming to be God. This was the capital crime of blasphemy.

There is another issue that continued to crop up. When Jesus healed people, the Pharisees thought He was using demonic power. They of course, like unspiritual religious people of any age have no power, cannot do mighty works, and cannot discern good from evil. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the word got back to the Pharisees and they decided to kill Him. Here the words of Jesus are confirmed. “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead!” Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

 “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs.  If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation. You know what they are admitting here. They were saying “We don’t want the Messiah to come. If the people recognize Jesus as the Messiah, the Romans will destroy us. The leaders didn’t want to be freed from their captivity to the Romans, they wanted the status quo.  “Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man dies for the people than that the whole nation perish. “He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

How convinced were the Pharisees that Jesus must die? They were willing to use the courts of the hated Roman captors. They could provide witnesses to the statements that Jesus claimed to have the power to forgive sins that He was the son of God and He claimed to be God Himself. The problem was they had no authority over him. No one had authority over Him unless He allowed it. They were comfortable in their captivity. Their charges of blasphemy would not hold in a civilian trial so they charged that Jesus claimed to be King of the Jews. This was heresy and a chargeable offensive in Roman law since there could be no King but Caesar. That is why Pilate had the sign on His cross inscribed with the phrase “King of the Jews”. Here Pilate, like the chief Pharisee Ananias was also prophetic.

The Pharisees were willing to see a fellow Israelite die for an offense that all of them were guilty of. None of them wanted Caesar as their king but forced the hand of Pilate to accomplish their ends. In a sense, in pledging their allegiance to Caesar, they along with Judas, made a deal with the devil.

As I prepared for this, I needed to answer questions that had come up in my mind every Lenten season. None of this makes sense to me and never has. How could a perfect man be betrayed by foe and friend alike? It is a tragedy of cosmic proportions. Why such suffering, humiliation and total loss of dignity? How was Jesus able to wash the feet of the man He knew would betray Him? This makes all of slights I have suffered at the hands of others seem so petty by comparison.  How could this perfect storm of tragedy happen? It could only happen if it were orchestrated by God. The plan of redemption following the fall of man was laid out in Genesis. Jesus Christ the Messiah of the Jews and savior of Mankind was embedded throughout Scripture and is the living incarnate Word of God.

I think of all those who had a hand in the betrayal of Jesus. There were the Pharisees like Caiaphas, Judas and Pontius Pilot. They were responsible for this betrayal, this injustice. If it weren’t for them, the devil’s agents, Jesus would not have been crucified. Actually, it really didn’t matter who the participants in the plot were. The issue was never His guilt. The issue was our guilt and we are the reason He is on the cross. This is an anamnesis, a remembering in sacred time of those events.

For me, the season of Lent is long and arduous. It is an annual cyclical emotional descent to the foot of the cross and I look on whom we have pierced.  This year I have come to a better understanding about my own seemingly inexplicable sadness that is not characteristic of me. It is a kind of survivor guilt. He died so that I could live.  It is not easy to entertain the idea that I feel so separate from Christ and so vulnerable during this time. Forgive us for we knew not what we were doing. Do you love Me son? Yes Lord, You know that I do.

   

What is good about Good Friday? What is good about the crucifixion of a perfect and innocent man? Men had intended it for evil but God had intended it for good. Christ took the sins of all humankind to the cross with Him. His death was the necessary atoning sacrifice for the redemption of all people. By His death, He has freed those who believe in Him from sin, death and the devil. By His death he has reconciled us to our Heavenly Father. He is the way, the truth and the life. Without Him there is no life, no hope and eternal death. Jesus Christ is the light of the world. May we as His disciples bring this Gospel light to a world in darkness. Amen.  

    

The Betrayal

Fr. Dale Matson

Wednesday in Holy Week

I think it is useful to provide additional context for our Gospel reading for today (John 13:21-35), the narrative from St. John of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. So much of what John includes is the prophetic events found in the Old Testament that frame the events of the life of Jesus. Jesus was not just obedient to His Father, He was obedient to the prophets. In the beginning of the chapter we see our Lord loving and serving His disciples through the foot washing, at the same time Jesus was aware of His betrayal and who would betray Him. There is the ever present tension of His reluctance to take the cup of suffering, die and be separated from His Father. At the same time He understood well His destiny and imminent death. The living Word of God placed Himself under the authority of Scripture. Jesus understood that Scripture foretold His death and that the Old Testament Prophesy must take place. The events must unfold as prophesied.  It also must take place to provide after the fact evidence for the disciples who at this time, simply refused to accept the fact that their master had predicted that he would be sacrificed for their sake and the sake of those who followed. As He washed the feet of Judas, how difficult it must have been to love and serve the one about to betray Him. He quotes from Psalms 41:9, “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.”

Notice also that Satan had put the idea in the heart of Judas to betray Jesus but as we read in the latter part of chapter 13. Jesus offered Judas a choice. He could have refused the bread and called off the plan. By taking the bread Judas had decided on his own to betray Jesus and to follow through on Satan’s plan. It is at that point that Satan entered Judas. Yet, there is a final irony here. Judas had embraced Satan’s plan but was under the agenda of Jesus who told him “What you do, do quickly”.

Meanwhile the disciples had attempted to figure out who would betray Jesus. I believe Jesus kept them from knowing the answer because He knew that they would all betray Him. This was not like Judas but each one betrayed Him just the same, by deserting Him by falling asleep when He asked them to pray with Him and denying knowledge of Him after He was arrested. They hid behind locked doors until Pentecost. How many times have we betrayed Him also? How many times have we failed to say to others,  "I know this Jesus"?

Finally, When Jesus commanded that His disciples love one another as He loved them; He had demonstrated not just a sacrificial love. He was loving those whom He knew would betray Him. He was a loving servant to His enemies. It is a love like this that can forgive us and bring us from death to life. Amen   

Radical Hospitality: Failure To Discern The Body

Fr. Dale Matson

“For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.” (I Corinthians 11:29, NIV)

The contemporary church continues on the path of its downward incremental slide into apostasy. In particular, there is a new TEC convention proposal from the diocese of Eastern Oregon that would allow communion for the unbaptized. http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/general_convention/east_oregon_proposes_communion.html.

One crucial benchmark for this humanistic trajectory toward eventual universalism was pointed out by the late Peter Toon in 2006, regarding the 1979 BCP language changes for Holy Baptism. http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5241#.T28ZBzF2SSo.

With the 1979 BCP, Baptism was now in three parts with a “covenant” as the central part. In this covenant, the candidate promises to “strive for justice and peace” and to “respect the dignity of every human being.” (p.305). Accepting Christ as savior and renouncing Satan are a part of the examination questions in the preceding section but not a part of the “contract.” It is interesting to note that the mission of TEC was further redirected from evangelism to justice and inclusion issues, in part because of this human centered (not God centered) “covenant”. The baptismal covenant is often linked to mission in TEC, thus the Millennium Development Goals have become a major focus of mission.

Because of the centrality of the “covenant” in the 1979 BCP those who insist on radical inclusivity have been able to argue for unlimited inclusion of all the baptized in all the sacraments. In this case, inclusion means more than tolerance. It means participation. Baptism was once the entry point for participating in the life of the church but it was preceded by a period of instruction for adult catechumens. In the early church catechumens like Perpetua and her companions (Feast day March 7) understood that they would be giving up their life figuratively with their confession of Christ and in many cases literally as martyrs even before the opportunity for baptism. The baptismal font is frequently placed just inside the red doors of an Episcopal church. This symbolized that we entered the church via the blood of Christ and were initiated into His mystical body through the sacrament of baptism.

Those who call for radical hospitality may see it as an attitude and act of non-discrimination. I would see it as a failure to discern the body. The following rationale is offered for communion of the unbaptized. We believe appropriate preparation and readiness to receive the spiritual body and blood of Christ is experienced within the unfolding of the Divine Liturgy, providing whatever an individual needs for examination, repentance and forgiveness amid the call to be in love and charity with all people. (Catechism, p. 860)

It is a stretch of even the 1979 catechism to understand a single liturgy as suitable preparation for receiving the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Catechumens in the early church were allowed to participate in the liturgy of the Word and heard the Gospel message. However, they were dismissed before communion until they were properly prepared for baptism and communion.  Where is the discernment in this current proposal? This is not hospitality, inclusion or justice. It is an injustice to the sacrament of Baptism and violence to the sacrament of Communion. It is also providing an opportunity for self-harm of the unbaptized communion recipient.

“…not discerning the Lord’s body.” has more than one meaning here. St. Paul is stating in context that that those who ignore the needs of brothers and sisters in the body of Christ as they participate in His body and blood bring harm upon themselves and their brothers and sisters. Failing to discern that Christ is truly present in the gathering and in the elements is a failure to discern the body also.

Altar and pulpit fellowship is rather narrowly defined by some denominations. For example, Missouri and Wisconsin Synod Lutherans do not celebrate the Eucharist together. The opposite approach of unlimited inclusion is an even bigger issue. We believe it essential our Liturgy reflect the unconditional hospitality our Lord employed for his mission (DEO). When are Christians no longer a peculiar people, the elect, the called out ones? Now the call is for all the sacraments for all the baptized. Eventually it may become all the sacraments for anyone who asks. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” (Matthew 7:13, ESV)  

Virtue As Power To Heal

Feast of Bishop Thomas Ken

Fr. Dale Matson

Perhaps the primary characteristic of Bishop Ken was his principled and virtuous life. It gained him respect even from those who disagreed with him. The Gospel reading for his feast day is in the context of the Christ’s sermon on the plain. In this portion of the Gospel reading for the feast day of Bishop Thomas Ken, we hear the following from St. Luke.

“And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, [This is the Sermon on the Plain which can be compared with the Sermon on the Mount from St. Matthew’s Gospel]. and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; and they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.” (Luke 6:17-18)

I think there is an attitude today that in times past, illness and disease were thought to be from unclean spirits. Notice how the physician, St. Luke, makes a distinction between illness, disease and demon possession. “And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.” (Verse 19) Notice here, in the KJV, where Luke uses the term “Virtue” and not some mysterious force or power. This is the same phrase used in the Gospel of Mark.

“And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, when she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, who touched my clothes? (Mark 25-30)

The light of Christ is virtue. With faith as our prism, we are able to see the many aspects of virtue as we see many colors when sunlight passes through a prism. The theological virtues are faith, hope and love and the cardinal virtues are justice, temperance, fortitude and prudence.

As I was finishing reading and putting these two passages into this homily, my wife Sharon called me to say that a hummingbird had flown into our window. I went outside to see it flopping on the concrete deck as if its wing, neck or back was broken; I picked it up and sat down with it in the palm of my hand. I had my glasses on and could even see eye lashes on the bird’s tiny eyes. There was what looked like a thin string, half the diameter of dental floss, protruding from its long beak. I touched it and the bird pulled what I then realized was its tongue into its mouth.

I thought about the passages I had just been reading about the touch of Jesus. I began stroking the bird and we prayed over it. As we prayed I imagined the virtue of our Lord flowing into the bird. Sharon took a picture of it in my hand with her phone camera. This is actually not the first time I had put an injured hummingbird in my hand and prayed over it. The same thing happened about five years ago. On both occasions, the bird seemed to need just a few minutes in a caring hand. The virtue of Christ healed today as it did in our Gospel lesson from Luke. On each occasion, the birds flew away as if nothing had happened. Glory to God, Who even cares about sparrows and hummingbirds. How fitting that God would bolster our smaller than a mustard seed faith as it was applied to one of the smallest of His creatures.

            “Aren't two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground.” (Matthew 10:29, CEV) 

Archbishop Rowan Williams: Fare Thee Well

Fr. Dale Matson

My personal reflections on the resignation of Rowan Williams

Rowan Williams is a broad church intellectual from his head down to his toes. During his tenure, he was involved more with social issues, CoE issues and allowing the revisionist agenda to advance than he was with respecting and representing the views of the majority of Anglicans in the Communion. He was often tone deaf and never has reflected the mind of the conservative communion. He acquiesced to the liberal agenda because in his heart, it was his agenda too. His proposed Anglican Covenant did not restore order or unity to a deeply divided communion. Ultimately both liberals and conservatives reject it. Based on current voting the Covenant will even be rejected by the Church of England. Like the poorly attended last Primates meeting they are votes of "no confidence". The Covenant was not a band aid or even wall paper that could hide the cracks. He was at times even disloyal to Tradition and Scripture, calling passages from the Book of Revelation “paranoid fantasy”.            

http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8292#.T2P23hF2SSo 

The revisionists used him but have never respected him. He has been more willing to speak out in favor of incorporating Sharia Law than apostasy in the Anglican Communion. He squandered the authority of his position and diminished the office. He has been a terrible serial disappointment. Many of us hoped in vain that he would step in and step up at each turning point during his tenure. We are further from reconciliation with the Roman and Orthodox Churches than when he began.

The Dar es Salaam Primates Communique 2007, Lambeth 2008, the TEC General Convention 2009 were watershed moments that lacked a definitive response from the ABC.  Eventually we got the message and so did the Bishops of the Southern Cone who countered the Lambeth Conference with GAFCON and the Anglican Covenant with the Jerusalem Declaration before Lambeth in 2008. The Jerusalem Declaration reflected an existing unity unlike the Anglican Covenant, which attempted to create unity where it did not exist. The Bishops representing most Anglicans formed and framed a plan B for Anglicanism. Make no mistake. They have been patiently waiting to see who will become the next Archbishop of Canterbury.

He has employed a Hegelian approach to leadership that insisted on the traditional side listening to the innovators. There can be no synthesis of Gospel and another gospel. The traditional side got tired of listening. Conservative Anglicans saw that innovation did not stand the test of Scripture and Tradition. Meanwhile TEC was deposing orthodox bishops in an effort to silence conservative voices, calling themselves "inclusive". This was done without one comment from Rowan Williams. When the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin voted to leave the Episcopal Church, Rowan hastily invited Jerry Lamb to Lambeth even though Bishop Schofield held an invitation, thus recognizing a retired and improperly elected bishop. When the ACNA was formed in North America he did not publicly encourage the new province recognized by more Anglicans than TEC and led by another bishop improperly deposed by TEC, Archbishop Robert Duncan.

I am concerned by the high praise of his most likely replacement, the Archbishop of York who said the following. The last decade has been a challenging time for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. Thankfully, Archbishop Rowan is a remarkable and gifted leader who has strengthened the bonds of affection.  Despite his courageous, tireless and holy endeavor, he has been much maligned by people who should have known better. For my part he has been God’s apostle for our time. (http://www.archbishopofyork.org/articles.php/2407/statement-regarding-archbishop-of-canterbury-stepping-down)

For me, Rowan’s tenure has produced one thing. It has produced clarity. It may seem like grasping at straws at this point but I do believe a suitable replacement can be found to fill the position of Archbishop of Canterbury. I believe the fate of Canterbury Anglicanism may well rest on the supreme governor of the Church. Elizabeth II, who may, like her predecessor Elizabeth I, provide God’s will for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. The Queen’s 2011 Christmas message was stirring. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHxbMbYgJ_o I hope she would consider someone like Bishop Michael Nazir Ali.   If Canterbury is lost then England may be lost too. This is not just a flesh and blood issue. The Anglican Communion will survive. I pray for Canterbury and God's will in the selection of the next Archbishop. May the Lord have mercy on us all.

Noah Lawson Ember Letter

Almighty God, whose loving hand has given us all that we possess: Grant us grace that we may honor you with our substance, and, remembering the account which we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of your bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

March 10, 2012

Greetings Bishop Menees,

I apologize for the tardiness of this Ember Letter. At the writing of this letter I am completing the sixth week of the second semester. Time really does fly when you are having fun. I hope that this note finds you well and blessed and basking in the glory, wonder, and mystery that is the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

Reflection:

Classes are engaging and papers are coming due! My class schedule is as follows:

Monday/Wednesday/Friday: Ascetical Theology (Monday/Wednesday), Historical Theology, New Testament (Gospels)

Tuesday/Thursday: Church History, Parish Ministry, New Testament (Patristic Interpretation, Tuesday only)

In addition to classes this semester I have been blessed to participate in a number of extra-curricular activities:

The Pusey Guild: On Tuesday, February 28^th I became an official novice in the Pusey Guild. I find it to be a great forum for discussing the important ideas of the catholic faith and for mutual encouragement as we advocate for those ideas.

Saint Michael the Arch Angel Anglican Church: I have started a 12 week intense discipleship program for high school youth. It is a program called FIRESTARTERS and has a specific emphasis on action (going out and praying for healing, giving words of knowledge, etc.). So far it is going really well and I am expecting some significant results. We have a group forming for a second 12 session. I am also teaching Sunday school for the larger young adult population that is not in FIRESTARTERS and teaching in the Lenten soup supper series.    

United States Navy Chaplain Candidate Program: In early February I was approved to enter the Navy’s Chaplain Candidate Program. On March 9^th I was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy. This means that I will be attending Officer Development School in Rhode Island this summer followed by the Chaplain School.  My current status is in the Inactive Ready Reserve where I will have the ability to work with active duty chaplains through the course of my seminary career (when seminary is not in session). After being ordained I will have the option of applying for full time chaplaincy in the Navy. My understanding is that Bishop Jones (bishop for the armed forces) hopes to touch base with you, as my diocesan,  concerning my involvement in the chaplain candidate program.  

Saint John’s Military Academy: Once a week I meet with a small group of young men who live and go to school at SJMA. They come from all over the United States and from different countries around the world to attend school here. Our time is spent discussing issues of faith, challenges they are having academically, and issues they may be having because they are away from home.

Lad Lake: I have been approved to be a volunteer chaplain with Lad Lake. This is a facility that houses young men who are wards of the state and in some cases juvenile offenders of the law. I expect to begin volunteering by the end of March.     

Nashotah House Theological Seminary Board of Trustees: I was recently elected by my class to represent them on the Nashotah House Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees exists to hold in trust in perpetuity the assets of Nashotah House and to establish the policies by which the institution is governed. In particular, the Board is charged with providing effective short- and long-range planning for the House, nurturing and safeguarding the highest academic and religious quality of the seminary, ensuring sound financial and physical asset management, promoting communication among all constituencies and to the public, and selecting the Dean. Trustees meet once each semester and represent a wide breadth of the Anglican and Episcopal Churches. The board is comprised of laymen, priests, and bishops.

One of the activities that we are required to do  as seminarians is to find a parish internship. I am considering an AMiA church in Wheaton, IL called Church of the Resurrection. It is quite large and evangelical, has a connection to the seminary, and is fairly close distance wise. These internships involve a several week commitment for teaching, shadowing a mentor priest, and are supposed to happen during the summers. Do you have any direction for me relative to securing an internship (type, location, etc.)?  

As you may know, I have worked hard to raise ongoing financial support from friends and family. I recently have changed how the money is being processed. The information below reflects how the new system will work. Prior to these  changes Christ Church was issuing tax statements to contributors. This ended up being a considerable amount of work for Christ Church’s volunteer treasurer. By shifting the tax function to the seminary the church treasurer will have less of a work load.  

1)      2011 Contributions:

a.       As of the writing of this letter contributors should have received a statement from Christ Church recognizing their contributions for 2011 as tax-deductable.

2)      2012 Contributions:

a.       Christ Church will continue to receive contributions in my name and will forward the balance to the seminary in my name. Contributions received by the church starting in April 2012 will not be tax-deductable.

b.      Contributors who desire a tax-deduction will need to send their contributions directly to the seminary scholarship fund at Nashotah House (see information below). The seminary will then credit my account.

Checks should be made out to:

Nashotah House

(on the memo line write: Bishop Parson’s Scholarship Fund: Noah Lawson)

Mail Checks to:

Nashotah House

2777 Mission Road
Nashotah, Wisconsin 53058

I feel truly blessed to be here at Nashotah House. I am having a great time and value the gift that this experience is. I pray for you and the diocese daily. Are you still hoping to visit? Thank you again, and I pray that you will know more and more the depth and breadth of God’s love for you.  

Blessings to you...Keep the Faith,

Noah Soares Lawson

Seminarian, Nashotah House Theological Seminary

2777 Mission Road

Nashotah, Wisconsin 53058

(559) 381-2463 (cell)

(262) 646-6500 (office)

noahslawson@gmail.com

Medicine

Fr. Dale Matson

“When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Mark 2:17, KJV)

I had a tonsillectomy at age 11. Other than a spiral femur fracture, it is the most traumatic experience I have ever had. The surgery was done by our family doctor in a small suburban hospital. I can still remember the doctor coming in after his first two tonsillectomies with blood all over his surgical apron. I walked into the operating room and was told to lie on the table. I was held down by the staff and the ether mask was put over my face. I was terrified as I lost consciousness. I threw up in the parking lot as we left that day. A week later at our summer cabin, I began to vomit blood and clots. I remember my mother saying, “You’ll stop bleeding.” My response was, “Yeah, when there is no blood left.” My dad drove me the 40 miles to the emergency room at William Beaumont Hospital. By the time we arrived I had fallen asleep and stopped bleeding. The emergency room physician gave my dad some aspirin which is probably the last thing I should have taken since aspirin promotes bleeding. That summer I was extremely anxious and had recurrent flash backs of being held down on the operating table. It was probably what we would diagnose as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder today. I vowed to myself never to be forced to go to sleep again, had a mistrust of the medical community and have put off necessary surgeries since that time.

Recently, I have had two surgeries with a little more than a year separating them. They were not without risk but ordinary and routine by today’s standards. These surgeries could be considered “elective” but eventually both problems would have become necessary surgeries. Both were delayed for years because of my fears about the operating room and my distrust of the medical practice in general. My quality of life has suffered because I delayed the surgeries.  My surgery a year ago was a local anesthetic (spinal) and the surgeon Dr. Cunningham did excellent work. Three weeks ago I had a local anesthetic once again and once again the surgeon Dr. Grewall did excellent work. There are many folks who would just as soon be asleep during their surgeries but I have not come to that place.

Both surgeries have restored a quality of life that I have not had for at least a decade. In addition to the Spiritual Gifts of healing, God has given us physicians and caregivers who can produce miraculous results in cooperation with the healing powers He has given our bodies.

It seems like the older I get, the more “ologists” are a part of my contacts list. This week, I went to my dermatologist for itching that was as severe as the times I have gotten poison oak. I was sure it was some exotic untreatable disease. Her diagnosis confirmed it. I was aging and no longer had the skin oils that plagued me with pimples at age 13. It was just a matter of better self-care using a skin lotion daily. Problem solved. Thank you Lord for those who practice medicine.