Joe, Meet Jesus.
I first met Joe and his family when they moved up to my community from Indiana. We belonged to a charismatic community and he was looking for an environment that would foster his faith and prayer life.
Joe was a big man, a former linebacker for the University of Purdue Boilermakers. He graduated from the college of pharmacy and was looking for an opportunity to establish his own business. His wife, Anne, quickly found a sales position and excelled in her job. They had three beautiful daughters but I am sure that he missed having a son.
Joe eventually bought a small pharmacy, but overpaid for it. The prior owner had kept a double set of books and supposedly Joe paid on the false set, which overstated its profits. His loan officer and accountant didn’t question the figures offered by the former owner.
His business never had a chance to survive. A pharmacy chain had set up a store nearby and Joe’s business languished. He eventually declared bankruptcy and sought employment at the pharmacy chain. He eventually paid all of his debts and resigned himself to never owning another pharmacy.
The stress of his business caused him and his wife to separate for a long period of time. Eventually they reconciled and moved together again.
Meanwhile, the stress of business, lack of exercise and standing on his feet all day caused some old injuries to his knees to flare up. After several botched surgeries his right leg was amputated.
He was fitted with a prosthesis but, unfortunately, it was not fitted properly. It caused him to fall repeatedly. Later in life he was referred to a prosthetic specialist who made him and new leg. But it was too late. Joe was doomed to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Joe became diabetic and developed a heart condition. His health went downhill fast.
During all his trials, Joe kept a cheerful countenance in public. His wife Anne revealed that in private he wept out of sheer frustration for his condition. I often stopped to pray with him and he expressed his appreciation. Most of his other friends could not get beyond the trite expressions that people use when they are uncomfortable. Some said, “I’ll pray for you.” but did not stop to do it on the spot. Joe could have used a lot more “hands on” support.
After reconciling, Joe and Anne bought a ranch house with a barn and some acreage out in the country. Their dream was to raise horses, but Anne was still working and Joe had difficulties getting around and caring for the animals. Eventually, Joe got an electric wheelchair so that he could move around.
But Joe’s health was catching up with him. Joe ended up in the hospital with a failing heart. I had been praying with him and sharing the Mercy of Jesus with him and I looked for an opportunity to visit and pray with him in the hospital. But when Suzanne and I went to pray with him, there was a steady stream of visitors and well-wishers, creating an atmosphere that was not conducive to prayer.
Despite the doctors’ reassurances that he would recover, Joe had a severe stroke while in the hospital. The doctors were able to rescue him from death, but his health worsened to the point where he was transferred to a Hospice facility nearby. The doctors told him they could do no more and that the end was near.
In the meantime, Joe was constantly in my prayers. I would wake up early in the morning with the still, small voice, saying, “Pray for Joe.”
I finally determined that I would make the trip to the Hospice to pray with him after a business luncheon. It was nearing 3:00 pm, the Hour of Mercy, when I finally arrived at Hospice to visit Joe and his family.
As I walked into his room, Anne got up to meet me and thank me for coming. His daughters were there. The atmosphere was subdued. Anne explained that Joe was comatose, but could only respond by “blinking” his eyelids with his eyes still closed. His eyes remained shut and his entire body lay inert as we talked and moved around the room.
I asked Anne if she knew the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. She responded that she had heard of it but never prayed it before.
“Would you like to pray it now?”
“Yes, but you will need to lead us.” She replied.
As we began to pray, I saw Joe’s hand move ever so slightly in my direction, so I took his hand in mine. He squeezed my hand as if to say, “Keep on praying!”
As I started leading the family in prayer, I would lead them with, “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,” Joe would squeeze my hand at the response, “Have Mercy on us and on the whole world.”
Anne watched and commented after the chaplet, “That is the most I have seen him respond for the past week.”
I left the room at 3:30 and drove home. Joe died at 3:45 pm the same day.
Two days later I received a “Thank You” card from Anne. In it she said, “After you left, Joe became relaxed and peaceful. Suddenly, he sat up in bed, eyes wide open, staring straight ahead with an amazed look on his face.
“Jesus, is that you?”
Then he shut his eyes, lay back down and expired.
After settling Joe’s affairs, Anne moved to Phoenix, Arizona to live with her sister. She found that a cancer that was in remission flared up and she died soon after. I did not get a chance to see her again. But I’ll never forget the day that Joe met Jesus.
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