"Just as we are in God's image, so the sacred love of people for people is the true image of a heavenly love of people for God."
- St. Francis de Sales
A Sacred Love
By Claire Munter, mother of Megan '17 and Caroline '21
As I read and reread this passage, my mind would visualize all the faces of anyone who helped care for my mother-in-law. She passed away the day before Thanksgiving after three very difficult years.
In the fall of 2015, she had a stroke that left her permanently paralyzed on her left side. She required 24-hour care from that point on, and that wonderful care came from the staff at Rockville Nursing Home. It was the caregivers, nurses, speech pathologist, physical therapist, social worker, beautician, activities coordinator, receptionist, custodian, and doctors who did all the labor-intensive jobs to keep her healthy and comfortable.
Of course, our family took care of her but not in the same way that medical staff and caregivers do. My husband and our kids visited her every Saturday and Sunday. I would go a couple of times during the week. Our visits were always joy-filled because she was so happy to spend time with us. We were there to cheer her, share a meal, and keep her up to date on everything that was going on with the family.
She was grateful for our visits and told us so every time we saw her. Even on her hardest days, of which there were many, she was grateful. I suspect she thanked us about a million times over the past three years! It was a pleasure to spend time with her and I see now that it was a gift from God. She was very grateful for everyone that took care of her.
The staff at the nursing home became like a second family to her and us. Their kind and compassionate care of my mother-in-law revealed the face of God not only to her and our family but also to everyone who visited the nursing home. We are forever grateful for their ministry.
Direction of Intention (St. Francis de Sales)
My God, I give you this day,
I offer you, now, all the good that I shall do
and I promise to accept for love of you
all the difficulty that I shall meet.
Help me to conduct myself during this day
in a manner most pleasing to you.
| |
To contribute a reflection, email reflection@visi.org.
Forward this to a friend! They can sign up to receive these weekly Salesian emails here.
| |
Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School
1524 Thirty-fifth Street NW • Washington, DC 20007 • 202.337.3350
Special thanks to Cecilia Kane '16 for the banner photo.