Quiet Faith

By Joe Sullivan, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

Yesterday, when driving for my job in medical transport, I picked up a man to take him back home from the hospital. He said he was in a terrible car accident a few months ago and severely burned about half of his body. He was using a walker and the doctors are still grafting new skin on him. 

He was very joyful and very grateful. He told me that God must still have a plan for him here on earth because all the doctors said he should have died. 

Most of the drive he was silent. I could tell he was struggling with the pain and, from the look in his eyes, that the pain must have been excruciating. I prayed for him most of the way home which was about a 20-minute drive. 

Sometimes, I find the best way to spread the Faith is to just be kind, show empathy, and to pray silently. Besides, what could I have told this man that would have helped him? I felt that at this point words were not enough. 

As I was praying for him, I felt Our Lord was there sitting in the back seat. I was extra-careful with the turns and bumps. He said he still has a lot to do to prepare for Christmas, a lot of grandchildren to visit and make happy. I was thinking, “Wow”, this man is a superhero!” When we reached his home, I helped him with his walker as he struggled to grab hold of it and walked him to his front door. 

We exchanged the best of Christmas wishes and blessings for the New Year. 

I do not know much about this man’s life because we did not speak much, but I sure learned a lot from him.