The Chair
One day, a young girl approached a
priest to ask him to go to her house
and pray for her sick father. When the
priest arrived at the young girl's
home, he found the sick man lying in his
bed with his head raised with
some pillows, by his bed there was an
empty chair.
The priest thought the chair was for
him, since his visit was expected. The priest asked the young girl's father,"
I suppose you were expecting me?" He replied
"No, who are you?" "I am a priest, your
daughter asked me to come and visit
with you, but as I entered your house I
noticed the empty chair by your bed
and I thought it was for me to sit on."
The sick man said, " oh the chair, Father would you mind closing the door."
The priest very surprised closed the door.
The sick man said I have never told
anyone these, but all my life I have gone without knowing how to pray. When I
have entered the church and heard mass I've heard the respect for prayer, but
how am I suppose to pray If I don't know how. I know of the many benefits
prayer brings,yet this thing of prayers just doesn't make sense to me. It goes
in one ear and comes out the other. This has being a pattern until about four
years ago. My good compadre, Jose said one day, " Compadre I have an idea on
how you can pray, This thing of prayer is just a conversation with God. So, my
friend pull out a chair, place it in front of you and pretend God is sitting
in this chair and simply talk to him." The sick man said isn't this just a
little crazy. No, it isn't said his compadre Jose. If anything you are talking
and listening to God. This is not crazy. This is how it is and I have done
this for four years already. Although, I'm afraid if my daughter finds out she
will have me send away to the state hospital. This is why I very careful when
I do this.
The priest felt deeply moved with the
sick man's story. The priest told the sick man that this was a good thing he
was doing and to never stop doing it. The priest prayed for the sick man and
gave him the sacrament of the annointing of
the sick.
Two days after, the sick man's
daughter called the priest and told him her father had just died. The priest
asked, " Did he die in peace?" The daughter replied yes, when I left the house
at about 2:00 p/m he called me to his room and I went to see him. He told me
that he loved me and he gave me a kiss. When I came back an hour later I found
him dead. But there is something very strange in respect with his death. Right
before he died, he leaned toward an empty chair by his bed and this is how I
found him, embracing The Chair. WHAT
DO YOU THINK THIS MEANS, FATHER. THE PRIEST PROFOUNDLY SHOOK, HE DRIED HIS
TEARS AND RESPONED, "I WISH THAT ALL OF US WOULD DIE THIS WAY."