Around 1345, Javi gets into his maroon Subaru Crosstrek with Communion kit, Bible, and short Lutheran Service Books in hand. He arrives in their driveway ten minutes later, puts it into park, and, closing his eyes, lets out a big sigh.
Taking out his Pastoral Care Companion, Javi prays, “Lord Jesus, our Savior, You have compassion upon all the sick and afflicted. Be with me, Your servant, in this hour that I may rightly comfort, strengthen, encourage, admonish, and prepare the sick for a blessed death. Grant me Your Holy Spirit that all I say may be blessed and my prayers and supplications be pleasing to You. Into Your hands I commend myself; at Your bidding I go. You will preserve me, for I trust in You. Blessed be Your holy name. Amen.”
Javi opens his eyes, stares at the front door for half a minute, and finally exits his Subaru and rings the doorbell.
Jeff answers the door. “Hi, Pastor,” he says, shaking Javi’s hand. “Thanks for coming. Come on in.”
Javi walks in as he closes the door behind him.
Jeff begins quietly, “So she’s still quite weak, but after three weeks of not being able to go to church, she just couldn’t take it anymore. You know how much she loves church.”
“I do,” Javi says, thinking back to her many years serving on the Altar Guild.
“To be honest, Pastor,” Jeff says with a heavy sigh, “I don’t think she’s going to get any better. There haven’t been any improvements with her chemo, and her pain keeps getting worse.”
This was disheartening to Javi, but he expected this. “I’m so sorry, Jeff. I wish there was something I could do.”
Jeff gives him a funny look. “You are doing something.”
Javi smirks at that comforting remark as Jeff brings him into their rectangular bedroom, which was dark and smelled of body odor and rubbing alcohol. The king-sized bed is on the long end in front of him as he enters the room, its headboard against the wall, Laura laying on the side closest to him. Thick curtains hang closed over the windows on the left end of the room. There are clutters of dirty laundry on the floor and the dresser against the wall closest to the bedroom door. Laura lays covered in blankets, suggesting she gets cold quite easily because Javi is pretty warm. There is a chair placed beside Laura, probably where Jeff has been sitting a lot to comfort his wife. A nightstand is beside the chair on the right, cleared of any objects that previously occupied it. Javi deduces this is the intended place for him to sit and prepare Communion.
Javi sits in the chair, grabs Laura’s hand gently, and softly says, “Hi, Laura.”
Laura opens her eyes weakly. After she could perceive that her pastor was sitting in front of her, she gives a small smirk and says feebly, “Hi, Pastor. How are you?”
Tears began to rush to the surface of Javi’s eyes, but he chokes them back, and he softly says, “You’re the one who’s in great suffering, and you ask me how I’m doing?”
Laura’s smirk widens as she snorts and says slowly, “Well, yeah. So I’m suffering. What of it? Christ suffered for me. This is the allotment of the cross I’m willing to bear. I’ll be with Him soon enough. Until then, how are you doing?”
Javi always knew she’s a woman of great faith, but her words astounded him. Will I have such great faith on my own deathbed? Still, though, he couldn’t justify unloading any of his burdens on her in such a state, so he leans forward, gently grabs her hand, and weakly smiles as he gives the usual Midwest lie, “I’m good, Laura.”
Laura moves so that she’s looking at the ceiling and says, “I don’t believe you, but I forgive you, Pastor.”
Javi chuckles as Laura weakly giggles. He even heard Jeff laugh a little next to him.
Taking out the little Lutheran Service Books from his satchel, Javi asks her, “Do you feel up to a short service and Communion today?”
“Yes, but I’m too weak to turn the pages. But don’t worry, Pastor. I have it all memorized.”
That he did not doubt. That is the beauty of the liturgy. In a world of chaos, the liturgy remains the same and provides us stability. Like Christ, it is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow so that we can easily recall to memory who He is for us. Thanks be to God that I don’t have to make anything up. I can simply rely on His pure Word as it’s been passed down to us in the divine liturgy throughout the many generations of His Church. They say memorization is the mother of learning. Indeed, for like a mother hen, the liturgy constantly teaches us who Christ is.
He gives one of the service books to Jeff and indicates they’re on page ten.
Javi begins as he makes the sign of the cross, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” And together they say, “Amen.”
They continue together, “O almighty God, merciful Father, I, a poor miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserve Your temporal and eternal punishment.” As they’re speaking, Javi notices Laura is having difficult speaking as quickly as he and Jeff are. So, he guides them to speak slower, “But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.”
Javi asks, “Is this your confession?”
Husband and wife answer, “Yes.”
Lifting up his right hand, Javi says, “Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives You all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins,” and making the sign of thew cross over Laura, “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” And they all say, “Amen.”
“Let us pray,” Javi continues. “O God, the strength of the weak and the consolation of all who put their trust in You, mercifully accept our prayers on behalf of Your servant, Laura, that by Your power her sickness may be turned to health according to Your good and gracious will; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” And they all say, “Amen.”
“The text I’d like to read to you today,” Javi continues, “is the Gospel reading from yesterday on the Transfiguration of Our Lord. It comes from Luke nine verses twenty-eight through thirty-six.” Laura’s eyes close as he reads, but he can tell she’s listening intently, “‘Now about eight days after these sayings [Jesus] took with Him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as He was praying, the appearance of His face was altered, and His clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with Him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with Him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. And as the men were parting from Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.’ This is the Gospel of the Lord.”
“Praise to You, O Christ,” Laura and Jeff respondd.
Javi continues with his brief exposition of the Word, “I must admit, Laura, the Transfiguration of our Lord isn’t exactly the first text I’d read to someone who’s on their deathbed.” Laura snorts in good humor. “But as I was thinking about you after preaching on something completely different within the text, I couldn’t help but focus on the words of God the Father, ‘This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!’ Now, there are many things to glean from this text, even with these words from God the Father. But I want us to consider what these words mean for you today. As you lie here, nearing death, what could these words possibly mean for you, ‘This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him’?
“I suppose we could all ask ourselves, ‘Why should I listen to Jesus?’ And we can come up with answers like: He gives us good, practical advice for living. Certainly, He does this, but as you know, His words do more than that. But why is it important for you to hear His voice as you near death?” Javi leans forward again and gently holds Laura’s hand, “My daughter, I believe it is nothing more than the fact that Christ, the Word of God in the flesh, speaks literal words of life to a dying people.” He leans back and continues, “It is true what Romans six twenty-three says, that the wages of sin is death, which you are experiencing more than most people right now. Yet the latter half of that verse is even more profound, ‘but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!’ So, let’s place these words from Paul alongside God’s words in the context of our Gospel reading. ‘Listen to Him,’ the Father heeds us. So then, what does Jesus say, especially after this acscount?
“Well, He says a lot of things before and after this!” Laura giggles softly. “But the first thing He says directly after this account has to do with His feeding the five thousand. He doesn’t say much here. In fact, He only says two things, ‘You give them something to eat,’ and, ‘Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.’ Like I said, nothing profound. Yet it’s not so much what Jesus says after this so much as what the Word made flesh does. As we’ve seen since Genesis, when God speaks, stuff happens.” As he’s speaking, Javi can’t help but think that he’s rambling. But he trusts the Spirit will help her make sense of this somehow. “Jesus, the Word made flesh, is always doing something. Here, He performs the miracle of feeding over five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. The Word made flesh gives them life.
“Here, we see an allusion to the Lord’s Supper. In the simple elements of bread and wine, which I know you know very well, Christ feeds you with His body and blood. It’s difficult for us to come to terms with, but your life here on earth is more than likely coming to an end.” Javi notices she nods slightly. “You acknowledged this earlier. Yet in this bread and wine, which Christ mysteriously makes into His body and blood through the power of His spoken Word, He gives you everlasting life.”
“For where there is forgiveness of sins,” Laura interrupts, “there is also life and salvation.”
“Exactly,” Javi grins. “You know your Small Catechism well. Let us, therefore, prepare for the Sacrament by confessing our faith using the words of the Apostles’ Creed.”
“Thank you, Pastor,” Laura says.
He gives Jeff a moment to flip to the correct page as he leads them just as slowly as in Confession, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the dead, and,” making the sign of the cross, “the life everlasting. Amen.”
Javi sets aside his little Lutheran Service Book and opens his Communion kit. He takes out the white cloth and places it on the nightstand, and subsequently places the small chalice and the paten for the bread on it. He then pours the wine into the chalice and three pieces of bread onto the paten.
He turns to Laura, saying, “The Lord be with you.”
Jeff and Laura respond, “And with thy spirit.”
Javi continues, “Lift up your hearts.”
“We lift them to the Lord.”
“Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.”
“It is right to give Him thanks and praise.”
Javi prays, “It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying…”
They all sing the Sanctus, Laura doing the best she can,
“Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He
That cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.”
Javi says, “Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray,” and they all pray together, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Javi stands up and faces the makeshift altar, and begins chanting with his right hand over the bread, “Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: ‘Take, eat,'” and making the sign of the cross over the body, “‘this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.'”
Then with his hand over the wine, he chants, “In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: ‘Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament,'” and making the sign of the cross over the blood, “‘in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'”
Javi turns to Laura and chants, “The peace of the Lord be with you always,” and she and Jeff sing, “Amen.”
Javi grabs the paten, and as he gives the body of Christ to Laura and Jeff, he says, “Take, eat; this is the true body of Christ, which is given unto death for you.” Then grabbing the chalice and giving the blood of Christ to Laura and Jeff, he says, “Take, drink; this is the true blood of Christ, which was shed for you on Calvary’s cross for the forgiveness of all your sins.”
After communing himself, Javi gently places his hand on Laura’s head and says, “The body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve you in body and soul unto life everlasting,” and making the sign of the cross on her forehead with his thumb,” Depart in His peace.”
And they all say, “Amen.”
Javi continues the service, “Let us sing the Nunc Dimittis.“
Together they sing,
“Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy Word,
For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.”
“Let us pray,” Javi continues. “Almighty God, heavenly Father, we give thanks that You have refreshed us with the body and blood of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ. Grant that this heavenly food which we have received will strengthen our faith that we may bear all crosses, sickness, and trials with patience and trust until You grant us deliverance, peace, and health; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.”
“Amen,” they all say.
Javi lifts his hand over Laura and chants the Benediction, “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you, the Lord lift up His countenance upon you,” and making the sign of the cross, “and give you peace.”
And they all sing, “Amen.”
Laura weakly looks up at Javi and says with a feeble smile, “Thank you, Pastor,” and promptly falls asleep.
Javi puts the elemnts of the Lord’s Supper away and walks out with Jeff.
“Pastor, thank you,” Jeff says as he shakes his hand. “This means a lot to her—to us.”
Javi places his hand on Jeff’s shoulder with the rough yet gentle pat any man would do, “It’s my pleasure, Jeff. This is what I’m here for.”
Then Jeff does the unexpected. He hugs him and cries. “This is just so hard, Pastor,” he says between sobs.
This took Javi by surprise. He’s never been comfortable with emotions, but he lifts his one free hand and pats Jeff on the back with that same gentle, manly roughness. “I know… I know…” He couldn’t think of anything else to say. What else is there to say? He just gave them the body and blood of Christ, the Word made flesh. Let the incarnate Word speak the rest.
“Like, my faith isn’t shaken or anything,” Jeff continues, “and I’m not doubting, because I know the Lord is faithful, but it’s still just hard.”
Javi doesn’t know what to say—although he would come up with something he should’ve said many hours later—so he continues hugging him. They stay embraced for another thirty seconds in silence before they break apart.
“Thank you again, Pastor,” Jeff says as he holds out his hand, as if he’s embarrassed to reveal such emotions to another man.
Javi shakes his hand, and thinking about Laura, says, “Thank you, Jeff, for being such a compassionate and loving husband to Laura.
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