"LAZARUS" . . .AND "DIVINE INTERVENTION"

   My friend has given himself a new Name . . ."Lazarus".  The New Testament narrative tells of Jesus giving new life to his friend, Lazarus.  My friend will tell you in no uncertain terms that he has been given new life.  For the past year, he has been receiving chemotherapy in what he called his "latest quest for cancer remission".  The most recent bone marrow lab report indicates NO sign of cancer on one side of his hip bone and  "such a small amount on the left that Johns Hopkins could not even put a % on it", so that he is considered in complete remission.  There will be one last procedure that will last but a short time and "then LAZARUS LIVES !!!!", he wrote.

     In our conversation soon after his email, I sensed we both struggled to know how to find the words for all this.  Grateful ?
Beyond measure.  Amazed ? Almost unspeakably so.  In Awe?
Almost to tears.

    He and I have been friends since 1968 when I joined the faculty where he was already teaching.  Sometime in the 1970's when the 'fitness bug' had bitten us, we regularly met in the college weight room to 'pump iron'.  I think I bailed on that endeavor first, realizing that  I would never have a 'Charles Atlas' physique.  (If you remember that 'back of the comic book advertisement', then you qualify for AARP and Medicare both.)  Then we turned to running together regularly for a few miles. One day he noted the irony of two middle-aged men running for fitness through the streets of the cemetery that was near the college.

      In his mid-50's, he retired from teaching and enrolled in seminary.  I was in awe of his ability to master Hebrew and Koine Greek languages.  After graduating, he was ordained into the Presbyterian ministry, serving a parish until retiring for health reasons.  In that capacity and thereafter, he has on several occasions been my informal 'pastor'.  I value his perspectives and opinions and remain appreciative for his presence and support during some of my difficult times.

     He received his cancer diagnosis approximately five years ago and has fought the evil thing with great courage, wit, and honesty.
Many persons have included him in their prayers of intercession.  
And, he wrote, "I am increasingly considering [ remission to be]
'Divine Intervention."  Then, he added, "What  do you think of 'divine intervention' by the way?"

    Well, as I noted in an earlier post, I am a retired United Methodist minister and I know that there is a service for healing in the UM Book of Worship. As a practicing psychotherapist / counselor, I often am privy to 'healing' that cannot be attributable to my 'professional skills.'  I also know that there are lots of charlatans out there making claim to divine powers and willing to heal all kinds of human ills and infirmities . . . usually for a 'love offering' (read 'fee').  Someone cynically noted that "if {name deleted} is such a great healer, why does he wear a toupee?"  I believe it a mistake to yield the matter of 'healing' to such as these.

    Within the same week as this friend's extraordinary news, I learned of the critical condition of another friend and fraternity brother from college years.   Apparently, injuries sustained in an automobile accident in 1960 are responsible in some way for organ failure now.  He, too, is someone for whom I  offer daily prayers of intercession.  

    The poet Shel Silverstein in a poem of 'Questions' asked (and this is from memory so probably not exactly verbatim) "why do some folks get well and others get sicker?"  Sounds like great honesty in the face of great imponderables.  In matters such as that, many folks simply conclude that the whole business of life is a huge throw of the dice.  I, instead, conclude that there are many things beyond my comprehension;  while I have experienced anger at the second friend's circumstance, I cannot conclude that the cancer remission is solely attributable to 'medical science' or divine caprice.  So, I will continue to pray for health for my fraternity brother . . .and invite you to do so also.

    Satchel