This story was originally submitted for Amazing Grace for the Catholic Heart by Rosemary Kadrmas, mother for Fr. Chris Kadrmas. It is a story of faith everlasting and a reminder of the dignity of all human life.
In the late 1990’s I worked
in the activities department at a local nursing home where we often brought out
the Alzheimers Unit residents to join the other residents’ activities. Some
days Arlene, my co-worker, and I really wondered if it was worth all the
effort.
in the activities department at a local nursing home where we often brought out
the Alzheimers Unit residents to join the other residents’ activities. Some
days Arlene, my co-worker, and I really wondered if it was worth all the
effort.
It took a considerable amount of
vigilance just to keep them in the room, let alone involved. We could not help but question what they were
getting out of it and how much they really understood of anything. But there we
were one Good Friday afternoon with a resident on each arm and a wheelchair in
front. We baby-stepped our way down the hall to watch a video about Our Lord’s
crucifixion and resurrection in the main activity room.
vigilance just to keep them in the room, let alone involved. We could not help but question what they were
getting out of it and how much they really understood of anything. But there we
were one Good Friday afternoon with a resident on each arm and a wheelchair in
front. We baby-stepped our way down the hall to watch a video about Our Lord’s
crucifixion and resurrection in the main activity room.
When Arlene and I finally
succeeded in getting everyone and every wheelchair into position, we plopped
down, wet with perspiration and thankful to be off our feet. As we
succeeded in getting everyone and every wheelchair into position, we plopped
down, wet with perspiration and thankful to be off our feet. As we
scanned the darkened room,
the residents’ eyes seemed to be fixed on the TV as Franco Zeffirelli’s
acclaimed production Jesus of Nazareth began.
the residents’ eyes seemed to be fixed on the TV as Franco Zeffirelli’s
acclaimed production Jesus of Nazareth began.
I was pleasantly surprised
at the quiet attention being paid to the screen. Even Frank with his short
attention span was brought back every so often by a sudden change in the
emotional pitch of the dialogue or the musical score.
at the quiet attention being paid to the screen. Even Frank with his short
attention span was brought back every so often by a sudden change in the
emotional pitch of the dialogue or the musical score.
At last came the scene
where Mary Magdalene comes upon the empty tomb and sees Jesus’ body not
there. A man (Jesus) asks Mary why she
is looking for the living among the dead. Mary runs as fast as she can back to
the disciples and tells Peter and the rest with breathless excitement, “He’s
alive! I saw Him, I tell you!” The doubt in their eyes causes Mary to pull back.
“You don’t believe me….You don’t believe me!”
where Mary Magdalene comes upon the empty tomb and sees Jesus’ body not
there. A man (Jesus) asks Mary why she
is looking for the living among the dead. Mary runs as fast as she can back to
the disciples and tells Peter and the rest with breathless excitement, “He’s
alive! I saw Him, I tell you!” The doubt in their eyes causes Mary to pull back.
“You don’t believe me….You don’t believe me!”
Then, from somewhere in that
you-could-hear-a-pin-drop activity room came the clear, resolute voice of
Esther, from the Alzheimer’s Unit, “WE BELIEVE YOU….WE BELIEVE YOU!”
you-could-hear-a-pin-drop activity room came the clear, resolute voice of
Esther, from the Alzheimer’s Unit, “WE BELIEVE YOU….WE BELIEVE YOU!”
***
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