That’s the handprint of a child with autism on the main entrance of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church here in Andrews, NC. We treat well those with any special needs here in the midst of Jesus’ Little Flock. For a particular reason within the parameters of Church Law regarding the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, this child was provided with this Sacrament, a most peaceful event with the family all around.
And then… bam! — Handprint on the door, as if to say: “This is where I feel at home; this is my home.”
The currents run deep in those with more severe forms of autism. That’s my experience with those with autism right around the world, here in these USA, down in Australia, in Lourdes, France. In my own reading on autistic traits I recognized lots of things about myself. Many of those have stuck with me to date. I’m certainly taken to be the stupidest person ever – never the case with those with autism – a perception almost exclusively of narcissists, almost always filthy liberals.
And then… bam! The presentation of Christ Jesus and Immaculate Mary that cannot be refuted, as if I say: “It is with them that I feel at home; my home, please God, will be in heaven.”
I suppose all of that is presumptuous on my part, or is it that the currents are running deep? Here’s the deal: I do have the joy of having the hope that the wounds of Christ Jesus were received by Him also for me.
When entering into the gates of heaven, please God, I’d like to leave a handprint, so as to say: “This is where I feel at home; this is my home.”
Kodi Lee has done more to bring people to respect life than all politicians of this dark, sorry world put together. The culture of death freakoids want that such as these not have the chance to live. But good on you, Kodi. It took you just two minutes to have Simon Cowell say, with an audience in the many tens of millions:
“We would be nothing without you. God bless you.”
Truth.
We rejoice in Kodi’s verified perfect pitch.
We rejoice that he is one of the more or less 25 musical savants that we know about in the world.
I bet there are millions with such talent among the differently gifted in whatever direction but who instead are written off as disposable, not worthy of respect.
What I know is that Every Single Human Being is the image of God, whereas the fallen conditions we plow through in this world, with all of our sickness and death, have nothing to do with the glorious vocation that we have to be the children of God, to be on our way to heaven, where the tables will be turned, and all limitations of this life will be what is cancelled.
Yes, blessings upon those who respect the differently gifted, who take care of those with special needs knowing little of the great Treasure all creatures of God carry. Blessings upon those who suffer the anti-life mockery and icy scorn of this dark fallen world, from neighbors, at the supermarket, from the culture of death warriors who feel entitled to murder the differently gifted in the womb and on the street, in “camps”.
Yes, blessing upon those who respect the differently gifted, for they are warriors of respect and love carrying the brunt of such arrogance and haughtiness coming not only fallen human society, but from some supposed members of the church. Just to see the differently gifted, just to see the respect and love from carers, is enough to send the self-absorbed parasitical Prometheans into apoplectic fits of denial, blinding themselves to the fact that we all have severe limitations after original sin and must be on our to heaven, or else. God is Love, and that’s the Truth. And that sends them around the bend. They are anything but love and truth. This is sooo very difficult for carers, who get little encouragement when encouragement should be forthcoming.
It’s so good, everything is right, when seeing the vulnerable respected, welcomed.
I recall a sight I frequently witnessed as a permanent chaplain in Lourdes officiating over the afternoon Blessed Sacrament Procession, when, inside the Lower Basilica of Saint Pius X, after the Blessed Sacrament was enthroned upon the altar, the procession would enter, come down the ramps, and make its way to our Eucharistic Lord, first a river of wheelchairs, then of “chariots”, then of rolling hospital beds, then the rank and file of all the rest of us with all of our brokenness in this world.
It very much seemed to me – ever so strongly – that this is an analogy of the scene to be witnessed at the very gates of heaven, when we make our way to the Lord, and, may it please Him, we are admitted before His presence so as to offer Him humble thanksgiving, even as all the limitations of this world are taken away, both in body and in soul, so that, standing up and jumping for joy, we immediately fall to our knees in joyful reverence before Him and our Blessed Mother. Yes. This sight brought me profound joy, already thanking our Lord while in this world.
What’s certain is that this guy was bullied not because he was on the autism spectrum. That’s just an easy excuse for knuckleheads who, instead, are nervous about this guy having more integrity and humanity, more honesty and goodness and kindness than all of them put together.
To see the glory of God wherever it might be requires us knowing that we’re all challenged with the weaknesses of original sin, including physical health. That kind of humility is not ours for the taking. That kind of humility is only ours for the receiving. Our Lord provides reality to us, enables us to see reality, if only we receive this. Then we can see it, rejoice in it.
Here’s another guy rejoicing in his incredible talents:
ARISE! LET US BE GOING! 