Jesus told of the "living water" in John 4:14. This living water is available to all; it is the Holy Spirit. The beautiful gifts of the Holy Spirit are abundant and available to each us of every day, as promised by Jesus. I need to look no further than right here in Fishers, Indiana. "Holy Spirit" at Geist has been my church community beginning with the baptism of my son thirteen years ago. What a special privilege to see the church form and grow before my eyes. From the first mass we attended at the school gym, the presence of the Holy Spirit was apparent. Even without a church builiding, the Holy Spirit was there. But with the building came the large cross of Jesus that hangs behind the altar. It is this large cross and a Psalm that Jesus used to reveal to me that "God is with us."

It begins with my son Brian's First Communion preparation. While in church together we talked about Jesus and the large cross behind the altar. Soon after, Brian asked if he could have a cross to remember his special communion day "just like the one behind the altar." I was very touched by my son's request and quickly found a smaller version of the cross. Together we hung it in his bedroom where it remains today.

Sadly, years later, my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Mom passed away six months after being diagnosed with phase four cancer which had also metastasized. Mom was placed in hospice during her last month on this earth. God answered my prayers..."Please Lord, don't let my mother suffer during her last months here. Let her die in peace, as she has had such a sad and hard life here." It was a difficult month, but each time I went to visit, even during this time of extreme sadness, the Holy Spirit was there. During the last several weeks of my mothers life I assisted with her care. On one visit I helped the nurse give her a sponge bath. Mom did not loose a lot of weight in her face or lower body...but her ribs were quite pronounced, just like Jesus on the large cross behind the altar. God was revealing himself to me again. I knew from that day that God was with us, and Mom would die a peaceful death. It was a Friday and I received the call from the hospice nurse, "Your mother is actively dying." I would have selected Mark to be my partner to help my mother go from this life to the next, and so it was. Mark was the hospice nurse on call that morning. When I walked into the room there was such a calmness especially from my mother. The chaplain came in and we formed a circle of prayer around her bedside. Mark left the room and quickly came back with a CD of Psalms. It was the last Psalm played right before my mother died, "On Eagles Wings" based on Psalm 91. It made me cry more to hear this beautiful song. It was a peaceful death.

Just as love brings us together, it can also tear us apart. There was not a coming together among myself and my two sisters after our mother died. Sadly, the funeral was planned only by my youngest sister. The priest was told that myself and my other sister did not want to attend the funeral planning. This was hurtful and only made us grieve more. But God revealed himself again. The last song played at the funeral mass was "On Eagles Wings." I didn't need to be at that funeral planning meeting. God took care of it for me.

And this was not enough. I needed another reminder. At mass on Easter Sunday that was "In Memory" of my mother, my family was asked to bring the gifts up to the altar. "On Eagles Wings" was played as we returned back to our seats.


by Donna Legg
January 15, 2006