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We did it Ma. We got her to the finish line. Thank you to everyone who helped along the way.”
That thank you note printed in the Mass Program for Rosie Day summarizes the success story of a friend whose funeral was more of a celebration than a cause to mourn. Her success was inherited by an extended family who gathered together and shared with each other how this woman touched their lives as much as they extended hers. She wasn’t supposed to survive 62 years. Long-gone doctors warned her parents not to expect Rosie to make it much past her teens.
That was indeed the case for most people with Down Syndrome when Rosie was born. Even as recently as the 80s life expectancies didn’t go much beyond 25. Neglect and abuse were unsung causes of death for such people. Loneliness isn’t supposed to be fatal, but as the first reading from this Sunday’s mass reminds us, our Creator deemed it downright unnatural for the human he designed (Gn 2:18-24):
The LORD God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.”
The partnerships Rosie’s family created for her ensured not only a long life, but a rich one. To be sure, people with Rosie’s condition know suffering. Much of it is still caused by the prejudice and misunderstanding of others. But Rosie was raised in an atmosphere of faith, and even as she reached 60, she continued to participate in her church’s religion classes for adults with disabilities. In Jesus Christ, these people of faith have a role model who was familiar with their kind of suffering—especially their lower class status and their high mortality. Here’s how Paul describes the nature of his Master’s temporary condition (courtesy of Sunday’s second reading, Heb 2:9-11):
He “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.
Jesus’ kinship with children is made clear through several scripture passages, but this Sunday’s passage from Mark’s gospel is a favorite among parents of children with “special needs” (Mk 10:2-16). It actually fulfills a special need parents like us have for reassurance that the lives we brought into the world have a special purpose: to lead other souls closer to God:
“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Then [Jesus] embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
That Godly embrace could be felt as Rosie’s family gathered for her memorial, and it is one that enfolds all souls who let themselves join the ranks of our Creator’s Special Children.
–Tom Andel
Thank you Tom
Sometimes it is so hard to be like these little children who enjoy life so much, as God intended it…
You’re right on, Joe. For most of us, being authentic takes courage. Blessed are those who enjoy being God’s creation.
Reading in your blog….’his Masters temporary condition’ and “He for a little while was made lower than the angels” should remind us that all of our afflictions are momentary compared to eternity. Those with special needs and whatever condition they have been given is also temporary. With this in mind, rather than feeling sorry for them we probably should feel sorry for ourselves! They have gone through this world with much less sin than us, souls that are pure, do not know hate, are full of love. The last shall be first and the first shall be last. What would you or I do without confession…. Someday if we make it through that narrow path to heaven we will see these special people without there earthly afflictions and how wonderful that will be! Thanks be to God.
There’s much wisdom in what you say, Mark. I would just add that the label “special needs” applies to all of us. The only difference between “normal needs” people and “special needs” is how we prioritize our needs. “Normal” people tend to believe they are more self sufficient, therefore when they grow away from their parents they start to pursue their passions. Sometimes those passions lock us into the solitary confinement of sin. “Special needs” people never suffer the delusion that they are self sufficient, therefore their passions tend to be “other” related and their priorities are more centered on those they love and those who love them back As scripture teaches, God is love. Those of us who forget that special need are the afflicted ones.