One of the teenagers in our parish asked me a question the other day. She had to interview a person and get their ideas on what they would do if they knew they had four days to live. I thought...and I wrote. Here is what came out:

Dear Elizabeth,

If I knew that I had four days to live, I think this is what I would do.

I would tell my beloved bride that we had 4 days to do some crucial things and that I wanted her at my side the whole time. I would bless her and pray over her giving her all I could give her of God's grace. I would tell her all the reasons for loving her and would try and encourage her not to let grief rob her of the life that she would still before her in Jesus. I would encourage her to use every gift God had given her to touch as many lives with His power and love as she could. I would tell her to draw grace from Jesus through friends and family and to refuse to succumb to despair.

I would bring my son, John-Mark, home immediately from Seattle, WA and would hold him and tell him how much I love him. I would show him where important things were, give to him all the special things I have been saving for him and we would play cribbage and talk. I would tell him of my confidence in the One who has rescued me and was calling me home in 4 days, I would tell him that life without Jesus being the center, source and substance of a man is not life...it is barely existing. I would pray over him my fill blessing as his father and would plead with him to accept the love, mercy and forgiveness that God has for him. I would plead with him to let the Holy Spirit, who is dwelling in him, have His way so life could unfold before him as the adventure God intends it to be

I would gather all the kids I work with at Starbucks and tell them that I was leaving and that because they all know I am a follower of Jesus Christ, I needed to communicate to them the reason for my hope. I would say, "I know that some of you may not care about what I believe, but I do believe you care about me. I love you and would not be your friend if I did not share clearly with you about where I will be going in 4 days and who I will be received by when I get Home".

I would gather the whole congregation of Christ Church together for a feast, a celebration of our life together thus far and share my heart and love for them. I would pray over each one, laying my hands on them and blessing them with whatever the Lord laid on my heart to say. We would feast and laugh and weep together.

We would call our dearest friends, Philip & Claudia Jones, Paul & Carol Wolff and all the folks who have gone with me to Russia, let them know so they could be here for the feast is they could. I would call all our families and invite them to come as well. I would pray over family and friends as well and speak the Lord's blessing. I would give God thanks in the midst of my people.

I would send out one final message on Facebook to call everyone to think deeply and to take a hard look at their lives and to consider how much God loves them and what He has done for them in Jesus Christ. I would ask them to re-read my postings over the years and to let Jesus begin His rule in them so they might be fully alive.

I would give instructions as to how the Church was to celebrate my going Home, what songs to sing, etc. I would make sure that MINIMAL expense would be made to dispose of my "old house". I will not have my family be harmed financially through someone playing on their sorrow to make money for a funeral home.

I would have a cigar and a Scotch with my two near-neighbor guys and tell them one more time about Jesus love for them and that it actually IS all real and that I want to see them there when time comes to an end. I have shared with them before, but this sharing would be a pointed one.

I would take some time alone giving God thanks, offloading anything that burdened my soul and just giving Him thanks for rescuing me, living His Life in me, being my Lord and my very salvation. I would thank Him for making me ready to say goodbye to this life so as to enter Life in all its fullness.

I would spend a morning telling as many people as I could at my Starbucks that I was going away and to plead with them to let the mercy of God embrace them. I would thank them for letting me share my life with them.

I would call each dear friend in Russia to let them know I was going Home, to encourage them to keep seeking the Lord, to keep ministering to the children in the camps and orphanages and to know that one day I would see them again. I would tell them how I love them and how much their lives had touched and changed mine. I would tell Victor he needed to let Jesus be his Lord and to let the grace of God fill him, Dena and Irina. I would thank him for his friendship and the fellowship we shared for 16 year of work with the kids in his camp.

Then, with my wife, son and whoever else wanted to be with us I would wait till I could see them no more and my eyes opened upon Heaven and the fullness of life as Jesus welcomed me home.

I guess that's what I'd do. It makes me realize I should get finished as much of this as I can now, since I don’t know when that fourth day may arrive.

Peace,

Fr. Mark+