Sunday, November 28, 2010

*BEST OF DTB #39* The Catholic Defender devotes the Divine Mercy

"SFC Hartley, we have 4 wounded arriving in about 10 minutes, two gun shot wounds and two shrapnel".

"OK, I'll call the Chaplain, and alert the Battalion. Make sure that all the teams are assembled and ready".

"Everyone take your positions, each team assemble as already dictated, we are expecting 4 wounded, one gun shot wound through the back, another through the right arm.

There are two Casualties with shrapnel wounds to the face, back and lower legs". "As the Gun Trucks pull in make sure that the litter teams bring in the most severe injuries first and place them from this trauma bed on down.

Make sure that all your pieces are ready: I need your suction on hand, need IV ready to go, need plenty of supplies. Make sure the trauma chests are open and ready".

"Come on people, just as we rehearsed! SPC Jones, I need you to keep monitoring the radio".
"SFC Hartley, they are coming in"!

"Lets get them in now, bring the facial wound here, I need a line in and make sure you get an airway inserted.

CPT Wilson, here is your first Casualty. Place the Chest wound here in the second bed"

"Get started with him, I will be right back".

"What are the last two"?

"SFC Hartley, they are delayed"!

"Ok, take them into the last two beds and begin treating their wounds, Doc will be right there".

"SFC Hartley, this one has a high Blood Pressure of 180/120"

"Keep getting me the vitals every 5 minutes, yell it out. Where is the PA"?

"SFC Hartley, he is on the way, he should be here in just a few minutes"!

"I'm helping on the second bed, I'll maintain spinal traction and keep the airway open".

"Sir our second Casualty has a gun shot wound to the back, his vital signs are becoming rapid".

The above scenario is sometimes a daily routine in a war zone. Sometimes it can happen multiple times a day with many more casualties. Sometimes the result is we lose some of them. That is always a difficult situation.

Sometimes the only thing I can do for someone is pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet! There may not be anything we can do as the wounds were just too catastrophic.

In this scenario, there are so many things happening at once, I have been involved with CPR trying to keep someone alive until the Doc calls it. I would silently pray:

Eternal Father,
I offer you the Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity,
of Your Dearly Beloved Son,
Our Lord, Jesus Christ,
in atonement for our sins
and those of the whole world


I would be looking around ensuring that all can be done, making sure that the Casualties are packaged and ready for air transport Medevac if the sky is green. If the sky is red that presents problems getting a ground convoy. Continuing in my mind I would pray:

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.


I remember the promise Our Good Lord made to St. Faustina consoling her that for the dying, if someone prays the Divine Mercy Chaplet the soul would find peace.

This hits home for me literally as my Mother would be told she had two days to live. She developed a massive blood clot that lodged in her right lower leg causing it to turn blue.

Without circulation, her leg did not make it. When I arrived at the hospital, the Doctors did not believe she would survive the knife. They gave her two days to live.

My Brother and I took Mom home to die as she didn't want to die in the hospital, but at home with her family around her.

As soon as we got her in her bed, I elevated her leg giving some comfort, I placed a rosary above the site where it was dead, and bathed the area with holy water and prayer.

Mom's medication such as Morphine helped at times, but what helped her most was praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet with me.


She felt at peace with herself and she was able to rest. This went on for about 10 days when I had to get an extension on my leave as Mom was living longer that what the Doctors projected.

I was sitting next to her bed when Mom asked me,
"Do you believe that the Lord will receive me when I pass".

I told Mom, "Mom, you know He will receive you! You can trust in His word and stand on what He says".

That's when I began to sing to her a song we sing at Mass, "Be Not Afraid"!

Gigi, my wife, was standing on the other side of the bed when she saw Mom's rosary on her desk so she gave it to Mom to hold.

As we were singing the song together, Mom was holding her rosary. It was at this point I noticed the rosary change from silver to gold in her hands. What a sign this was for us and I will write here that the Lord gave my Mom another 18 Months.
 
Mom was finally taken by the Lord on 1 August 2006. I will never forget how the Divine Mercy Chaplet made such an impact for my Mom.

That would lead to the earlier scenario. In the absence of a Priest, without the Anointing of the Sick (Last Rites), the Divine Mercy Chaplet is an important devotion.

I have meet parents of Soldiers who have died that were consoled by me when learning of our dedication of the Divine Mercy Chaplet praying for their Sons.



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