Sick Again!

The last few days I've been laid up in my room, fighting a nasty virus. Runny nose, coughing, aching, stuffy head - the ordinary symptoms that tend to make life suck for a bit. Since new year's eve, I've been fighting this bug.

The illness comes at a really bad time for me. Last Saturday, we hosted an Epiphany party: an event that brought in over 60 guests to our friary for food, wine, and good spirits. Unfortunately I was in no mood for good spirits or company, so I slept while visitors came and went.

Today we had a camera crew come into the house. They were getting footage to put together a 4 minute video about the postulants and post-novices for a vocational video. There were several roles that I was supposed to fill during the shooting. It had been planned a month in advance.

Again by misfortune, I thought I was feeling better yesterday. Rather than continuing my regiment of rest and fluids, I took the opportunity (since all the guys were together in one house) to get a big soccer game going. It was a blast! I felt good at my skill level. I felt healthy! Most importantly, my team won!

But with the exertion, the exposure to cold air, and the lack of sleep (we played FIFA 09 on the xBox 360 after getting back from the gym), I awoke this morning with chills and a fever of 101.
I have since been admonished for playing last night.

I've slept most of the day already, and I'll probably head back to bed after I finish typing this post. The hardest part of this is my separation from the community.

Less than 2 months ago I was sick. I've been told that it may be from the homeless population that I interact with in my ministry, and that I need to be extra careful with germs. I've also been told that by working too hard, my defenses are already lowered. However what I feel is that whenever I get sick and have to retire to my room for a few days to fight a cold, I feel I am not being present to the community. I feel I should have been at that party last week, and I feel I should have helped with the video today. I don't know if guilt helps fight a cold, but I can't deny the feeling as I sit here with my Kleenex box and juice.

I hope that tomorrow will be a better day, and I will once again feel part of the community as I let my body try to fight off whatever is making me sick. I just wish I didn't feel like I was letting others down because of it.

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2 Response to Sick Again!

January 11, 2009 at 11:54 PM

Br Vito
I read Charlie's story about you in gr press. Very inspiring!
I also got to a point in my life when I wanted more. Like you it was around the age of 30. But I was looking for God in all the wrong places. Eastern religions and new age things. I came up in the Catholic religion and they did a lot of good social things but there was no power there. God did not seem to be in it. Then at the age of 35 I got in a project building a house, (I am a wood worker) and I went to a home show were I met a contractor I liked and hired him to do some parts of the project. Well a year later he came back to my shop to have some millwork done and tells me about how God had saved him and baptized him in the Holy Spirit and gave him a gift of healing. I never knew anything about this stuff and I thought being "saved" was for nut jobs, but now it happened to someone I knew and worked with and I had to admit God was real! This made me interested and I found myself listening to a gospel radio station and I learned what Jesus had done for me and how to receive Him. He made me new and gave me a fresh start. Well that was years ago and I have come a long way since. OK now I 'll get to my comment on your sickness. I found that the Bible says that Jesus has already accomplished or healing. I learned a lot from a guy on the radio by the name of Andrew Wommack. He explained from Mt. 17 how we can take spiritual authority over all things by speaking to our mountain with faith and not doubting. Of course there's a little more to it than this, but since I took authority over viruses in my invironment I haven't had a cold or flue in 2 yrs. And no allergy symtoms either. Everything Jesus said really works!
Bless you Br. Vito

January 12, 2009 at 1:26 AM

Thank you for your kind words, Jerry.

I admit my theology differs from yours, but I see it as a sign of the Spirit when people are able to look past their differences and see God's presence alive in others.

I wish you continued success. I am glad you took the time to read my story and that you felt moved to comment.

Peace and all good.