A Prayer for Terri
Most gracious Creator, who through the birth, death, and resurrection
of Christ brought us redemption, and through the infilling of Your
Spirit brings us life daily, hear our prayers for Terri. She is your
creation. She is of value. She is loved.
Lord God, we pray that Your will be done, on earth as it is in
Heaven. We pray that hearts, minds, and souls will be opened to You. We
pray that those who traffic in the culture of death will be corrected,
and seek your forgiveness. We pray that each of us, no matter how
innocent we are of this crime, will not feel smug or holy, but that we
will be on guard to eradicate the sin in our own lives.
Mostly, Jesus, we pray that you will hold Terri in your arms as she
lays un-hydrated and un-fed. We pray, Holy Spirit, that you will engulf
Terri's family and friends in the fullness of your love and comfort.
It is so easy to pray for our will, and offer suggestions of how
this should be rectified. Let us rest in the knowledge that we can only
pray that Your will be done.
Lord, have mercy.
Amen
esw - October 2003
October of 2003 was a time of great distress for me. Perhaps it was because my own grandmother's health was failing, and I saw the love and care and compassion offered her on a daily basis by my grandfather and my mother. And I saw Terri Schiavo's parents there, willing to offer her care. I couldn't understand then, nor can I now, why on earth someone would be excluded from caring for a sick person; Excluded in favor of that person's death.
It still makes me wonder...
Below, I included some of my thoughts around that time. They were pretty raw on this day. Perhaps it was because there was still a sliver of hope that something would be done. The anger now has faded a bit. It is difficult to think back on that time, though, and realize how are most basic right (life) can be so easily ignored.
It is still barbaric to me to starve and dehydrate a person to death. If I allowed one of my dogs to starve to death or failed to give them water to the point of dehydration, I would find myself in legal trouble. But, somehow, as a society we didn't find it impossible to do that very thing to a human being, especially one who had committed no capital crime, and who had other options before her.
esw - Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Every once in a while, there is an issue that I just have to put down
into words, rather than discuss or argue or theorize...I have a group
of internet-buds who often help by listening to(then disagreeing with)
me. Today, I just need to vent...
There's a woman in Tampa Florida...you may have heard the story, or
at least part of it, by now...her name is Terri. Terri's story, in
brief, is as follows:
"Terri was 26 years old when she suffered brain damage from a
sudden collapse. Terri receives her food and water by means of a
feeding tube. Terri's other bodily functions are physically stable.
Terri smiles, laughs and cries. Terri recognizes voices and responds.
At times, she vocalizes sounds, trying in her best way to speak. Terri
is not a brain dead vegetable as characterized by her husband and legal
guardian, Michael Schiavo nor a houseplant as implied by his attorney.
Terri is not on a respirator or any artificial life support. She is a
living human being and needs to be granted an opportunity to recover.
Terri has not had any progressive rehabilitation or arousal therapy in
more than ten years."
For ten years, this woman's husband has refused to allow her any
therapy, and has refused to allow Terri's parents, family, and friends
to provide any therapy for her, even though there is strong evidence
that Terri's condition could be greatly improved with such effort.
There are several instances where someone in Terri's condition has been
taught to eat and drink without artificial tubes, and then progressed
from there. As a recent article stated, "over a dozen prominent doctors
and therapists have stated under oath that she is not in a persistent
vegetative state and with therapy could be rehabilitated".
Of course, oaths mean so little these days, especially in court.
Now, the husband has convinced the courts to remove the feeding
tube; effectively a death sentence for someone who has committed no
crime. And the punishment will be effected in a most cruel and unusual
way: starvation and dehydration. Terri will die, slowly, over the next
7 to 20 days. Her family will be by her side for perhaps two weeks or
more, knowing that Terri has at least some knowledge of where she is,
what is going on. That family will hold her hand as she starves,
perhaps wondering why her mommy and daddy would refuse to feed her.
It is barbaric, and sickening. I've found myself crying throughout
the day today. Crying for a woman who is being treated like "a
houseplant". Tears for the family who loves their daughter and only
wish to provide appropriate medical care. Tears for a society so
devoted to a culture of death.
I must confess though, that I have no tears for Terri's
scum-bastard of a husband and his marrow-sucking lawyers. Lord, have
mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
That the courts ordered Terri's feeding tube to be removed on
September 15, which is the Catholic Feast of St. Theresa (Terri's
namesake), is bitter indeed. And, I dare say, not mere coincidence.
We have visited the Tampa area several times in recent years. My
in-laws live there in the winter. I wish I was there now. I would be
tempted to go and physically attempt to do what I can only ask in
prayer right now. I would certainly be at the prayer vigil for Terri
right now. And, frankly, I would lay down my freedom to join any group
that wishes to intervene on Terri's behalf in a display of peaceful
civil disobedience. As someone wrote, it's time for the Catholic Bishop
of Tampa, concerned clergy, and those laymen who see the slippery slope
here to "go Martin Luther King" on the situation.
Pray for Terri, and her family. Pray for the husband and his lawyers and others who will be held accountable for their actions.
esw - October 2003