Overcome by sleep he fell to the ground three floors below and was picked up dead. But Paul went down, and bending over him, took him in his arms and said, Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him. - Acts 20: 8-10 This is a scene for the nightly news. Paul, on his last journey to Jerusalem, has been speaking to the faithful in Troas. He has much to say and the hour is close to midnight. The room is crowded and poor Eutychus, probably looking for a bit of air, is seated on the windowsill when he nods off and tumbles to his death on the street below. (This is the only recorded instance of someone being literally bored to death!) Paul interrupts his sermon to run down and bring him back to life. Then Paul goes back upstairs, takes a bit of nourishment and goes on talking -- until dawn! Is there anything to equal it? Besides being a deliciously realistic piece of writing, it is such a real insight into the great Paul who at times loses sight of the humanity of his hearers. Too many people, too little air and the angst of knowing that Paul will not pass this way again leads to far too many words. The human lessons are many. Eutychus learns not to sit on window sills as he grows drowsy. Paul learns that even the best of sermons goes flat when drama intervenes. Those present certainly never forget both the apparent death and the sight of Paul giving CPR to the young man. And we? It is a bit like It isnt over till its over. We have no record of what Eutychus did with his second life, but I am fairly certain that he treasures each day as a precious gift. While the drama in our lives is a bit lower-keyed, we might take the time today to see each moment in that same light. As this summer winds to an end, we need to remember that each day is precious, even if we are not newly restored to life. It is a gift to savor and then to share. We could do that today. -Sr. Carol Perry
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 12:42:02 +0000
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