I happen to watch this film that is based on the actual life of Stuart Long, a football player, wrestler, boxer who had attended a private Catholic college in Helena. Long experienced a religious conversion after a near-death motorcycle accident where he suffered brain swelling and was not expected to survive, but recovered. Long gave away most of his possessions and began considering religious life, who accepted as a seminarian to Mt. Angel Seminary. During his time at the seminary, he was diagnosed with inclusion body myositis, a rare progressive muscle disorder similar to muscular dystrophy. During this time, Long visited the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, yet when he was not healed, Long was devastated and felt abandoned, but after visiting the grotto a second time, he felt a profound peace from some sort of mystical encounter with Joan of Arc, after which he felt he was being called to carry his disease for Christ.
Long was ordained a priest on December 14, 2007, making this statement "I stand before you as a broken man. Barring a miracle, I'm going to die from this disease, but I carry it for the cross of Christ, and we can all carry our crosses." As he grew weaker, friends assisted Long to celebrate Mass by guiding his fingers to touch the right items, and his parents were received into the Catholic Church, with many of the healthcare workers at the care facility converted to Catholicism.
Long died on June 9, 2014 at the age of 50.
During my past year in my journey with pancreatic cancer has allowed me to relate to Stu, since I was asked if I was upset and angry with God multiple times, yet from the very beginning, I asked God where do we go from here with His initial reply being Isaiah 41:10 though it took me a while to understand to set my life in the hands of Christ. God has made it clear throughout Scriptures His promise to be with us no matter what it's happening in our lives. God is the constant in time of turmoil no matter what is happening or how we are being afflicted, and Christ promised to take upon Him all the adversities and stumbling blocks that will come in our way. His love for us will overcome evil and makes us rejoice even in the darkest times of our live.
I reckon as I stand in Christ I have no other alternative but to fully understand the above statement Stu made when he was ordained. Amen
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by fishinFamily
