Saints and Pacemakers

Less than a week ago I was at St. Joseph’s Hospital, receiving a pacemaker from St. Jude’s Medical. All of this because our parish nurse, St. Ginger, took my blood pressure at a senior citizen’s event and said to me, “Do you have an irregular heartbeat?…I think you do.” Which quickly led me to several doctors, Saints Peter, Charles and David, the last of whom wielded the scalpel for St. Judes. I only saw St. Charles once, on a Tuesday, and spoke again to him on the phone a week later. I distinctly remember him saying both times, “We can get you in on Thursday.” He may have said other things too. All of this of course causes me to reflect on saints, those I know and those I don’t, and those of ancient history
 
After my minor –some would say minor – procedure, it seems fitting to me that a hospital should be named after a man who wielded hammer, chisel and saw, though if there were ever a famous mugger, his name would serve well too. It’s a bit more disconcerting to me that the maker of my device is named after the man known as the patron saint of “desperate and lost causes.” That does give me pause. I’d prefer it be named after St. Matthias, the patron St. of hope, of whom St. Clement said, “He was chosen not for who he was, but for who he would become,” Or even St. Luke, the physician. At any rate, we give thanks for all the saints, those present and those past, and for all their ministries.

I’m doing quite well by the way. Ann’s parting words as she left for work this morning were, “And stay off of the roof.”