footprints in the soul

When he was resident chaplain at the University of Kentucky, he often baptized those who were dying. On one occasion, I was given the task of baptizing an aborted child who did not survive the birth. I was given a tiny fetus that was not much bigger than my thumb. I remember wondering what the mother of this baby would look like and who the father was. What were they going through? I wondered who was helping them get over their complaint.

The nurse handed this fetus to me in a back room to be baptized before any further procedures were performed. In the back of my mind, I began to imagine what this child’s life would have been like if this child had lived. What nakedness of parents would all this create in your heart and soul?

I know this happened over 16 years ago. I can still remember this event like it was yesterday. I was alone with this fetus and the nurse. I anointed this child. In a way, I think the boy also anointed me. This child, to this day, has left an image in my mind and heart that lives and breathes by remembering this story. This child has left a mark on my Soul and has shown me a path to Eternity.

Samuel Oliver, author of “What the Dying Teach Us: Lessons About Life”