The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. ... Isaiah 11:6

Until recently, I knew little about cerebral palsy. Christopher Nolan, an Irish boy severely disabled by cerebral palsy, has written a poignant book that has taught me much about it.

At age twenty-one, he wrote the inspiring story of his childhood. Christopher nearly died at birth from asphyxiation, but survived -- with above normal intelligence -- imprisoned in his body. Other than being able to move his eyes up and down and bow his head, he is unable to move. He can audibly speak only in guttural noises that only he can understand. He found, however, his voice -- i.e., a way to speak to others in a way they could understand -- with the aid of a typing stick attached to his head.

In his autobiography, Under the Eye of the Clock, Christopher writes of himself in the third person as a boy named Joseph Meehan. In reading the book, one learns how Joseph (i.e., Christopher) managed to break free of his handicap, and survive among "normal peers". It tells the thoughts and realities of a young child who lived in a world unknown to me.

Christopher's family relationships are wonderful. His parents and sister continually show him that they loved him as he is. The book relates many moving incidents demonstrating their love for each other. For example, while on a beachside vacation, his family dug a huge hole in the sand and buried Joseph in the hole -- in an upright position up to his neck -- so that he could experience what it is like to be able to stand and look straight ahead. Christopher's childhood sibling encounters were the same as in other families -- times of fights, loving, jealousy, and accepting. His grandparents love him for himself and his grandfather overlooked the boy's handicap and advised the parents to allow the child to experiment for himself. Sometimes with unexpected results!

Christopher, and his parents, made every effort to have him accepted in a school with "normal children." When trying to understand why his applications to attend school with "normal children" were turned down, he tried to imagine the type of person who would do such a thing. He considered that it might even be, worst of all, "someone Christian, boasted ascetic, one of the head-stroker-poor child, God love him, ah God is good, never shuts one door but he opens another" person. When finally one school is willing to give him a chance, Christopher says to God, "I'm afraid of my life 'cause I won't have mam or dad or even (my sister) Yvonne. I'll be on my own, my head falling back and forward, not able to talk, not able to hug myself when I get afraid. God, would you be afraid if you were me?"

At the school, Joseph encountered the wolves, leopards and lions, but he also found the lambs, goats, and yearlings. After attending the school for two weeks Joseph questions his family (in his guttural sounds), "D'ye realize that I'm looking forward to tomorrow." He had found brave boys and girls willing to be his friends. He was included in the high jinks of these others students. They spoke out for him when he found himself under duress; he relied on them to wheel him around at the school; and they found nothing unusual about wiping his nose or mouth for him and forcing his teeth apart when a spasm of his jaw muscles accidentally caught the inside of his cheek.

At age 15, Christopher published a book of poetry. After its publication, he now "saw a reason for his being given a second chance at birth." In his autobiography, Christopher quotes various portions of the poetry written in his book, Dam-Burst of Dreams. His autobiography reveals that it is the influence of his father that led to poetry becoming such an important part of his life.

Christopher writes of his concerns regarding the abortion of babies like him. He relates that the spastic baby will always be the soul who will never kill, maim, creed falsehood, or hate brotherhood. He questions, "Why (then) does society fear the crippled child, and hail the able-bodied child and crow over what may in time become a potential executioner?"

Christopher is a Catholic. His parish priest developed a loving relationship with the severely, crippled boy. Weekly communion was brought to Joseph at his home. Nearly always, when it was time for the host to be put on Christopher's tongue, the boy's teeth would involuntarily clench and neither the priest nor his parents were able to pry open his mouth. The inventive priest attempted to find things to say and do which would shock the boy because when he did, Christopher's jaw would fall open in surprise and the host could then be placed on the Christopher's tongue. Some of the ploys the priest used to shock Christopher add to the humorous sections of the book. His relationship with the priest was an important component for why religion plays such an important part in his life.

Prayer is a continuing ritual for Christopher. He prays for his brothers and sisters on all continents and sees their skin colors as variations of family crests. His relationships formed with other children bold enough to become his friend, changed his doubts about God being bothered about spastics. From those relationships, he formed his definition for God: "Man is God hesitant and God is Man hesitantly trying to help."

I urge you to read this book and let this young man teach you of his life experiences. It is an excellent read and will offer ways that you, like Christopher, can continue to increase your faith

Help me God to limit my hesitancy and joyfully represent you as I encounter others whose lives are different from mine. Amen.

Contributed by Nancy E.
Published Sunday July 10, 2005
Week 33 of Liturgical Year A