WE AS THE AROMA OF CHRIST FOR GOD

4/15/2025

Categories

These pictures are of me fitted on a wall in Strong Memorial Hospital located in Rochester New York which was revealed on Lazarus day, Saturday 12 April 2025, the day before Palm Sunday. After I donated my kidney, I got a chance to be honored on a wall exposed to the general public for the next year. At first I wasn't going to do it because of pride, then I realized in prayer that this would be a great EVANGELIZATION moment.

After all, I am an Evangelist, right? You bet!

A little back story leading up to this:

In the year 2019, I found out that my wife had kidney failure due to complications from Type 1 Diabetes. At the time, I did not take it that seriously because I did not fully know what kidney failure entailed. Surely, as I have always thought, this new medical condition could be treatable and do-able like the other illnesses and health complications she experienced in the past through the normal scheduling of doctor's appointments and new medications. Oh, so little did I know!

For one, I was still an atheist; no faith in any higher power other than my own subjective view and personal opinion of things around me. Two, I was very focused on work and earning a living during this time, so I figured like all of her medical issues in the past, she could deal with this one on her own. In late 2019, I was working in the warehouse at UPS when I came down with Covid-19 before anybody knew what it was. I was put up in the hospital for a few days and almost died due to a softball sized fluid ball in my lungs (severe coughing up blood life-threating style pneumonia) . I remember laying in the bed considering my own mortality and not really caring what was to happen to me because I was so used to the thought of death from the past due to my military service and prior deployments. In other words, my atheism trained me to be very cold and uncaring of such things as I was ready to die in the past and could have very well died then and I would have been okay with it at the time in that spiritual state! Sure, missing my children and my wife was a thought, but I really felt nothing on the matter - just a piece of blank darkness when the thought entered my mind.

Now, by the grace of the Lord - He who loves those who do not love Him back - He given me another chance at life. As before, I did not think anything of it, and I continued to persecute my wife's faith so as to mock and ridicule it, even going so far as attempting to smash a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary which belonged to my wife. She always held firm in her faith though and would not budge to my assaults on it. Towards the end of the year 2020 after I recovered from Covid-19 and my life was spared by God's grace, He just so happened to bring me to conversion to the truth of his existence. Many people did not believe me at first; especially my family and friends.

As the years went on and I attempted to enter Christ's Church, my wife's kidney condition worsened and a new reality set in; I could lose my wife before her 40th birthday. Around the time leading up to my baptism; I was being assaulted by demonic entities through horrific nightmares and visions discouraging me of pursuing baptism, to outside influence of others attacking my new found faith. Something that tormented me for the longest time was the vision I had of my wife being taken away on an elevator by a group of men in suits who said to us - "you need to come with us now." When she went with them I was left alone to wander this world by myself as a man without the glory and comfort of a wife. I did not want her to leave this world, and I promised to her and God that I would never be with anyone else ever again, even if she did pass away.

At the time after my baptism and entering a religious order, I was working in the human social services field visiting people throughout my area who had mental health diagnosis. Yes, the presence of the demon was there too - some practiced the occult while others were in need of prayer and intercession. To see people afflicted in this manner was very eye opening and tough to see; especially in a secularized world that seems to only solve problems with pills and patient notes that are stored in a software program. In other words, I really liked my job! Serving the Lord in this way was very good; for I saw the fruits of my work in others and best of all I could look at myself in the mirror in the morning (unlike sales jobs I had in the past like Real Estate). Now, in this job that I enjoyed, I started noticing something - my wife getting weaker. As the days went on, the color on her face would leave and she would be struggling with the tasks she was normally used to doing without any problems. After some months and some kidney transplant appointments, I realized something very shocking; my wife was dying!

Yes, the doctors had a tough time saying it bluntly, but it was obvious what was going on - she needed a new kidney or else she would not be around much longer.

Realizing this, you the reader, should also realize something about me - for my entire life I was never a deceased organ donor nor have I ever intended on donating an organ either living or deceased. In fact, the very thought of this seemed like insanity; I was way too selfish, I loved my body and I loved mirrors - especially when I was really in shape at some point in my life during military service - added, I also liked nicotine such as smoking and dipping. I also liked drinking and I never would have given up these things for anyone in the past. I enjoyed my habits because they controlled my anger a bit which served my selfishness. Furthermore, as an atheist, my world view was this; I do what I want. Seriously - the highest principle was me and the only thoughts and opinions that mattered were that of myself. Surely, when I was an atheist, I did whatever I wanted to do and I did not feel bad about it. In other words, I was my own god and my scripture was my ever changing passions. My altar was my possessions and my idols and my morality was whatever I wanted it to be at the very given moment which served my interests. This was before Christ Jesus converted me and showed me the truth; He Who Is can be known by the intellect and we can choose to be for Him or against Him and He honors our decision, whichever it may be!

I chose to be for the Lord my God.

Now that I was in Christ Jesus; how could I sit there and watch my wife perish? Surely, I needed to do something! The day I decided to donate my organ I was at work and it crossed my mind that I must vow to God to see this work through - not by my strength, but by His! So, I quit my job and went to the VA clinic in my area to get seen to figure out what I needed to do in order to donate my kidney to my wife. Unfortunately, my experience was very frightening because the only staff members who would see me directly were the ones who checked my blood pressure, height and weight. I was told by the VA that a Physician's Assistant would reach out to me by email. To me, this was unacceptable. At another time, they would not even reach out to me on telephonic phone calls they setup for me and then would mark me as a "no show" for the appointment.

So, in my fear, I went to a local health care provider in my area who was a Nurse Practitioner and she was very good. She explained to me how I would need to lose a lot of weight before I would even be eligible to donate a kidney because of how overweight I was after service (I was on many painkillers, sleep, and muscle relaxer medications when I got out of service and ended up putting on over 100 pounds even while routinely going to the gym). This healthcare professional suggested that I look into getting a sleeve gastrectomy which means they would cut out a portion of my stomach to reduce my food intake (a permanent procedure which has lifetime ramifications).

In other words, in order to donate my kidney, I had to lose my stomach. I decided to do it because I didn't want to find myself in a situation I would have regretted. Obviously, my wife didn't have much time as her condition was gradually getting worse. To make it worse; she was a harder match to find on the deceased donor list because of her high anti-body count, so a routine 3 to 5 year deceased kidney on the waiting list would be longer for her. To make it worse, we were not a match, so I had to go the chain donation option (which means I give my kidney to someone else which creates a voucher based debt for my wife who would receive a stranger's kidney at a later time after my recovery). Time was of the essence, so better get moving I thought!

While this was going on, I wanted to bide some more time for my wife. I tried to get her to join the religious order I was in - the Third Order of St. Dominic (Lay Dominicans) - but she said this wasn't for her. Shopping around, I linked her up with some Franciscans in our areas and they hit it off. Yes, I had selfish reasons for this; maybe God would give her more time as she goes through religious formation in service to Him?

Anyways, when it came time for me to begin assessment for my weight loss surgery; a few issues arose. One, I had sleep apnea so that needed to be addressed. Two, I needed to quit nicotine (which was horrible for me - I have always done some form of nicotine, especially during my three deployments to Iraq). Three, I had to get my blood pressure under control through two medications. I quit the nicotine and brought my blood pressure down through medication use. When I received my CPAP machine (requires me to wear a mask when I sleep to record my breathing) to treat the sleep apnea, I needed to provide 90 days worth of data showing myself in compliance before they would book my stomach surgery date. Now, my beard and my hair were in the way, and just like the military when wearing a Pro Mask for chemical warfare, one usually shaves their head and face to get a good seal. So, like the Apostle Paul who shaved his head because of a vow he took, I too vowed to see this work through which led me to having to shave my head (and face) as well for the sake of pursuing my stomach removal which would ultimately lead to my kidney removal. To my embarrassment in Church, I received the funniest looks from people I knew when they saw me and noticed who I was. I had to approach a few of them and say, "hey, I swear I haven't lost my mind, I just got a CPAP machine..." Yes, the Lord our God has a fine way of refining us in the furnace and molding us into what He wants us (something better) to be if we are just so willing!

So, I did these things. After many months, I came into compliance. My surgery date came on 15 August 2023 - the same day as the Feast day of the Assumption of Mary. On that day in my recovery, I had a very holy Priest come visit me who given me communion - he was a former prisoner in Sudan and built many Churches while preaching the gospel in that dangerous part of the world. Leading up to my surgery, I had to fast for two weeks (during this period I lost about 20 pounds alone). The last three days leading up to the surgery, I had to completely abstain from food all together. I thought this was ironic because years ago, I made a vow to someone that I would not take food for three days in prayer in order to drive out an evil spirit I knew was afflicting her, but I succumbed to temptation and took food at the end of day two. I was always hurt over this because I failed miserably in my effort to help someone close to me. Now, God was leading me on a path to fulfill this even if it was for a different reason! Great is His works, His designs, and His plans!

After my stomach surgery, I happened to contract Covid-19 again (a lesser version of it). Although not as dangerous to my lungs, the coughing fits were very hard on me after my stomach removal, even to the point I had to wrap my arms around my torso like a bear hug and brace for the pain every time I coughed. Once I recovered, the devil came to me in the form of ambition - he wanted me to seek a different path in the form of a very admirable (and much needed) job - a New York State Trooper! Yes, I took the exam and scored in the mid 80's and was placed about 257 on a list of 6,000 candidates throughout the state of New York. My new found fitness (as from before) had put my mind in a place it used to be while I was in the military - I wanted to go back into action! Now, I could run again, I could do push ups again, I could do many things I used to do (not fully like before), and my mind was clearer now that I had the light of faith! My vision even improved, and I no longer needed my sleep apnea machine or the blood pressure pills (leading up to my second surgery)! Since I was an 18 year old boy, I needed glasses, even in basic training! But not now; for when I took the State Trooper physical, the doc said I was 20/20 vision, no glasses needed. This never happened to me before...

But it did not surprise me! As an atheist my entire life, I always suffered from a speech impediment - much to my own shame and embarrassment. Ask anyone who knew me in the military; as a stutterer, you wouldn't want me calling for fire on the objective! As I have said earlier; the Lord who is the God of EVERYONE knows how to give and take at the right time for our building up and not tearing down! When I was a young boy; in the privacy of my own home, I demanded the Lord "prove" Himself. He never appeared. I even cussed at Him - nothing! I can attribute this time as a young child around the age of 7 to when my speech impediment and stutter began! Rightfully so, for these youthful lips insulted the Lord my God and put Him to the taste, so it is only just my speech be confused for a time! How many today do you know in this world who should be silent for their own sake when it comes to the truth?

Too many!

Now, my ambition to become a State Trooper, even when I broke the news to my Doctor who removed my stomach whom I referred to as "Angel Hands" after my surgery, gave me sad eyes when I told him about this new goal. Was I forgetting about my wife and the purpose of why I pursued having my stomach removed in the first place? Surely, if I were to do nine months of police training, how would I have time to donate a kidney? Yes, selfishness creeped back in....

When we are called to serve God in ways most people don't understand, the devil will come at you with some persuasive arguments through other people (and yourself) which calls your worth into question (pride), and he is most definitely there, for Pride was his first sin! For example:

-You need an honorable job!
-What are people going to think about your career progression?
-Focus on your own health! Who is going to take care of those children?
-Oh, somebody asks you "what do you do?" When I say, "State Trooper," their eyes light up!
-The money is really good - you'll never find a career like that again!
-You need to be a MAN and provide your family with things they don't need!
-You need a boat, a better car, a bigger house, stocks and bonds, more status STUFF!
-I want people I know to respect me; even STRANGERS who don't care about me!
-You look sexy and attractive again and WOMEN are paying attention to you again, just like when you were in the active duty Infantry! What do you need that sick lady for? HA!

Sure, let's say I get these things - then my wife dies because I forgot about my original mission - will those things make me happy? Absolutely not!

Each and every person has a task and purpose from the Lord for their greater good and glory. In my unique situation, serving in the honorable position as a State Trooper would have strayed away from my purpose and new found health the Lord has given me - in other words - I would have squandered His gifts for the wrong reasons! But the Lord makes good come out of evil, for while I was training up to go to the academy and getting stronger everyday because of my own selfish ambition, He was preparing my body for my next surgery through His plan that has to be revealed in increments to men who are hard headed and stubborn like me!

Thank be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit who raises the intellect up to the knowledge of Him and who trains the heart to stay on the right azimuth through the dark woods of idols and temptations!

Through other events I am not willing to get into, I backed out of this police endeavor. Once in a lifetime shot! Now, I was on path to continue going out in the streets to evangelize and draw closer to God by bringing Him to others who need Him! By the Lord's goodness to me and His Divine Providence, He showed me signs indicating I was on the right path - for He Who Brings Everyone to their Calculated End is trustworthy and true and He will not let you down, even if you don't understand it at the moment!

On the feast day of the Transfiguration of Lord Jesus Christ on Mt. Tabor, 6 August 2024 and on the same day Ukraine invaded Russia, was the day I had my kidney removed from my body and put into a stranger in Rochester. Like last time, I didn't schedule it; the hospital did! How they scheduled it? By a number of different factors unknown to me. I believe this was God showing me that I was on the correct path He ordained for me. Furthermore, during the pre-operative appointment in Rochester, I was waiting in the lobby to be seen before the surgery. While I was waiting to be seen in the lobby, a sickly looking teenager came in with his mother - you could tell by the eyes (my wife had the same draining look). He was wearing a t-shirt that said "kidney warrior" as it appeared he was in there for a pre-operative appointment as well. As I was sitting there minding my own business, I had this weird feeling and realization come over me - something made me know something I probably shouldn't have known, and I came to the irrational conclusion that this kid sitting near me I was looking at for a moment was literally going to get my kidney! Hey, looks like he needed it too! After all, I got another one, right? Right!

Although it didn't seem likely, because anyone in the entire nation of the USA could receive my kidney, at the appointment, the Surgeon revealed to me that we have found ourselves in a rare circumstance that the one who is going to receive my kidney was right here in the city of Rochester! In fact, I would have to be put in a different recovery unit after the surgery because they would literally remove my kidney in the same building the new kidney recipient would receive it in! I am sure this had something to do with the surgery date too....talk about Divine Providence!

Now, the day comes and my kidney is removed and put into someone else. While I am recovering, another holy Priest comes to visit me to give me communion, and it just so happens to be the same Priest who was the religious assistant for the Rochester Dominican fraternity who was there when I was received into the Dominican Order in Rochester a few years ago! He too was like an angel who came to visit me on my bed of pain. Furthermore, my friend and Regional President of the Upstate Lay Dominicans also came to visit me and comfort me with warming words. Now that I donated a kidney - even though me and my wife wasn't a match - my wife could now cash in a chain donation voucher and the National Kidney Registry would start searching for a live kidney from someone else in the country through the live chain donation system - almost like she would be receiving my ghost kidney - I give someone a kidney and she is owed a live one with a voucher - a real SWITCH A ROO!

That was a joke...

Anyways, everything seemed copacetic, right? Wrong! For one, my wife's anti-bodies increased, so now they said it would go from a three month wait for a live kidney for her to a one year or longer wait. Not the news we wanted to hear, especially as her condition worsened as she would sleep more throughout the day. She would also eat less and less as the weeks went on along with waking up in the morning to throw-up fits. In other words, she needed me around more. To add insult to injury, I came down with an infection after my surgery that wasn't caught and dealt with for many weeks, ultimately reforming a hole in my abdomen after being drained of the infection. I think it was a miracle I didn't get sepsis because the infection went on for weeks before it was drained and treated! While I was recovering from it, I had went to the emergency room in my area on a unrelated matter and had to receive an MRI for a potential hernia. Luckily, there was no hernia, but the hospital staff gave me a very vague sheet of paper that said - "Found 3 CM mass on kidney, consult physician immediately."

The hospital staff wouldn't elaborate any further or answer any of my questions. Now, most people would probably say - "Great, your kidney was cancer free from any tumors a few months ago (pre-donation imagery), now all of a sudden you formed a 3 CM mass on your only kidney in just a few months - sounds like aggressive cancer!" Yes, most people would probably say that. Furthermore, it might be logical to wonder why God would allow this to happen? You do a good deed and now you get punished for it! Anyone with a 3 CM mass that grew in a few months on their only vital organ doesn't have much time to live, in any respect!

Now, potentially planning my funeral and breaking the news to my upset wife, I was actually happy. Why? Because the Lord Who is Great answered my prayer - so I thought! Long ago, I asked the Lord to take my time and give it to my wife - so now that I found out I was going to die soon, He must have answered my prayers! Glory be to God who is Great for He gives us what we ask for, No?

Not always....

Christ Jesus once said: Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test!

So, I did what the hospital staff said and I got my appointment with my Nurse Practitioner - the same awesome lady who suggested I seek the stomach surgery and who did my State Trooper physical many months prior (like Doctor Angel Hands, she too looked upset and disappointed in me). What was the only date available? Behold - the feast day of Cosmos and Damien - the only Patron Saints of ORGAN DONORS in the entire history of the Catholic Church!

On that day, I found out that there was nothing wrong with me - in fact, I just had a pool of blood that appeared as a mass on the MRI machine. Furthermore, it wasn't even on my kidney side, but on the side they removed my kidney and stapled up the end of the artery so I wouldn't bleed out! No cancer or tumor, my one kidney was fine! Would have been nice of they elaborated a bit? Sure!

See, God isn't evil and cruel, I am just stupid!

Anyways, before I found out the good news, some holy women I knew from the Church told me that the "kiss of God" was upon me and that "He already took care of it." It comforted me greatly.

See, even when one gets tested, The Teacher provides a pen, paper, and a desk!

Now, the wait was on. Eventually, seven months later, my wife gets a call for a live kidney. What day do they schedule her surgery for? None other than 5 March 2025 - ASH Wednesday! Yes, some more Divine Providence! The day of surgery we took ashes to remind us that we are dust and ash. Her surgery was a success and she recovered quite nicely - a new lease on life!

See, the goodness of the Lord? He is good, as He calls into being what is not and He makes good come from evil! I was a wicked and selfish man when I detached myself from My Maker and I could have easily made the excuse "Well, my family needs someone who is healthy," and just refrain from not going on this medical/spiritual journey. I could have easily done this and people would have accepted it! But the Lord Who Knows the heart gives us our desires and wishes if there are good intentions there as we can choose to cooperate or rebel! I think it is good that we offer it up the Lord for the sake of others and His glory, as it is written:

2 Corinthians 2:15 - For we are the aroma of Christ for God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing...

Lord my God, see, I proclaimed and glorified you to them by my life, please accept my sacrifice as a pleasing aroma in your sight and forgive me of my transgressions to you and your creation! For it is you who accomplished all of this - not us! You could have taken, but you chose to still give! Either way, the Lord gives and the Lord takes - Blessed Be the Name of the Lord Forever!

AMEN!

Summa contemplation:
https://syracuselaydominicans.org/summastudy

Street Evangelization Watertown, New York
https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/...

Street Evangelization Syracuse, New York
https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/...

I am blessed to be a Third Order Lay Dominican. However, the ideas expressed in this post are my own and do not represent the endorsement of or position of the Order of Preachers as a whole.

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

mr. Scott Lowry, op (paul-patrick)

To proclaim the gospel to atheists (because I was one), satanists, witches, pagans, and members of the occult. For the salvation of souls.

0 Comments

preaching