Father Hugh Thwaites, SJ, Rest in Peace

A very holy man of God passed recently (news link). I would put his likelihood of eventual cannonization on the same level as Blessed Mother Theresa and Blessed John Paul II. I first heard of him through an online advent calendar that had his talk on confession in the form of a podcast. I've had it on my iPhone ever since. It has truly inspired me to frequent the sacrament much more regularly. You can download that talk as well as a host of other talks he has recorded, including full readings of all four Gospels, and several papal encyclicals, here. His talk on the Rosary as well as the entire reading of The Imitation of Christ have also been fundamental in my return to the faith.

When I heard of his passing a deep sadness invaded me. I know I haven't ever met him or even really seen his picture, but his words bring me so much comfort. I also really love hearing his british accent. He was in a Japanese prisoner of war camp for 3 years during WWII. He had a conversion during the war and became Catholic. Before the war he had decided to become an Anglican priest, so after the war, once he had converted, he decided to become a Catholic priest in the Jesuit order. He died on Tuesday, the 21st at the age of 95. After I heard the news I went back and listened to the talk on confession again and one of his stories really hit me hard now that I'm a dad. I'll try to relate it here.

Father Thwaites was at church when a man came looking for his son. His nine year old son had stolen money from him and had run away from home. The father said that the son's friends had seen him near the church last so he thought they'd look through and see if they could find him hiding somewhere. They searched everywhere including the confessionals but couldn't find him. Father Thwaites then had to leave to say Mass at a convent. As he was driving away he saw the man sitting near the church under an overhang because it was raining. He asked the man if he needed a ride and he said that he didn't. By his red eyes he could tell the man hadn't slept all night and that he had most likely been crying. And Father Thwaites said to himself, there you have the love of a human father. The man couldn't care less about the money that was stolen, he just wanted his son back. The son most likely had thought that he had done the worst deed imaginable and therefore he could do nothing but to run away, but the father probably wouldn't have minded if he'd stolen much more. He related this to how much Jesus loves us and how much he wants us back. Our sins are nothing to Jesus, he's already paid the price. And that is why he's given us the sacrament of reconciliation. It's a sacrament where we come about a half an inch, and Jesus comes the rest of the million miles that separates us.

I will be praying that God will rest his soul.