Remember

The Anchoress looks at the jaws of death.

After reading her post, read the rest of this post:

When you brush your teeth or those of your precious children remember Terri and say a prayer for her. Michael Schiavo ordered caregivers not to clean Terri’s teeth in 1995 (isn’t ‘caregiver‘ an ironic word here?). In 2004 she had to have five teeth removed as a direct result of his deliberate neglect.

When you walk outside and feel the fresh air on your face remember Terri and say a prayer for her. Terri, on MIchael’s orders, has been strictly confined to her room for five years.

When you go to church or when a churchmember visits you remember Terri and say a prayer for her. Michael has refused permission for Terri to attend religious services, and has often refused permission for Priests to visit her (she is Catholic).

When you draw the curtains or open the shades of your windows letting in the glorious warm sunshine, when you feel that sun touch your face- remember Terri, whose ‘husband’ has ordered that her window shades must never, ever be raised- and say a prayer for her.

If you or a family member require an antibiotic, remember that Terri’s husband “ordered doctors not to treat Terri when she had a life threatening infection in 1993 and 1995.”

When working on a scrapbook, taking pictures of your family, looking at pictures of loved ones, and sending pictures to the grandparents- remember Terri and say a prayer for her. Michael removes family pictures from Terri’s room.

When your children bring you that handful of dandelions, your husband sends you flowers, or you note the first crocus, squill, and tulips of spring, remember Terri and pray for her. Her ‘husband’ denies flowers from family and friends.

When you listen to music, remember Terri and say a prayer for her. Michael denies certain CDs to be played for Terri, and refuses to allow her to listen to music with headphones.

When you play with an animal or watch your children interacting with a beloved pet, remember and pray for Terri, whose ‘husband’ refuses to allow therapeutic animals to visit with her, knowing that she is an animal lover.

When you take a drink of water or a bite of food, remember and pray for Terri, who has been denied all food and water by her ‘husband’ and by the courts of this land, and by Judge Greer, who has forbidden anybody to attempt to give Terri anything at all by mouth.

The Roman soldiers permitted more for Jesus at His crucifixion:

John 19:28-29

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

Remember Him, and remember that He also said this:

Matt 25:31-46

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.
“And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;
and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me {something} to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink?
‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
‘And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, {even} the least {of them,} you did it to Me.’
“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
for I was hungry, and you gave Me {nothing} to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;
I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’
“Then they themselves also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’
“Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’46 “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

(NAS)