Finding God: Mike's Epiphany

Finding God: Mike's Epiphany

What follows is how I came back to my Catholic faith.
 
I had been away from the church for about 40 years. Nine years ago, while working as a volunteer assistant with the UNC Women’s volleyball team, we went on a pre-season team bonding trip – rafting on the New River in West Virginia. The river was extremely high due to some heavy overnight thunderstorms, so when we got to the “Surprise Rapid,” I was thrown out of the raft and sank to the bottom of the rapid.  I was caught in the wash of the rapid and unable to swim to the surface.  As I continued to struggle to get to the surface, I remember thinking that I was going to die.  Something made me look up and I saw “that light” people often speak about when close to death.  I called out inside myself – “Oh God!” and the next thing I knew I was swimming to the surface. I heard our rafting guide call to me to swim to the raft. When I got there, he grabbed the seat of my swimsuit and dragged me over the side. After puking up all river water I had taken in, I looked up to heaven and said,  "Thank you God.”  I heard God say to me, “I will see you at Mass on Sunday.”  I didn’t tell anyone connected to the team what happened.  I didn’t even tell my wife when I got back home. I simply asked her if she would mind if I went to Mass with her on Sunday.  She was delighted and told me she was praying for me to do just that.  I have not missed Mass since and have never been happier.
 
I finally shared my experience with my wife. I also felt compelled during my first reconciliation in years to share what happened to me with Fr. John Durbin. He challenged me to “get involved” and to keep finding ways “to give back.” The last nine years have been the most satisfying years of my life. I cook for HomeStart once a month, bake for Meals on Wheels, deliver bags of food to IFC, give blood, do the CROP Walk for Hunger, deliver communion every Tuesday at the hospital as a Eucharistic minister, volunteer for volleyball open gym in the summer, participate on the Environmental Stewardship Committee, helped construct and maintain the church garden, raise money for Habitat for Humanity by making toys and games and selling them at craft fairs, do “Minute to Win it” parties for children of all ages (8-80) with all proceeds donated to Habitat.  Not a bad list, but I am still looking for new challenges and ways I can give back. If sharing my epiphany helps one person return to their Catholic faith, I will be a happy guy.