Last Wish
The bishop had been ill for some time but it was only a matter of being old. He was dying, he knew it, and he accepted it gracefully. He reasoned that he had had a good life; he was 96 years old, and now he looked forward to his release from earth with equanimity. So it was not a surprise to his nurse one morning when he quietly told her that God was calling and he would soon be dead. She nodded her head knowingly and gently held his hand. Then, peaking just above a whisper as his voice began to fail, he asked her to call his lawyer and his doctor to his bedside. When they arrived the bishop weakly motioned for them to sit on either side of the bed. He held their hands, sighed contentedly and, releasing his grip, closed his eyes in satisfaction. The two visitors sat quietly, touched and flattered by the old bishop's last request. But they were also puzzled and they shared their puzzlement with hand and facial expressions. Finally, after a respectful amount of time had passed, the lawyer gentled touched the bishop's hand and asked the dying man why he and the doctor were there. The bishop smiled softly and whispered, "Jesus died between two thieves, and that's how I want to go."
Originally published November 14, 2002.
