Some years ago, there was a story making the rounds about a man named Robert Liebowitz. A 60 -year-old single father of five, he had been struggling with kidney disease since he was 10 years old. Eventually he was told that he would need dialysis three times a week to survive, and a transplant to live. Because of his blood type (“O”), and the fact that some of his children were also contending with kidney disease, none of them could donate one of their kidneys to their father.
The family had planned a vacation to Walt Disney World. Mr. Leibowitz, who had some experience working in advertising, realized that he had a unique opportunity to express his need to a large number of people. He made a T-shirt that said, “In need of kidney, O positive” and included his mobile number. He wore the shirt every day during his one-week Disney vacation.
Lots of people responded. One couple took his picture and then asked if they could share it on social media. A 39-year-old man named Richie Sully—a stranger, who lived far away in Indiana—saw the post, reached out, and offered to donate. Tests revealed that he was a match. In donating his kidney, he gave the opportunity for more life to someone he had never even met. At the time, Mr. Liebowitz, overcome with gratitude, said that Mr. Sunny not only had two kidneys, but a heart “bigger than you can ever imagine.”
This is a dramatic story with a happy ending. We may not all be called to such generosity, but God puts opportunities for participating in Resurrection Life before us every day. In the words of the poet William Blake: “I sought my soul, and my soul I could not see. I sought my God, but my God eluded me; I sought my neighbor, and I found all three.”
Happy Easter,
