Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

A few of you might recognize the name of Edwin Booth. Back in 1865, he was the Robert DeNiro of the stage. This, of course, was before movies, but Edwin Booth was actually one of the greatest dramatic actors that our country has ever produced. For all the success that he had as an actor, Edwin Booth had a horrible life, and seemed to always live under a dark cloud. His father, Brutus Booth, was a drunk who drank himself to death. He stranded his family 3000 miles away in California, and they had to work their way back to their native Maryland. The only way that Edwin knew how to earn his way was by becoming an actor.

Edwin’s first wife, Mary Devlin, died after two years of marriage. You talk about a soap opera! It was one thing after another for this young actor. He remarried, and his second wife went insane. Edwin went bankrupt trying to pay for her medication and a chance for her to get better. What else could happen to him?

What else happened was something that embarrassed Edwin his whole life long - his own younger brother assassinated President Abraham Lincoln! John Wilkes Booth was Edwin’s younger brother.

Now Edwin Booth was a pro-Union, pro-Lincoln patriot, so not only did Lincoln’s assassination offend him that way, but it was done by his brother. And everybody knows what it means to have a member of your family embarrass you; and “embarrass” is a great understatement in this case. After all, his brother had killed the President of the United States, one of the greatest presidents that we have ever had.

For a long time, Edwin did the best thing that he could in order to compensate. He became a great actor. He worked hard. He entertained people with all of his abilities and skills. And then one day, God gave Edwin Booth a most unique opportunity.

Edwin was in Jersey City, and there was a tall young man there being pushed by the crowd. In the hustle and bustle, the young man was nudged to such an extent that he started to fall onto the railroad tracks, right in front of an on-coming train! Edwin Booth, who just happened to be there, noticed the situation, and ran over to the tumbling young man. He grabbed him in the nick of time literally snatching this young man from death, as trained passed by inches away. The young man recognized the famous actor from his photographs and the posters for his plays. With much gratitude, the young man simply said, “Well, now, Mr. Booth, that was a narrow escape.”

For as long as he lived, and more than the fame and success that he had achieved as an actor, Edwin Booth took great pleasure in the knowledge that the person whose life he had saved that day by the railroad tracks was Robert Todd Lincoln, President Lincoln’s eldest son! Out of his despair, and guilt, and embarrassment, God had given Edwin Booth a most unique opportunity at redemption.

We all have our pasts. We’ve all done things or suffered things that we’d rather that nobody ever know about. And yet, God has a way of Redemption for each and every one of us. Ours may not be nearly as dramatic as Edwin Booth’s, but does God have a way for us. It is by following Jesus! It is by picking up our crosses and following Him. Sometimes, that means that we need to be heroic, and lots of times it is in much quieter and smaller ways. What if Edwin Booth had given in to the despair and hopelessness that he had felt so often during his life, most especially after what his brother did? Who would have saved Robert Todd Lincoln from that train? God has a plan. We are very important parts of God’s plan. He needs each and every one of us to work with Him.

How is your redemption being worked out in your life? What opportunities are you giving God to save your soul? If you’re still alive, it’s not too late.

In Christ,
Fr. Kevin

Even if you are on the right track, you’ll eventually get run over if you just sit there.