Do You Know What Your Son Said to Me?

Do You Know What Your Son Said To Me is a story about an 18-year old college freshman, Jimmy Sullivan, whom after being diagnosed with bone cancer, takes charge of the management of his disease in order to fulfill what he perceived as his assigned mission: drawing others closer to God. Chapters begin with a quote of Jimmy's words relayed to his father by strangers whom he touched. They are powerful expressions of faith that had a deep impact on many people including his dad who describes the experience as sensing the presence of the Divine. A description of each scene follows along a narrative of the events occurring at that stage in Jimmy s paschal journey. Chapters conclude with a reflection on lessons learned; suggested opportunities for taking action and then a prayer of thanksgiving for all who are drawn into this circle of love. Do you know what your son said to me is a powerfully transforming book. It will reach your core and draw you closer to God. It is a book about love, picking up your cross, following Christ, experiencing His presence, and embracing His glory. In any given day, a patient interacts with doctors, nurses, other patients, orderlies, transport escorts, visitors, chaplains, physical and/or occupational therapists, x-ray technicians, blood technicians, pain specialists, etc. It was Jimmy s concern for them that motivated him to reach out to them with love and humor and a positive encouraging outlook on life. When he reached out, they would respond in kind. All of them are part of this story. In its telling, you will experience the trauma of serious disease and how it impacts relationships between doctors and patients, between patients and their families and between all who share the mission to heal. They are the audience for this book. In addition, it is ideal for social workers, pastoral care providers, campus ministry, prayer communities, retreat masters, priests, religious, teachers, bereavement, hospice care workers who seek to understand and communicate the nature of suffering and mission to those entrusted to their care and to their families. This book does that through engaging real life stories, not through preaching. Sullivan says of his book, it is not a biography, nor an attempt to elevate Jimmy on a pedestal or on a path to canonization. It is about a nine-month journey, not of suffering but of mission. I have written this book to foster Jimmy s mission of bringing others closer to God and to show that the real source of Jimmy s words was another Son. It is not that many of us are fascinated with suffering but rather that we need to understand Christ s paschal sacrifice in order to appreciate the desire it sparks within us to join Him in paradise. The paschal journey of Jimmy Sullivan, reaches its climax in the glory that God desires for us all.