FROM PAUL HARVEY:
Years ago a hardworking man took his family from New York State to
Australia to take advantage of a work opportunity there. Part of this
man's family was a handsome son who had aspirations of joining the
circus as a trapeze artist or an actor. This young fellow, biding his time
until
a circus job or even as a stagehand came along, worked at the local
shipyards which bordered on the worse section of town.
Walking home from work one evening, this young man was attacked by five
thugs who wanted to rob him. Instead of just giving up his money the
young fellow resisted. However they bested him easily and proceeded to beat him
to a pulp. They mashed his face with their boots, and
kicked and beat his body
brutally with clubs, leaving him for dead. When the police happened to
find him lying in the road they assumed he was dead and called
for the Morgue
Wagon.
On the way to the morgue, a policeman heard him gasp for air, and
they immediately took him to the emergency unit at the hospital.
When he was placed on a gurney, a nurse remarked to her horror, that this
young man no longer had a face. His eye socket was smashed, his skull,
legs and arms fractured, his nose literally hanging from his face, all his
teeth were gone, and his jaw was almost completely torn from his skull.
Although his life was spared, he spent over a year in the hospital.
When he finally left, his body may have healed but his face was
disgusting to look at. He was no longer the handsome youth that
everyone admired.
When the young man started to look for work again, he was turned
down by everyone just on account of the way he looked. One potential
employer suggested to him that he join the freak show at the circus as
"The man who had no face". And he did this for a while. He was
still rejected
by everyone and no one wanted to be seen in his company. He had
thoughts
of suicide. This went on for 5 years.
One day he passed a church and sought some solace there. Entering
the church he encountered a priest who had seen him sobbing while
kneeling in a pew. The priest took pity on him and took him to
the rectory where
they talked at length. The priest was impressed with him to such
a degree
that he said that he would do everything possible for
him that could be done
to restore his dignity and life, if the young man would promise
to be the
best Catholic he could be, and trust in God's mercy to free him
from his
torturous life.
The young man went to Mass and Communion every day, and after
thanking God for saving his life, asked God to only give him peace of
mind and the grace to be the best man he could ever be in His
eyes.
The priest, through his personal contacts was able to secure the
services of the best plastic surgeon in Australia. There would be no
cost to the young man, as the doctor was the priest's best friend.
The doctor
too was so impressed by the young man, who outlook now on life, even though
he had experienced the worst, was filled with good humor and love. The
surgery was a miraculous success. All the best dental work was also done for
him. The young man became everything he promised God he would be. He was
also
blessed with a wonderful, beautiful wife, and many children, and success
in an
industry, which would have been the furthest thing from his mind as a
career, if not for the goodness of God and the love of the
people who cared or him. This he acknowledges publicly.
The young man was and is..........
Mel Gibson
His life was the inspiration for his production of the movie "The Man
Without A Face." He is to be admired by all of us as a God fearing
man, a political conservative, and an example to all as a true man of
courage. And to think I admired him before I knew any of this!! He is
quite a man!!!!
Paul Harvey
This may help us understand why Mel Gibson has been so committed to
his latest movie venture as director of, "The Passion." Gibson is once
again being attacked. This time because of his blunt honesty and
commitment to Biblical accuracy in his vivid portrayal of the crucifixion
of Jesus Christ.
