I don't understand

This morning at 6:15am I received a text. We are going to have so many sad kids. My very first thought was “Yeah, I saw the weather report, we may not be be zip lining on Wednesday”. But it was so much worse than that. “ Father Dennis died yesterday”. I just sat there. I don’t understand. You must have the wrong person. But how? But why? What are you telling me?

I was one out of thousands today who wondered and questioned God as to why him. Why now? I’m not ready to give him up.

My first intro to him was nineteen years ago. My parish was getting a new associate pastor. My husband was excited. It was his headmaster from high school. At the end of Mass Joe was excited to introduce his kids to Father Dennis. They were 2,4 and 7 at the time. Father Dennis looked at Joe and asked him if he was a Eucharistic Minister. Joe said No. Father Dennis looked him dead in the eye and told him “Meet me here Wednesday night”. My husband simply looked at him and said “Yes Father”

It was only two weeks ago he and I were joking about this. A man so far from high school and simply gave into his head master. As box after box of books were moved Father Dennis shared this story with my kids.
The last conversation I had with him he told me he loved how my kids and I interacted. He told me God was in our joking and teasing. Then he told me he prayed for Joe every day.

My heart is only one among us breaking. It an ultra special soul to leave an impact as deep as this in the world. I am blessed to have known him. I am blessed my children knew him. I am blessed to have our kids at church know him. I know Heaven gained an amazing soul but in my selfishness, I wish he could have been ours for so much longer.