Messenger: the legacy of Mattie Stepanek

November 9, 11:26 AMDC Catholic Living ExaminerDenise Hunnell, M.D.

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Jeni Stepanek has buried each of her four children as the result of a rare genetic disorder known as dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy. She herself suffers from a less devestating form of the disease. When her last child, Matthew, was born, she was advised to put him in an institution and let nature take its course. Yet she knew that the life of her child was valuable. She nurtured Mattie and helped him to become a remarkable young man.

Messenger (Dutton, 2009) is Jeni's narrative of Mattie's extraordinary life. She chronicles the hard times living in windowless basement apartments and dependent on the generosity of food pantries for sustenance. There are endless medical challenges for both herself and her children. Yet through it all, her Catholic faith leads her family forward. Mattie, in particular, is blessed with tremendous wisdom and a gift for communicating this wisdom through his poetry. As he shares this gift, his words touch the hearts and minds of thousands of people all over the world. His poetry leads to international acclaim. The specter of death is never far from Mattie. His siblings are dead. He experiences the death of friends. His own death looms on the not too distant horizon. Yet he celebrates life. He is keenly aware that his life is a gift from God. He is committed to being a good steward of that gift.

Mattie's poetry, essays, and speeches always reflect what he calls his "Heartsong". This is his mission. In the language of the Church, Mattie's heartsong is his vocation, his calling by God. Mattie is always cognizant of his role as an instrument of and for God. That is why this book is entitled Messenger. Mattie viewed his words as the transmission of God's message. This book is more than a heartwarming story. It is a challenge to each of us to seek and follow our own unique vocations as part of God's plan. Mattie's accomplishments would be extraordinary if he had been able bodied and lived a long life. They are awe inspiring in light of the seemingly insurmountable medical hurdles and his brief life of fourteen years.

Larry Lindner does a tremendous job of capturing Jeni Spepanek's recounting of Mattie's life. The story is very emotional and a box of tissues nearby is a good idea. However, Lindner never manipulates our emotions. He allows the essence of Mattie Stepanek's life to speak to the mind and heart of the reader. This is a story that should be read by both teens and adults. It can be life-changing. After reading this book, it is impossible to lament what you can't do because of what you don't have. Rather, you are moved to seek what you can do with the blessings you do have.

For more info: 

Mattie Stepanek web site