Pastor Rick Warren was hospitalized today when he suffered an eye-injury while gardening at his home. Reportedly, the sap of a firestick plant got into Warren’s eyes when he wiped his brow. The sap can cause temporary blindness.

The 56-year-old pastor sent a message to his Twitter followers asking for their prayers. “My eyes were severely burned,” Warren Tweeted. “Excruciating pain.” He was treated overnight and then released from Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo.

Rick Warren is the founder of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest in Orange County and the author of the multimillion-selling book “Purpose Driven Life.”

“God bless Pastor Rick Warren. We thank you for his life and his leadership in the Christian community. Thank you for using him to lead many people to you and to instruct Jesus-followers everywhere in the simple but costly ways of discipleship. Bring healing to him and use this painful injury in some constructive way.  In Jesus…”