Dear People of God,

The loyalty of both Cubs and Bears fans in Chicago and across the country is staggering. Win or lose, Cubs and Bears followers never lose hope and display their loyalty in good times and bad. However, these fans also know how to shower down the “Boos!” Can the same be said of us as followers of Jesus Christ? Are we loyal to our Lord Jesus Christ in good and in hard times? I have always been haunted by this question—if we were arrested for being Christians, would there be enough evidence to convict us? Do we lose hope when life throws us a curve? The Lord Jesus says, “Follow me.” It demands a loyalty, faith, trust, letting go and enthusiasm. Living is never easy and life is what happened while I was making other plans.

Loyalty and hope in Our Lord Jesus are points of reference which help us “to get out of ourselves” and point us to a life of service and love towards others—especially the poor. To love and help other people is to touch the face of God—so I share with you the following story.

An older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway late one night trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those              conflict-filled 1960s.

The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. He forgot about the incident soon afterwards.

Seven days went by and a knock came on the man’s door. To his surprise, a giant console TV was delivered to his home.

A special note was attached . . . It read: “Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my  dying husband’s bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and           unselfishly serving others.”

Sincerely,

Mrs. Nat King Cole

Nat King Cole was a famous singer in the 1950s and 1960s. By the way, Mr. Cole was on my Father’s (Sig Sakowicz Show) radio show (WGN-720 AM) in Chicago in the early 1960s. Nat King Cole died of cancer on February 15, 1965.

                                                   Fall Blessings,

                        Fr. Greg