April 21, 2024

Dear People of God,

I share with you “Easter” stories that genuinely bring life. Let these powerful stories touch your heart, and please pass them on…

First Important Lesson: The Cleaning Lady

Our professor gave us a pop quiz during my second month of college. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Indeed, this must be some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired, and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked: Would the final question count towards our quiz grade? “Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if you only smile and say “hello.”

I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

Second Important Lesson: Always Remember Those Who Serve

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a coffee shop and sat at the table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. “How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked. “Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins. “Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired. More people were waiting for a table, and the waitress was growing impatient. “Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins. “I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier, and left.

When the waitress returned, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. Two nickels and five pennies were neatly placed beside the empty dish. He couldn’t have the sundae because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

Third Important Lesson: The Obstacle in Our Path

In ancient times, a king arranged for a boulder to be placed on a roadway. Then he hid and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then, a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The bag contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

Fourth Important Lesson: Giving When It Counts

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and severe disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her five-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

The doctor explained the situation to her little brother and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate momentarily before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes, I’ll do it if it will save her.” As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale, and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away?”

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood to save her.

Walking with you,

Fr. Greg

P.S. Congratulations to the young people of our Children’s Faith Formation Program who will receive their First Holy Communion next Saturday. May God bless you always, and may you always walk with the Lord Jesus at your side.

P.P.S. Thank you for the incredible kindness in your many prayers and notes for my recovery. I am slowly regaining my strength and plan to do a couple of masses this weekend as I get myself back into the starting lineup! God bless all of you!

Read the current Bulletin and Rector’s Weekly Newsletter