Sunday, October 26, 2014

All Saints day

Saints are different from people in the world, not because they
do more, but because of whose they are, who they love, and what
it is they strive to do .
Anthony De Mello, the author of several books of meditations - 
tells the story of a family of five that was enjoying a day at
the beach.  The children were swimming and making castles in the
sand when in the distance a little old lady appeared.
 
     Her grey hair was blowing in the wind and her clothes
     were dirty and ragged.  She was muttering something to
     herself as she picked up things from the beach and put
     them into a bag.
 
     The parents called the children to their side and told
     them to stay away from the strange looking old lady. 
     As she passed by were they were sitting, bending down
     every now and then and picking up things, she smiled at
     the family.  Her greeting was not returned.
 
     Some weeks later, while complaining about the weirdos
     to be found on the beaches, the father family learned
     that the little old lady had made it her lifelong
     crusade to pick up bits of glass from the beach so
     children wouldn't cut their feet.
 
What makes a saint different?
 
Well saints pick up the glass that others toss down,
they believe in people no one else believes in,
they help others that no one else cares for,
And that, finally, my friends, is what this Sunday is about -
     it is about the one who called to the poor and the hungry,
          to those who wept and mourned,
               to those who were rejected and cursed,
                    and gave to them God's blessing,
the blessing of food, of comfort, laughter, and finally the
blessing of an eternal home with the Father - in that place where
there is no more tears  or sorrow or pain or death anymore.
(source unknown)

No comments:

The boy, Samuel

Haiku of childhood Like sending your kids to boarding school, Samuel was sent to Eli. A linen ephod, the humble uniform worn by bo...