A pastor was invited to help the men in his parish build a church
pavilion. It turned out to be quite an education on the kind of talents and
skills God had blessed his parish. Four by fours had to be placed three and a
half feet deep in a hole and separated eight feet across. You needed some muscles
to move these posts and when all else failed the “man thing” to do was to take
a sledge hammer and pound it into place. After placing eighteen posts in place,
it was time for lunch, Gus, our chuck wagon cook, served lunch with his secret
ingredient “limburger cheese.” Our numbers grew to ten in the afternoon with
the addition of a young pro who helped this team of volunteers straighten their
earlier lines with laser beams and a lever and a wonderful positive attitude
who shared “piece of cake.” Our senior volunteers
may not have had all the skills but their hearts and sweat make up the
difference.
This Sunday is
the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, an invitation from Christ is to be there
for one another in times of difficulty and tragically in life. Jesus came to
the sick and dying and those who felt abandoned and misunderstood. It is also
the 7th anniversary of rebirth of Holy Family Catholic Parish. What
a perfect feast to celebrate that we are the blood that brings warmth to people
who feel cold from loneliness, despair or grief. We are the hands of Christ who
bring His comfort and hope, and help nail in the two by fours to build a church
pavilion next to the church playground.
The pavilion
still needs a lot of work before completion, but let me offer my humble thanks
to Chris for straightening our lines, for Steve nailing the boards, for Rory
and Harry holding up our beams, for Andy digging the holes, to Larry and Tom
drilling the screws and cutting boards, for Gus who kept us hydrated and Chris who
made us all smile with his enthusiasm.
Bishop Mack shared
that I was doing a great job, I corrected him and said that it is the people
who God has blessed with many gifts who deserve all the credit. My job is
simply to open the lid and let their light, their gifts, their wisdom, their
faith and their love pour across this community and county and others will
follow.
Lord, I pray for
all my Sonshine Friends and the people of Holy Family Catholic Parish that
their blood and sweat are signs of your presence in our community. I am truly humbled
and grateful for their generous and warm hearts and pray You continue to bless
them with Your peace, joy and wisdom.
