The Mercy Spring Show was to be a Lenten treat for my “sweethearts” on Blossom Road. I had the privilege of serving as chaplain for the retired Sisters of Mercy in Rochester, New York. After serving for eight years as motherhouse and hospital chaplain, our friendship continues despite the fact that many of the sisters have gone to their eternal home. It’s been eleven years since Sister Rosemary died holding the angel soap in her hands that I gave to all the sisters. She was the bold Irish lass who told her community at an annual chapter meeting how proud she was of her younger sisters for their wonderful ministries. She envied their creativity and generosity to the sick and poor. However, despite the frailty of her fellow sisters she announced in her best Irish brogue that all the retired sisters pledged to be a “powerful of prayer” to support their works of mercy. In response, Rosemary received a standing ovation from all the Mercy sisters.I had offered to share some of my photo gallery with my retired friends. The remodeled motherhouse chapel sported a new computerized 12 by 15 screen for presentations. Here was a chance to display daffodils of spring at Highland Park with meadows of summer in Vermont. I arranged pre-dawn moments and babbling streams in the Great Smoky Mountains with a crimson sunrise in San Diego during the recent firestorms. The winter scenes featured an impressionist scene at Durand Eastman Park and glory rays shining through the trees at Ellison Park. The only hitch in this premiere show was that my photo disk and the chapel computer were not compatible. Regretfully, each image was distorted and enlarged and made the viewing quite a challenge. Technology was not our friend, yet these ladies were most patient as they looked upon each image and listened to my narration despite the irritation in my voice. I apologized several times for the lack of clarity and humbled that this premiere had not come close to my expectations.
I helped push the sisters in wheelchairs back to their rooms. Waiting for the elevator, I stooped down to Sister Mary DeChantel thanking her for coming to the show and apologized again. She lovingly looked into my eyes and said: “ I came because of you.”
How many of our dreams fail to work out as planned? We want children, but remain infertile…we want to stay married, but separation comes…we work overtime to keep our jobs, but many go overseas…we want good health, but find a malignant bump…we want our sons and daughters in the service to be safe…but some come home with purple hearts and broken spirits.
Our intention is to show beauty to the world by our sacrifice and service, but we make a mess of things and sin. Jesus rides into Jerusalem as king…only later to be crucified. And from the cross, I hope you hear loud and clear these profound words of DeChantel…”I came because of you.”
God prays for us as we reflect: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped." (Psalm 28:7).
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine friends who bring beauty into the lives of family and friends. Our words of affirmation and gratitude can help to raise the spirits of anyone who feels a failure. Whenever our expectations fail to meet our standards, may we remember to visualize the cross and look into the eyes of Our Savior and hear his words of hope: “I came because of you.”
