Mrs. B and I are “teachers” in the Catholic RCIA program. If you want to become Catholic, as an adult, most parishes will have a team to conduct a fairly typical 6-month program to teach you all you ever wanted to know about the Catholic Church and to set your feet on the path to a closer relationship to God.
This past Fall Lori started the program. Her father sold us our home. Early 40s, pretty, open, willing, talkative, a mother – you could not ask for a better candidate. She was accepted as a member of the parish at Easter Vigil this past April.
Phone rings. Caller ID says it’s Jeanie – the parish secretary.
Me: Joe’s Bar! (we kid quite a bit)
Jeanie: Bill, I need a favor. Can you be an alter server for Thursday. (alter server = alter boy, been a few years, Never been a alter boy in the Catholic Church, getting I little old for it I would think)
Me: Sure, no problem. I didn’t know there was a service Thursday.
Jeanie: It’s for the funeral.
Me: Funeral????
Jeanie: Yes . . . Lori, she died this past weekend. (while school shopping for shoes for her son. She had an aneurysm – no warning at all)
Me: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Really?? (I flash on my experiences of her, her son, her excitement for the future . . . . ) Sure, no problem, I’d be happy to. And sorrow fills my heart
Jeanie: Thanks so much, could you also help serve communion?
Me: No problem Jeanie, I’ll be there.
Jeanie: Thanks Bill
And so I will do my small part to help her family through the hardest day of their lives . . . .
Give your kids a hug today, enjoy your day, love your friends . . . .
We will all take this journey . . . . take full advantage of your days . . . .
My condolences Sir.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I appreciate it.
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