This morning, when I opened the blinds I was pleased to see the sun rising through the bared branches of Winter trees. It was not the first time I had seen this but it never fails to take me by surprise for there is something very reassuring about the sun and its ability to bring warmth to the day. So often we waken to grey and dull skies so I am more than happy to welcome the sun when it makes such a glorious appearance.
I had Masses in Kilmovee and Kilkelly and was mindful of the starkness of today’s Gospel that speaks to the final day. It is a day that cannot be avoided and one that calls us to be prepared.
I decided to share a story that I heard during the week. I got it one of those WhatsApp messages that sometimes you delete but sometimes too find thought-provoking! This one fell into that category.
THE STORY
A small boy named Roger lived in the local village. None of his classmates liked him because of his stupidity, especially his teacher, who was always yelling at him “You are driving me crazy Roger!”
One day Roger’s mother came into school to check on how he was doing. The teacher told his mother honestly, that her son is simply a disaster, getting very low marks and even she had never seen such a difficult boy to teach in her entire teaching career.
The mother was shocked at the feedback and withdrew her son from the school and even moved to another town.
Twenty-five years later, the teacher was diagnosed with an incurable cardio disease! All the doctors strongly advised her to have open heart surgery, which only one surgeon could perform. Left with no other options, the teacher decided to have the operation, which was successful.
When she opened her eyes after the surgery she saw a handsome doctor smiling down at her. She wanted to thank him, but could not talk. Her face started to turn blue, she raised her hand, trying to tell him something but eventually died!
The doctor was shocked and was trying to work out what went wrong, when he turned around he saw Roger, working as a cleaner in the clinic, who had unplugged the oxygen equipment to connect his Hoover!
Don’t tell me you thought that Roger became a doctor!
Part of me realises that this story is, in so many ways, politically incorrect but the part of me that switches that button marked “laughter” kicked in and I laughed. The story stayed with me and I shared it at the Masses this weekend. Thankfully my switch was not on its own and people laughed. I so love the sound of laughter because it is the anti-dote to so much negativity and pain.
I told them that I was happy they laughed because I believe in laughter and, that as we hear the bleakness of the Gospel message that so desperately needs to call us to attentiveness, that if we could leave this world feeling we had helped people laugh and find a tune to hum or a song to sing, we would leave it in a good place and could happily face that call “home”. On the other hand, should it be the case that we have made life difficult for people and, in any way added to their pain or made life difficult for them we may well need to reassess our attitudes and approach to life.
I know it’s not as simple as telling a joke but life need not be overly complicated either. There is a balance there that can be found and utilised.
Later in the day I prayed the Rosary with people in two of our Parish Cemeteries and, in between that was present for the turning of the sod at the local GAA pitch for the building of a new stand. I was struck by the need to break ground to build and make something new and felt the link there with the graves around which we prayed today. Earth had to be broken there too, that something new might be built for those in whose memory we gathered.
I watched a few episodes of a show on Netflix and later this evening saw the sun on the other side of my house as it prepared to say goodbye to our day. I remembered some of the people I had met and spoken with during the day, recalled the new Altar Servers at Mass in Kilkelly and was glad they chose to be there. I met good people and realised that sunshine is a wonderful backdrop to the day – even if we only remember it!
Do you know something? I felt happy that it had been a good day – between sunrise and sunset.
