Finneran: Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
Friday, May 29, 2015
In the pews are the people, and in the people there is good. Here’s a story of that goodness-
In these frustrating and difficult economic times a moment of hope shone in a supermarket…..
A woman was in line waiting to check out when she was passed an envelope from the person in front of her. Someone had written on the envelope, “There is $ 50.00 in this envelope for your groceries. Take it if you need it or pass it on.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe woman passed the envelope to the person behind her. She then watched it go through the line and over to the next line and the next and so on. What struck her most was not that people actually passed the envelope on but that several people added money to it.
The woman reported that she felt a warmth flow through her and she was certain that other people waiting their turn in line had experienced something similar. It was as if, at least for that moment of time, they were connected by an invisible spirit, a spirit of kindness and generosity.
I lifted that story right out of my parish bulletin from last Sunday’s Mass. Last week was Pentecost Sunday, a day for Catholics to celebrate Jesus’ passing of the Holy Spirit on to his disciples. But you don’t have to be Catholic or Christian or of any particular faith to be blessed with spirit. Those people in line at the supermarket were as likely to be non-believers or non-practitioners as they were to be consistent church-goers. Yet they had abundant spirit, an amazing grace.
Today the question is often asked regarding challenging circumstances and events “what would Jesus do?” The question is designed to draw out our human virtues in service to others. It is also a reminder for Catholics that Pentecost is not supposed to be a one-time event on the Church’s calendar. That Spirit, whether Holy or human, or both, is a spirit that transforms and inspires people to rise to the occasions of life, day after day, week after week, living by example.
No doubt that you’ve been told many times, and that you have probably repeated to your children, that “it is better to give than to receive”. And while a young child might struggle to understand the principle, as adults we do not. There’s a joy in giving that is special, like the joy experienced in that line at the supermarket. People gave of themselves for the benefit of others.
It is with such charity, kindness, and humility that we step out our front doors every morning, alert to the hungry or frightened child, the lonely widow, or a broken soul. Today, if not every day, think of that checkout line in the supermarket.
Go forth.
Tom Finneran is the former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, served as the head the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, and was a longstanding radio voice in Boston radio.
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