As I pen these words for the month of May, we long for the 'good old days' but a bug presents us with a challenging way of life. Since we cannot gather in our places of worship, we make our homes a Domestic Church as we pray as families in the home.
At this time of social distancing, handwashing etc. we thank and pray for those who are essential workers and front-line workers, some of whom have given their lives, and those who make tremendous sacrifices when it comes to their families.
In these unusual times let our response to this virus bring out the best in us as we are in this together, and let us refuse to give in to fear and ignorance, which brings out that which makes us less than human.
Remember its in May that we celebrate Mother's Day and what we have learnt from our mothers continues to help us in these times.
Wishing all mothers a blessing. Yes, I am late, but then mothers have that Divine characteristic of forgiveness. God Bless you mothers!
God Bless, Fr. Leo Fernandes, Virden
Mothers Can Be Shrewd: Former president Jimmy Carter spoke at Southern Methodist University and related an incident that occurred after he had left the White House.
A woman reporter came to Plains, Georgia, to interview his mother in relation to an article about Mr. Carter and his family. His mother really didn't want to be interviewed but was being gracious. So, when the reporter knocked at her door, Mrs. Carter invited her in.
The reporter asked some hard questions and actually was rather aggressive and rude. "I want to ask you a question," she said. "Your son ran for the presidency on the premise that he would always tell the truth. Has he ever lied?"
Mrs. Carter said, "I think he's truthful; I think you can depend on his word." The reporter again asked if he had ever lied in his entire life.
His mother said, "Well, I guess maybe he's told a little white lie."
"Ah, see there!" the reporter exclaimed. "He's lied! If he told a white lie, he has lied." The reporter was still not satisfied and asked, "What is a white lie?"
And then Lillian Carter said, "It's like a moment ago when you knocked on the door and I went to the door and said I was glad to see you."
From Mother Teresa - a boy and his mother:
“Once I picked up a child and took him to our Children’s Home; we gave him a bath, clean clothes, and everything. After a day, the child ran away. Somebody else found him, but again he ran away. Then I said to the Sisters, 'Please follow the child and see where he goes when he runs away.' And the child ran away the third time.
“There under the tree was the mother. She had put a small earthenware vessel on two stones and was cooking something she had picked out of the dustbin.
“The Sisters asked the child, ‘Why did you run away from the Home?’ And the child said, ‘This is my home because this is where my mother is.'"
