“Look for the Helpers”
Every day we are bombarded with bad news: bombs exploding at airports and concerts, refugees fleeing from war-torn countries, people flooded out of their homes, individuals overdosing on drugs. It’s enough to make you weep. It’s enough to make you depressed.
But then I saw something on the CBS news a couple of weeks ago about Mr. Rogers, the creator and star of the children’s program, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. He told the children something his mother had said to him when he was a child and was afraid when he saw bad things happening around him: “Look for the helpers.”
When you see the aftermath of a terrorist bombing, look for the helpers; that is, look for the people comforting a wounded girl in their arms. Look for bystanders and the police tending to the injured, the people carrying the injured to waiting ambulances, the ambulance drivers speeding the victims to the hospitals, and the doctors and nurses waiting at those hospitals to receive them.
Or when you see people flooded out of their homes, look for the people in boats going from house to house or the hovering helicopter lowering someone to rescue a man clinging to a tree. Look for the National Guard carrying babies and even dogs to safety or the Red Cross personnel providing food, blankets, and a warm dry place to sleep.
Look for the helpers. The helpers in Manchester far outnumbered that lone suicide bomber. They even outnumbered his “associates” in their midst. Good people far outnumber the perpetrators of evil. We must always remember that.
But we shouldn’t just look for the helpers. We should become one of the helpers. When tragedy strikes, be a helper: by donating food and/or clothing. By writing a check. By offering to help in any small or large way you are able.
And we don’t have to wait for bad news to occur to be a helper. We can be a helper in our everyday lives—at home, at work, at our parish, in our local neighborhood. For example, I watch my grandnieces and grandnephews play soccer, basketball, and baseball. And I marvel at their coaches—all volunteers, many of them Moms and Dads—busy Moms and Dads. And I admire those other helpers who work the concession stands and those small businesses who pay for the shirts the kid athletes wear.
In our parish, I marvel at those who serve as ushers, readers, Eucharistic ministers. I’m grateful to those who sing in the choir, clean the church, decorate the altar, launder the altar linens. All volunteers. All helpers.
This week, why not make a conscious effort to look for the helpers in your midst. The worker at the grocery store who shows you exactly where the canned mushrooms are on the shelf. The customers in the parking lot who return their carts to the “cart corral.” The driver who gives you a break in traffic. The people picking up litter along the side of the road. The spouse who takes out the garbage, cooks a favorite dish, does a small favor without being asked. The friend who always seems to know just what you need and when you need it.
And be a helper too. The fact that you’re reading a blog such as this is probably a good
indication that you are essentially a helping and caring person.
Jesus told a beautiful parable about being a helper: the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan was on his way to Jericho when he chanced upon some bad news. Very bad news: a man, a stranger, a Jew, lying on the side of the road. He had been beaten and robbed and was left half-dead. The Samaritan didn’t simply weep at the sight. He didn’t simply say, “How depressing!” No, he went into action. He became a helper. He used the few resources he had—some wine to disinfect the wounds and some pieces of cloth to bandage them. I wonder: did he rip his own clothing? Then he lifted the man up on his animal and took him to an inn. Then he reached into his wallet and paid the innkeeper to look after the man. And if he hadn’t done enough, he promised to stop by on his way back to check on the man and to give the innkeeper more money if necessary. Wow! What a helper he was.
When we encounter bad news, we can weep, yes. We can become depressed, yes. But then we must look for the helpers. And then we must become a helper. Isn’t this precisely what Jesus calls us to be?
Our song today is a favorite of mine called “The Servant Song.” It was written by Richard Gillard of New Zealand and is performed here by the Bukas Palad Ministry.
Who are some of the helpers you notice in your everyday life?
When are some of the times you have been a helper? How? Why?
Would you like to “be a helper” to the readers of this blog and share some of your thoughts with us?
PS: Please pray for my next retreat at Villa Maria Del Mar in Santa Cruz, CA from July 7 to July 14. There will be 42 retreatants gathered on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Then I will drive up to San Francisco where I’m giving a presentation on Sunday, July 16 from 1:00 to 3:30 at the Presentation Convent on Turk Blvd. The talk is entitled “The Spirituality of Hope.”
Two Poems for Reflection
Today I’d like to share two poems with you. The first one is entitled “Drive-Thru Epiphany.” It was written by John Hopkins, a faithful reader of this blog. John taught high school English for 33 years. He retired last week. We wish him well!
The other day I was in the drive-thru,
biding my time, six cars ahead of me,
the morning gray rising to pale blue,
the moon webbed in the branches of a tree,
the radio off, my cell phone put away,
just a slow-inching cell of solitude
hoping a disembodied voice will say
it has a potion to perk my attitude.
When—glory!—a lifting, flowing veil
Of birds alit upon that tree’s cold limbs,
Only to re-veil towards the moon! To sail
Into a beauty free of all our sins!
I drove on up, cleansed by this perfect prayer,
A murmuration that dazzled the air!
Have you ever experienced “an epiphany” while doing the most ordinary things: going through a drive-thru… folding the laundry… mowing the lawn… cutting up a green pepper… standing in a check-out line… waiting at a red light… cleaning out a drawer? If so, what was the experience like for you?
In what way was the flight of the birds “a perfect prayer”?
I loved the play on the word “murmur.” Murmur can mean a low, indistinct , continuous sound. It can also mean to complain. Being in a long line of cars at a drive-thru can put us in a complaining mood. But a flock of starlings is called a “murmuration.” Have you ever seen a flock of birds flying as one… making beautiful patterns in the sky… turning on a dime?
The second poem is one of my “fun poems” entitled “Prayer of the Tuckered Out.” It can be found in my book, Just Because:
O God, look down upon me so weary, worn, and stooped,
and hear the humble prayer of one who’s really pooped.
I ask not for good fortune nor for serenity.
Instead one thing I beg for: How ‘bout some energy!
Sometimes I’m not so good, God, I fight, complain, and pout.
I offer no excuses except I’m tuckered out.
My spirit is so willing. It wants to do what’s best.
The problem is my flesh, God,
for all it wants is rest.
This prayer should be much longer,
but what else can I pray when
I’m too dog-tired to stay awake?
Have pity, God. Amen.
Two thoughts about prayer. First, getting sufficient rest is vital not only for our physical and psychological well-being, but also for our spiritual life. Second, one of the best pieces of advice I was given about prayer is this: pray as you can—not as you can’t. Start where you are. This means our prayer can take different forms depending on where we are.
PS: Thank you for your prayers for last week’s retreat in beautiful Chatawa, Mississippi. According to Google, Chatawa has a population of 85! But we had over 60 on retreat so we almost doubled the population! A big thank you to Sister Helen Roper and all the SSND’s who live in Chatawa for your warm hospitality!
The song today is called “Worn” and it’s performed by a contemporary Christian band called “Tenth Avenue North.” Their name comes from an east-west road in Palm Beach County, Florida, where they were originally from.
Any thoughts you’d like to share with us–about the poems and/or the song?
Four Short, Short Stories
Here are four short, short stories. All of them are true.
The License Plate
Frederick Buechner tells this story in his book Listening to Your Life. One day he sat in his car on the side of a road. He was “terribly depressed.” His young daughter was ill and he didn’t know what to do. He was also afraid of what might happen. A car came down the highway. Its license plate bore one word on it: TRUST. Buechner asks, “What do you call a moment like that? A kind of joke life plays on you? Or was it ‘the Word of God?’” For him, it was something of both.
He learned later that the owner of the car was a trust officer in a bank. The man happened
to read Buechner’s account of this incident. He found out where Buechner lived and, one afternoon, showed up on his doorstep and handed him the license plate. Beuchner now has it propped up on a bookshelf in his home office. He writes, “It’s rusty around the edges and a little battered… But it is also a relic as holy as I have ever seen.”
The Closet of Forgiveness
The three siblings had been arguing and fighting with each other all day long. That night, about 2:00 in the morning, a terrible thunderstorm hit. Hearing an unusual noise coming from the children’s bedroom, their mother called out, “What’s going on in there?” A little voice answered, “We’re all in the closet forgiving each other.”
Rewriting an Obituary
Over 100 years ago, a man picked up the morning paper and, to his shock, saw his own obituary. Obviously the newspaper had made a terrible mistake. But the headline read, “Dynamite King Dies.” He was taken aback when the article described him as “a merchant of death.” Yes, he had invented dynamite. And yes, he had made a fortune. But is this what he wanted to be remembered for?
It was a “conversion moment” for the man. From that time on he decided to devote his time and money to works of peace and the betterment of humanity. Today he is not remembered as being a merchant of death, but as being the founder of the Nobel Peace Prize. His name: Alfred Nobel.
Old Patterns
This last story comes from Sister Chris Koellhoffer’s book, Longing for the Endless Immensity. Bobbie was a golden retriever who had a spacious backyard surrounded by a wire fence. There was a small wire gate in the fence. For years the dog sat patiently before the gate each day waiting for someone to open it and let him out for a walk.
One day the owner decided the fence was no longer needed for his yard. He spent the day removing it, but he saved the gate for another day. The next day the dog went to the gate and sat in front of it, waiting for someone to open it. Only when someone unlatched it, did the dog go outside the yard. Sister asks, “Do old patterns get in the way of seeing or imagining new possibilities?”
Our song is “Blessed Assurance” here performed by Third Day. The hymn was written in 1873 by two women: Phoebe Knapp who wrote the melody and her friend the blind hymn writer, Fanny Crosby, who wrote the lyrics.
Did any of the stories speak to your heart today?
What about the song?
Feel free to respond below.
Looking Twice
Let’s begin today by looking at a painting. It’s called “The General’s Family” and it’s by the Mexican painter Octavio Ocampo. At first glance, it might seem like an ordinary painting, the profile of a man with a white beard. But look again. In fact, keeping looking. Can you find the NINE faces hidden in the painting? At the end of this reflection, I’ll tell you where all nine faces are in case you couldn’t find them all.
How important it is in life to look again. Jamake Hightower, a Blackfoot Indian, wrote, “You must learn to look at the world twice if you wish to see all there is to see.” Looking twice. I like that. I’ve had numerous occasions where I needed to look again to see what was really there. Here’s a concrete example.
In the 1980s I was studying at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Every day I had to take two buses to get from the Benedictine Priory where I lived to the University on the Bluff. This meant I had to stand in downtown Pittsburgh and wait for my second bus. The street where I stood was not a pleasant place to be. It had several bars and establishments that featured “adult” entertainment. I was wearing the habit in those days, and occasionally a passerby would make a crude remark to me. (I’ve heard the street was eventually “cleaned up.”)
One day I was standing there when I saw three young men walking towards me. They were very “scruffy looking.” Immediately I felt myself tense up. I just knew they were going to say something nasty to me as they passed. But when they got close to me, the middle young man smiled and said, “Hi, Sister Melannie!” I was shocked. I had no idea who he was. Seeing my lack of recognition he said, “It’s me,” and he gave his name. As soon as he said his name, I recognized him. He was the young man who had worked part-time in the priory kitchen the year before. I smiled and, saying his name, I said, “How nice to see you again. How are you?” And we had a good chat. But I had to look again—beneath the scruffy exterior—to see the pleasant young man I knew.
It’s important to look again at our life every day. We must look again at our spouse, our children, our grandchildren, our friends, our co-workers, our clients, our community members. We must look again at our house, our parish, our neighborhood, our religious congregation. We must look again at the choices and decisions we are making. At all times we must resist the temptation to think, by looking once, we have seen all there is to see.
Looking twice is not a new idea. Jesus advocated this practice many times. “Consider the
lilies of the field,” he said. What he was really saying was, “Look again at the lilies. Don’t pass them by. Don’t take them for granted. See them more deeply for what they are: a sign of God’s exquisite love and tender care for you.”
Jesus also said to look again at people. By his word and example, he taught if you look again you will see that Roman soldiers can be kind even to their servants… tax collectors are worthy of salvation… Samaritans can be filled with compassion… women can be intelligent conversationalists and possess incredible loyalty… children can be models of trust and faith.
When we are struggling with an individual, maybe we can pray something like this: “Dear Lord, give me a new way of seeing him (her).” Or if we’re facing a difficult situation, we can pray, “Jesus, help me to see this situation with fresh eyes.” By looking again, by looking twice, we may see the person or the situation more clearly.
Did you find the nine faces? Here they are:
- the large head of the man
- the man carrying the walking stick
- the lady
- the baby
- the woman’s profile above the right column
- the mirror image of #5 above the left column
- another profile opposite #6
- another profile directly above #6 (the bird forms the nose and forehead)
- face looking towards you in the extreme left, to the side of #8
The song today is an old one by the Dameans. It’s called “Look Beyond.” Although it is a Eucharistic song, the song’s title “look beyond” can be another way of saying “look again.”
Did you find the nine faces in the painting?
Did anything stand out for you in this reflection?
Have you ever had the experience of seeing someone or something in a whole different way when you looked again?
Feel free to respond below. My readers tell me how much they enjoy reading the comments each week!
PS: I will be leading a retreat at St. Mary of the Pines in Chatawa, Mississippi from June 18-24. Once again I ask for your prayers for all the retreatants–and for me! Thank you very much!
Bees
I’m worried about the bees. I’ve read many articles saying that bees are dying off—in drastic numbers. Why? Researchers cite several factors: pesticides, parasites, viruses, loss of habitat, poor nutrition, genetics, and even cell towers.
We should be concerned about the decline of bees, because their decline poses a serious threat to human survival. That’s because bees pollinate many of the fruits and vegetables we humans rely on. I am vividly reminded of this every time I drive onto our provincial house property. When you drive in, you immediately see the beautiful apple orchards spread out on both sides of the driveway. But you must look a little harder to see the beehives nestled near the tree line. The fact is: there would be no apple crop in the fall without those bees in the spring!
So let’s take a closer look at bees—simply to appreciate them more. First of all, there are 20,000 different species of bees including bumblebees, carpenter bees, killer bees, and honeybees.
Honeybees live in colonies with a queen bee, worker bees, and drones. The queen has only one job: lay eggs. The worker bees are all females. The name worker bee is appropriate since they literally do all the work in the colony. They clean the hive, collect the nectar, make the honey, and care for the young. The drones are all males. They have only one job: mate with the queen. No respectable drone would ever be caught dead with a broom and dustpan in his hands! I’ll let you decide if there are any parallels with humans. (Hee!)
Here are a few more facts about bees:
- Honeybees flap their wings 11,000 times per minute, creating their distinctive buzzing sound. They can fly 15 miles per hour. How high can bees fly? Bumblebees win the title for “highest flyers.” Researchers have spotted them at altitudes over 10,000 feet!
- Honeybees have 170 odorant receptors. They use their keen sense of smell to
Some of the bee hives near our orchard on our provincial center property. recognize who belongs in their hive and who does not belong. They kick out intruders. Honeybees can differentiate hundreds of different floral varieties too. They know the distinctive scents of a rhododendron, peony, rose, and azalea.
- A worker bee visits between 50-100 flowers on a single trip, sucking nectar into her “honey stomach” which is different from her food stomach. Back at the hive she passes the nectar to other worker bees who chew it for quite some time to turn it into honey. Then they store this food in honeycomb cells, sealing the cells with wax. Whew! All that work! Little wonder that, in the summer, worker bees usually live for only 40 days. Drones also live about 40 days. All that mating with the queen must wear them out. The queen lives for about 5 years, but she’s “past her prime” after three years.
- Honeybees are the only insect that produces food eaten by humans. Their honey is not only nutritional, it is also therapeutic and medicinal.
- When a honeybee “scout” has found a good source of food, she returns to the hive and performs a “waggle dance.” This dance tells the other worker bees the direction of the food source and its distance from the hive.
- Bees navigate using the sun, the polarization pattern of the blue sky, and the earth’s magnetic field. They prefer to use the sun, but they use the other two on a cloudy day or inside a dark hive. And keep in mind, the bees do all this navigating using a brain the size of a sesame seed! And they never have to ask Siri for directions!
What can be done to slow the decline of the bee population? First, more research is needed to pinpoint the exact causes for their decline and to develop ways to protect and nurture a healthy bee population. This research often comes in the form of tax dollars. Someone remarked, “We should fear the decline of bees more than terrorism…” Interesting. Secondly, we need to encourage amateur beekeeping. (Are any of you already beekeepers? Or do you know anyone who is?) A third step is to encourage people to grow a wide variety of plants that would be beneficial for bees.
And finally, we can show respect for these tiny creatures and teach our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to appreciate and respect them too.
Bees remind us of the connectedness of all living things. With that in mind I chose an excerpt from the song “Circle of Life” written by Elton John for The Lion King. When I saw the play in Cleveland, I confess that the words of the song coupled with the array of animals parading onto the stage in the opening scene actually moved me to tears. I kept saying to myself, “What a magnificent world God had created for us! Wow!”… Here’s the song:
What has been your experience with bees?
Did anything in this reflection stand out for you? Is there anything you would add? I’d love to hear from you!
