The Joy of “Any” (06/25/2025)

I was working with the Native American leadership in Sioux City, IA as a volunteer the summer of 1967 under the leadership of Fr. Boes. One day a group of young people were talking during a work break and the discussion became somewhat heated. One young man questioned, “Why are you doing this. You can’t help them all!” Everyone was still for a few moments before Mary spoke up. “Sure, we can’t help them all, but I find joy in helping any I can.”

And the group thought about our work and decided Mary was right. We weren’t going to be able to right every wrong and help everyone in need in the Native American communities in the Siouxland area, but to not help any was not the approach we are called to as Followers of Christ. We find joy in helping any we can.

This week, I got a story I’d heard before, but it was good to hear it again. She wrote:

Once upon a time, a young girl was walking along a beach after a storm had washed thousands of starfish ashore. Knowing that the sun would soon dry them out and they would die, she began picking them up one by one and throwing them back into the ocean. As she worked, a man approached her and asked, “Why are you doing this? You can’t possibly save all these starfish. What difference can you make?” The girl paused, feeling a bit deflated by his words. However, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it into the water, replying, “It made a difference to that one!”. 

This day, as we go forth, let us as followers of Jesus Christ do what we can. Let us respond to the real needs we encounter knowing they are the needs of our sisters and brothers. Let us do what good we can wherever we can whenever we can. Let us remember what my wise Grandma Lena taught me over 60 years ago – The LORD doesn’t ask us to do it all by ourselves, but He does ask us to do everything we can in the moment. These acts of kindness, these loving deeds, they matter.

What difference can it make? Hopefully your faith tells you it makes a difference to the one you are able to serve with love, the one you are able to share time with, the one you are able to pray for and with, the one you are able to lift up.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.