Would You Like Help with That? (12-2-2023)

Yesterday, as we were preparing for “The Cookie Walk” at our parish center, I got word that the plastic containers I’d ordered for it had finally arrived. So, I headed to the store to pick them up and bring them back for the sale. The woman in the bakery section of our market brought out the box for me and set it on my cart. At checkout, it was obvious that I had more than I could handle. The gentleman kindly asked me, “Would you like help with that?” I recalled the labored look on the woman’s face as she hauled the box to my cart. I knew this was more than I could handle. So, I admitted, “Help would be appreciated.” He reached for the phone, hit the intercom button, and announced, “Troy to the front.” Within seconds, Troy appeared, grabbed the heavy box like it was filled with air, and carried it to my car.

When I drove into the center, our parish maintenance person was coming out the back door. I slowed down, rolled down my window and asked if he could help me get the containers box into the center. He smiled as he responded, “I thought you might need help.” And he grabbed the box from my car and carried it indoors for me.

Asking for help doesn’t come easily for me. Perhaps it’s my Irish, perhaps it’s my middle child mentality, perhaps it’s my pride. As I reflected on my day last evening, I thanked the LORD for Troy and for Gary. And I thanked the LORD for the myriad of women and men who helped prepare for our Cookie Walk doing everything from handing out posters to baking cookies to making candy to helping with set up to washing dishes. I thought of the center all set up for today’s sale and realized that as beautiful as it appears, the real beauty lies in the village of people it took to get us to that point. We came together as a loving community. So many offered to help.

Our Cookie Walk opens at 7 this morning. But I have to share with you that it already is a success even before we sell a single cookie. It brought us together, sharing time, sharing talent, sharing treasure. There was joy every step of the way as individuals came together to decorate cookies, to prepare for the event. We had great conversations and supported one another.

As we continue our journey let us be open always to helping one another but also to accepting the help of others. Christ calls us to make this journey home together. Let us be vigilant, looking always to what we can do for others out of loving concern and kindness. And let us be gracious in accepting the help of others as well as of the Holy Spirit along the way. We are created in loving relationship for loving relationship.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.