Memorial of Saint Andrew Dŭng-Lạc, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs
Once at mass, an elderly woman came up to do the prayers of the faithful. With great effort walked up the steps to reach the ambo. From there she spoke with a voice that was deep, breathy, laden with the emotion and gravitas that only many years of loving and losing on this earth could provide. The whole thing seemed to cost her, but I couldn’t think of a better representative for us before God. This was a woman giving her all.
In our younger, more energetic days, we may give to God from our surplus. But even then, we know that we are not invincible, inexhaustible, limitless. The passage of time makes this abundantly clear. And this may very well be good news. Something without limits cannot be fully given. But we can take our limited selves and place ourselves in the hands of the one who is infinite and eternal. I do sense that this takes great effort, though, so we’d better start sooner rather than later. We’d better start now!