Hounds - You Make a Difference REFLECTION - OCT 29/09 By Greg Pelletier Faculty/Notre Dame College Good morning Hounds,
Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his journal writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?"
The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean."
"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"
"The sun is up, and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."
"But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"
The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."
That little story excerpt I just read was written by a man named Loren Eisley from his book called The Unexpected Universe.
After reading this little story, I immediately thought of the Works of Mercy that all of you participate in throughout the school year. Sometimes we may not realize that the smallest act of kindness, or self-sacrifice, might be enough to get somebody through their day. When we reach out to one another, we are enacting God's will as Jesus taught us. The following excerpts come from a homily delivered by Father Tommy Lane at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland:
"What in our lives will Jesus judge? Jesus tells us he will judge us by our treatment of him in our fellow humans. Just as Jesus received his place at the right hand of the Father in heaven by self-sacrifice we will earn our place in the kingdom by feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, making strangers welcome, clothing the naked, visiting the sick visiting the imprisoned."
The care we give to others is the care we give to Jesus and this will be the wealth that we will take to the next life. Jesus is king because he sacrificed himself and thus was given the place at the right hand of the Father in heaven. When we sacrifice and practice the corporal works of mercy Jesus is King of our lives and his kingdom is coming. The more perfectly we do the corporal works of mercy the more perfectly God is King of the world and we can hope to hear Jesus say to us, "whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me."
So Hounds, never for a moment think that you cannot make a difference. For it is even in the least assuming act of love and kindness, that you are becoming closer to eternal life.
Please rise for the Lord's Prayer . . . . |
