I find it tremendously ironic that I was selected to give the Action/Evangelization talk on the Women’s Cursillo Weekend held April 24-27, 2014. Not only was I on team with a number of people who have a great deal more experience in performing the corporal works of mercy than I do, but I’m also married to someone who is naturally not just a good neighbor to the many people who live in our building, but who is often a very Christ-like one.
He goes above and beyond the usual, signing for a package if someone has asked you to hold it for them until they get back or letting someone know they’ve left their headlights on. I can’t tell you how many times
He’s done work on their vehicles or assisted them with repairs, given individuals who are handicapped rides to the store, taken care of cats while their owners are out of town, provided bags of groceries when people were struggling to put food on the table, helped people network who were looking for a new job, let someone borrow his bicycle for several months so they wouldn’t have to buy one to train for a competition, changed light bulbs and did various other household chores too challenging for those who are elderly and/or have disabilities, reported suspicious activity to the police, listened while people tell them about their day or about their whole life story, provided encouragement and support to those who have been struggling in mind, body, or spirit…
He’s the one who knows everyone’s name and asks them how things are going then actually listens to the response. We saw one of our neighbors in a wheelchair, and Kevin found out after a few different attempts (because my husband doesn’t speak Spanish) what had happened to him.
The husband and father of two girls fell 20 feet off of a ladder, breaking both of his ankles. Kevin noticed that the front tire of their car had been slashed. It was completely flat and would need to be replaced, so he offered to go and get a new tire and put it on for them. They agreed to this. When he went to return the car keys, they wanted to pay him, but he refused any compensation for the new tire or the labor. We agreed it was a very practical way that we could offer them assistance during a difficult time.
Kevin is preparing to give the Laity talk on the upcoming Men’s Cursillo Weekend being held July 24-27, 2014, at Sacred Heart, New Bohemia. He’s got a number of wonderful descriptions of the roles of laypeople in the Church. What amuses me is that he hasn’t yet included any of the number of day-to-day things that come naturally to him and count as ways to minister to others. Isn’t that often the way, though? The people who are best at doing something are the ones who question their aptitude, downplay their abilities, or doubt the validity of what they have to offer.
When I see so much everywhere I look that I feel I could or should be doing, it’s refreshing to look at my husband. He reminds me just by being who he is and where he is he’s glorifying the Lord.
