Many times we find people in Church wondering what they should do for God. There are also those who do not care that they do nothing or anything for God. Their only concern is to go to Church, nothing more, nothing less and nothing else. What does going to Church really mean? Going to Church means being an active participant in the life of the Church. Being an active participant at Mass for instance, means doing what everyone else is doing - standing up, sitting down, kneeling down, praying, singing and responding to the priest at the appropriate times. But you do not have to stand when you are unable to do so. You can sit down and still participate. Sitting down does not mean you should also shut your mouth. If you cannot sing, you can at least pray. If you cannot serve Mass as an altar server, you can at least read as a lector. If you cannot read, you can be an usher. If you cannot be an usher, you can be a greeter, or you can at least be friendly, cordial, helpful and willing to give direction to those who need help. What I am saying in a sense is that there is something that everyone can do in Church for God at one time or the other. We must, each of us, look in our hearts and pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to instruct us on how best we can serve the Lord. Tithing of course is a must for everyone.
There is a story about Harry the usher, by William J. Bausch in his book ‘A World of stories”, that I will like to share with you in this post. This story demonstrates how we should be the best we can possibly be in whatever we have chosen to do in Church; knowing that we are in it to serve our God and help bring about His kingdom here on earth. Here is the story:
“The pastor received a letter marked, “Please give to Harry the Usher.” It was handed over to Harry, and this is what it said: “Dear Harry. I’m sorry I don’t know your last name, but then, you don’t know mine. I’m Gert, Gert at the ten o’clock Mass every Sunday. I’m writing to ask a favor. I don’t know the priests too well, but somehow feel close to you. I don’t know how you got to know my first name, but every Sunday morning you smile and greet me by name, and we exchange a few words: how bad the weather is, how much you like my hat, and how I am late on a particular Sunday. I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to remember an old woman, for the smiles, for your consideration, for your thoughtfulness. “Now for the favor. I am dying, Harry. My husband has been dead for sixteen years, and the kids are scattered. It is very important to me that when they bring me to church for the last time, you will be there to say, ‘Hello, Gert. Good to see you.’ If you are there Harry, I will feel assured that your warm hospitality will be duplicated in my new home in heaven. With love and gratitude, Gert.”
From this story, it is obvious that Harry was a very good usher. He made everyone comfortable as they came in for Mass. He called everyone by name, spent some time chit chatting as they move into the Church for Mass. Harry was not a priest; he did not need to be one. But Harry was a good Christian who understood his work in the Church. Harry may not have known that what he did amounted to anything, but he was noticed and appreciated.
Come to think of it, we are all equal in the eyes of God. Whatever calling we have and whatever profession we choose in life, it does matter how we chose to function and how we affect people. It is all about relating to one another as we relate to our God. The priest is not bigger or greater than a young child just baptized. So you don’t have to be a priest or bishop or pope in order to serve God and his Church. To the Question ‘who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven’ directed to him by his disciples in Matthew’s Gospel chapter 18, Jesus answered with a demonstration: “He called a child over, place it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven”.
God may not ask us to do extraordinary things, but like Harry the usher, He wants us to do the ordinary things in life extraordinarily well. Let me conclude with a verse from a song you all know well, “If you cannot sing like angels, if you cannot preach like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus, you can say he died for all.” So pray and ask God what it is he wants you to do for him in your church. Once you have found your niche, hold firm to it and do it with all you heart. Pray and pray as if everything depends on God, and work, and work as if everything depends on you, and you would have assisted God in establishing his kingdom here on earth. Never you say ‘there is nothing I can do’. There is always something for someone somewhere in God’s own house.
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