A moment to remember

Last Sunday, the day after we heard the terrible news of the shootings in Arizona, I sat in Santa Lucia, waiting for the Noon Mass to begin. Two pews ahead of me was a family - a mother with a four year old boy and her mother, la abuela, holding a boy of perhaps a year and a half with Down's syndrome. A young man I've often seen in church - I think he may be part of the pastoral team for Santa Lucia - was sweeping the aisle, getting ready for Mass. When he came to their pew he looked, stopped, set down his broom, talked to la abuela - probably asking the little boy's name - and within a minute was playing with the child with the greatest delight. He sat and played with the little guy - who loved him right back - for about 10 minutes. The church may not have been so well swept for that Mass, but I don't for a minute doubt that Jesus Christ had just walked through in the loving person of that young man.

How good to set that loving act against the hatred and confusion that led to the Arizona shootings. May the love somehow be stronger.