To always welcome
I work in a bank and have always tried to be someone who builds and maintains unity between my colleagues, so it really hurt me one day to discover that one of my colleagues was using me to make his boss look bad. In the church that evening, I promised myself I would chase away every negative thought towards this colleague and welcome him as I always had. Later on, he announced his resignation from the company, having found another job. As he said goodbye, he thanked me for having always been a friend to him. I really hadn’t expected this but was happy to know that my efforts had not been wasted.
F.S., Switzerland
A mature faith
My husband’s memory is getting worse every day and he is finding it more and more difficult to do things. I too am finding it difficult to bend over and pick things up. There must be more to life than this, I thought. Then, when I heard Pope Francis talking to young people about the elderly, my hope was restored and I found a new strength to deal with the difficulties of aging and illness. I had always rejected faith as a remedy for every difficulty. It has taken me a lifetime to arrive at a more mature faith.
F.Z., Poland
Two precious hours
It was my turn to volunteer at the hospital today, but it was raining, and I was tired. Basically, I’m 62 years old and suffer from arthritis but thinking of all the sick people in the hospital, I decided to go anyway. When I arrived at the hospital, I met a patient who was depressed, undressed, and paralyzed, with no one to look after him. I spent two hours with him and really tried to give all of myself for him. And to think how useless I was feeling yesterday when I look back on my day!
M. Italy
Alone
When my husband died after just 4 years of marriage, I asked myself– how will I manage to bring up my children alone? I found the answer in the Word of God, the Father of all. I just needed to live it. I experienced it so often, especially as the children got older and the problems started to become more complicated – deciding which school for them to go to, what friends, leisure activities … There are moments when I feel the same desolation as so many other parents who, like me, are raising a family on their own. However, continuing to believe in the love of God, I feel great peace once again and this enables me to start a new dialogue with my children and discuss even the most delicate subjects.
