Left Hand

Through the course of Lent, we are admonished to keep our charitable donations to ourselves, to keep our volunteering quiet, to ensure the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. We are encouraged to continue our alms giving during Lent. We are just not supposed to advertise what we are doing or what we are giving.

There are many small things that happen in a parish on a day to day basis, which really aren't so small. There are the decorations and flowers that appear on a weekly basis. There are the prayer books and Lenten reminders that have been placed at the back of Church. Then, there are the garments given to each infant at baptism.

For more than fifteen years, each of the white garments given to the baptised of our parish was sewn by one woman. Any time more were needed, a single phone call brought another 25 to the parish office. Up until tonight, I had never thought about how those garments arrived at Church. I knew someone made them, but not who. Tonight, at Mass, the funeral arrangements were announced for her. Father spoke glowingly of her and how she will be missed. She hadn't been named in any Mass I can think of prior to this. She was truly an example of the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing.

May she rest in peace.