Living Monstrance

I often go to the local coffee shop in town here for coffee and a couple of muffins for breakfast.  The other morning I ran into a man named Bill I hadn’t seen in the shop for a while and we got to talking.  He is about 55 or so, and since his stroke last year, he has lost some control of one of his arms and of his face.

He began to tell me about different things that happened to him in the past, and I listened.  He was strong-headed as a kid, and was considered a troublemaker.  He told me about his many not-so-good relations with priests and nuns as a youngster, and I listened.  He admitted his own share in it, but also described some of the unfair treatment he received.  He always got the blame - we laughed.  He lived a sort of wild life in his day.  He was honest, and I listened.

He told me about his sister’s death, and I listened.  He missed her a lot.  He is a Vietnam vet and saw conflict and has suffered psychologically from it.  He complained that he is now on thirteen different medications, and suffers from a variety of side effects, and I listened.  He cannot work.

When he was done speaking, I couldn’t help but say, “Bill, it’s like you’re being crucified.”

He said from his heart with sincerity and remorse: “I deserve all I get.”

How blessed he is!  At Calvary, when Jesus was crucified, He had with Him His greatest friends and His greatest enemies.  His Mother Mary was there, and John His most beloved disciple, along with Mary Magdalene who loved Him with her whole being.  There was the Roman army who tortured and crucified Him and the religious leaders who put Him to death.  There were the people who a week earlier had honored Him as the Messiah and now rejected Him.

But there was only one person that He listened to and responded to, and it was none of the above.

It was the criminal being crucified next to Him, who said, “I deserve all I get.”  It was only him who heard the promise, “Amen I say to you, this day you will be with me in paradise.” (Lk 23:43)  It was the repentant thief - not Mary, or John, or Mary Magdalene - who got to see the opening day of Heaven.

The Lord is not seeking the holy people.  Nor is he seeking the self-righteous.  He joins people in their sufferings who admit, “I deserve all I get.”  He listens to them, and raises them up to the highest place.

The Lord is the best listener.  Do you have something to tell Him?