I could not make my usual Thursday afternoon visits to the nursing home, but Friday afternoon worked out well, especially with the traffic. I saw my sister, the head chef at the nursing home, and she needed a little respite from her work in the kitchen.
My sister and her husband have done terrific jobs at losing weight and maintaining their desired levels, but as today was a bit edgy, she was easily tempted to try the vanilla wedding cake fudge I brought for my mother to taste. She said, "It is Friday the 13th in October, I'm off work all next week, and I should have just stayed home today. I'll splurge because I'll be good all next week." She liked the fudge, but then she enjoyed even more the square of pumpkin brownie covered with chocolate ganache. She seemed more cheerful afterwards. Myself, I love pumpkin flavors, and these brownies by our Jesuit community cook were just terrific.
As you can tell, I have a food ministry. The Italian side of me likes to offer food, and that is good because then I do not have to eat it.
I brought a plant for the caretakers of the residents of the nursing home, just to brighten up the day. Some of the staff tried the wedding cake fudge. (My art class last night enjoyed the pumpkin pie fudge.) Then I saw my friend Gordon, who has just come from a funeral. He was visiting his wife and we chatted a bit, and then I introduced him to my sister. Through our conversation he found out she was the boss cook.
My mother was in bed and we woke her up for the visit. My sister went back to work and we chatted for a bit about her legs and that she likes to sleep. Her sleep seems to be increasing lately. She had a piece of fudge and then some Hershey kisses. She had four, but she said she should not have more than two. Then she said, "But I like to eat chocolate."
It came time for communion and I asked, "would you like me to read Scripture?" "If you think so." "Only if you want." "Yes, please." I read from Matthew's Gospel where it said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you." She made comforting sounds as certain phrases were read and then she said, "That is nice, but I don't understand it all."
I told her that God wants each person to be in friendship with him and that God will give us more than we think we deserve, and God will always say yes to us. "Even me?" "Yes, especially you."
Is there something for which you would like to ask God? "I want to be pure and good. I want everyone to be happy and for there to be peace." Anything else? "I want my kids to know that I did my best for them, that I gave them equal time, that I loved them equally."
"Would you like to know God better?" "Yes, but... does God want to know me?" "Yes, of course."
Did I do enough? Am I a good person? "A very good person, and God want you to be his friend. God wants to thank you." "Really?" "Absolutely. I know it."
So, let's pray then, "Our Father,...."
She trailed off to sleep after her prayers. She would awake to say something about her children. She talked about tasks she had to do from decades ago, and then would gently pass into sleep. I waited for a bit and let her rest comfortably.
I left the room and my sister came back. We talked with Gordon, and my sister left for the day - and for her week's vacation. I gave away the remaining kisses.
I went to the monastery for some prayer and conversation with my monk friend before returning to Boston for plans to see a theology classmate from Brazil.
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