THE SPANISH LADY

For some reason, lately the topics of this blog center around or have religious theme!

Every Sunday, TLW (The Little Woman) and I go to the 8:30 Mass at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, in Ronkonkoma, N.Y. http://www.steas.org/
Attending that Mass is a little old lady of Hispanic heritage. She is poor in everyday things, but rich in everyday faith. She dresses the same every Sunday, and on occasion, I see her wait for a bus, dressed the same. Her head is wrapped in a dark grey scarf of some kind. Her dress is for both summer and winter, and except for a coat in winter and cool days, it is the same. She cannot speak English, but seems to speak to God very clearly, since she shows up every Sunday, and she continues to pray.

Before the Mass, she sits in the sanctuary and is in deep prayer, one wonders if she is sleeping, her devotion is such; the world is tuned out. Before the Priest enters, she goes to the same pew and sits in the same spot, every Sunday.

In her possession is a black leather bound prayer book, thick and filled for every moment of her life. In Spanish, the prayers fill her with the roads to her strict devotion to God.

She so treasures her prayer book, that she wraps it in a plastic leather bag, carefully folding over the plastic around the book, to protect it further. It is a grey bag with some commercial message on it.

It leads me to wonder who has more, her or me? Who’s treasure has more meaning, whose treasure would be guarded with his/her life? Is my faith that strong? Do I believe in God with all my heart? Am I a sham?

She is a teacher! I don’t know if she teaches class anywhere, goes to a school, or can really read that well. I do know she is a teacher. She taught me that loving God is really a personal thing. It shouldn’t be flouted about, boasted, or even advertised, just practiced. She teaches me that church is a place that God’s real house is in my soul, heart and mind.
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintofDay/

I know that I’m not very religious; I should probably stay away from churches because I would endanger the good common everyday worshippers. I hate when people postulate and sell me on their holiness, and that’s why I am not too much of a saint. God will determine how good I was; meanwhile, I’ll try and still be human, while being humane.