To give of Ourselves is to Share Christ

This is not a ruptured entity that has no basis, but giving up something that, although has a precious meaning, is planting a seed in the heart of a struggling soul. To know when we should partake in sharing a memento of any stature is not as easy as it appears, but to find another who has unknown circumstances to you, and the Holy Spirit tells you to part with that element of spiritual meaning and give it away is not a sacrilege but a seed that carries the blessings of Christ to an unknown and may be the only touch of God they will encounter.

If the seed lies dormant for a time, it may one day become the stroke of remembrance that someone, just a stranger, cared enough to hand on a seed that another may nurture its power.

Since my family and I are living temporarily in a hotel after our house encountered a major fire, we discovered another family who also had the same occurrence. It seems that the father and his daughter are sleeping in separate rooms and there was an angry attack that seemed to settle down. However, the young girl saw us in the hallway and spoke in a purely civil tone asking for God’s blessing on us because of our loss from the fire. When she blessed herself I realized that deep down there was a need for God’s grace. I blessed her and she later told her father that I did that. He was thankful for that and I then blessed him as well. I encountered a family in dire need of care and the Holy Spirit told me to give her my crucifix that I took with us when we were able to pick up some items from the house.

Tonight they were in the hallway talking and I handed her the crucifix which has been in my possession for a lot of years. Was I emotionally attached to this artifact? Absolutely. Yet, here is where I had to part with something that means a lot to me, which is the reason I didn’t have a second thought of sharing an attachment and gave it away. I will get another crucifix. She probably would not have gotten one herself. I have no idea what graces she will realize from this, but that is the work of the Holy Spirit.

This crucifix, like any artifact, does not contain magic or special holy powers. What it does have is a clear and obvious reminder of Christ’s Crucifixion, which is the deepest spiritual image that we should keep close to our hearts. My prayers are that the image will touch her heart and spirit that God cares and another person, unknown to her, also cares.

This reminded me of the ministry I had as a chaplain for Women in Early Recovery some years ago. My first Saturday with them had a young woman sit down beside on the porch steps. She said, “Hi, my name is Mary and I’m HIV positive.” She then told me she had been told there are three things you cannot be forgiven for. “Since I ‘ve already done these things I will not be forgiven, so why should I care?” I hugged her and told her whoever told her that was wrong and God already forgave her. She became my most ardent student until she graduated from her recovery. She moved in with some friends in Latrobe, PA. Later I received information that she actually had full-blown Aids and she died in their care. I know she is in heaven. What is so endearing is that I gave up my time and love to ensure one person who was an unknown person to me used my personal concern for another to make room for the Holy Spirit. This is planting seeds of hope!

Ralph B. Hathaway