This email seems to go with today's readings.
FACES OF MERCY
Do you know what an L.L.B. is?
When people traveled more often by train than by air, one mother found
herself in need. She was traveling with two children, one of which was
a fussy baby. It seemed that nothing she did would settle the child
down.
However, seated next to her was an older gentleman who offered to take
the infant so she could tend to her other child. He bounced the baby
on his knee, cooed and whispered and finally stood up and paced the
aisle. In a little while the infant fell fast asleep and he sat down
again. The mother was amazed. "You must be an M.D.," she exclaimed.
"No," he smiled. "I'm just an L.L.B."
"An L.L.B?" she asked. "What's that?"
"A Lover of Little Babies!" he said.
In America's aftermath of Hurricane Katrina we are discovering
L.L.B's, as well as Lovers of Older Folks, Lovers of Life's Victims
and even Lovers of Lost Pets. Some of these good-hearted people open
their homes. Some scour the streets of New Orleans for stranded
residents. Some volunteer at shelters around the country, some
organize support in their own communities and some send supplies and
money. Some pray. It is these lovers of humanity that will, in the
end, help devastated lives through the crisis and give us all enough
hope to keep doing what we can.
You've heard it said, "Blessed are the merciful." Mercy takes on
several faces. Sometimes it may look like an L.L.B. But today it looks
like many of you. May you be truly blessed.