Tell No one

Growing up, I never understood why Jesus would say to the apostles, "Tell No one". If the miracles that they witnessed were life changing, why on earth would not Jesus let them shout it from the roof tops? On my spiritual journey I learned to view his message differently and I would like to think I now have a good grasp of that piece of Scripture. Yet this morning as I distributed the Precious Blood at communion, I thought about it again.


I have only been a Eucharistic minister for about four months but I still can't get over the many who take the bread, but pass the cup. Someone told me before that it would bother me and that I would want to say, "Hey! You gotta try this!" Would I ever say that? Heck no! Does that make me a bad evangelist? Maybe. But I prefer to think that "Tell no one" in this case may mean that I need not verbalize what Jesus, through the Spirit, will take care of in time. I have no idea where that person is on his journey, but God does. I did not take the cup until I was in my forties and one day during mass, it was 'right'. The interaction I had with those of faith and an openness to the Spirit led me to the cup, not someone's demand.


Although I was disappointed at those who walked by me this morning, I did receive a special affirmation of the presence of the Spirit as I looked into the eyes of those whose hands reached out for the cup. They never said a word and, yet, I got the message.

I hope that I am able this week, through prayer and the completion of tasks set before me, to set the stage for the Lord's message to reach others as well.

In Ten Words or Less.

A couple of weeks ago, someone asked me, "In ten words or less, what can be done to bring the two parishes together?" He immediately smiled softly when I quickly explaimed, "You KNOW I can't explain anything in less than ten words!" So, grinning as well, I gave him some short sentences in several blurts, and I think he knew what I meant. But I thought about it on my walk the next day, and after about an hour (hoping noone saw me running the words along my fingers to see if I had it under ten words!) I came up with: "Prepare a feast and they will ALL come to table." I even wrote it on a post it note so I would not forget. I wanted to give it to him when I saw him next, but I later thought better of it. Who was I to think I had a handle on the truth? But I almost emailed others to get their answers, in ten words or less. I guess I didn't because I really do not think that it matters.