Deacon Tom Lambert

You and I, all of us gathered here today are created in the image and likeness of God. Which means, we all have dignity, we all have value. We all have something to offer to one another. We are in fact a blessing to one another. We are blessed by God and we experience the reality of God’s blessing when we help one another.

Each of us here has been touched by mental illness, either our own, a member of our family, a friend of ours, a co-worker, a neighbor, or as a provider of healthcare. By virtue of that reality, we have an insight and an experience that many people don’t have and sadly many people don’t understand. Now, there are two ways to look at that insight - that experience, one way is that it is a cross to bear, a burden!  OR

Second way, it is an experience that can be used to help others.

I think many of us would say that it’s both – and some days it’s more one than the other. - Illnesses, whether mental or physical, are a part of humanity, they are not God’s plan for us, but something in an imperfect world that we have to deal with as we go through life. It is how we use that experience that makes a huge difference in our lives.

God loves us and we feel that love when we answer  God’s call to serve one another. By being open to serving one another we see and experience how God works. We understand and feel the Joy that comes from knowing God by experiencing the joy of helping one another. We have much to give, much to offer one another. Our sharing of our experience lets people know they are not alone, lets people know someone cares, and our sharing gives us all comfort and hope.

When we or someone we love experiences a mental illness, either for the first time or an increase in symptoms, we and they can feel very much alone. 

[ personal example ]

------It has been my experience that when we answer the Gospel call to serve one another, we really come to know that we are blessed by God and a blessing to one another. It is a joy that enriches us and those we serve. You never know how or when you might touch someone’s life!!!

Pope Francis recently said “you pray for the hungry then you feed them that is how prayer works!” Prayer leads to action. I believe in the miracle of the prayer Pope Francis speaks of -  how God works through us in so many different ways:

• By our being present to one another through a call, a visit, a word of encouragement
• By sharing our experience with others so that they don’t have to go through their experience feeling alone or isolated
• By appreciating people for the person they are not the illness they have
• AND, through the doctors and medicines that God provides through the work of human hands
• There are many many ways we can serve one another

Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel:

“Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant”

We are great in the eyes of God and We are blessed by our willingness to serve one another. TODAY, We want to recognize our call to greatness -- so in a moment, we are going to call everyone here to come forward and be blessed with Holy Water - a rich symbol of our baptismal call to service.