One of my first jobs as a university student was to work in a jewelry store in the summer.  I loved gazing at the pretty gems.  I remember my first assignment.  My manager brought me a tray full of chains.  They were full of knots.  My instructions were to untie all the knots!  Wow, I thought to myself this is not what I anticipated I would be doing.  So I began the task praying that God would help me as I didn’t want to disappoint my superiors.  It was quite a challenge finding ways to undo the knots while trying not to damage the chains.  I realize as I look back that Jesus was teaching me patience and helping me to understand that undoing any type of damage takes time, patience and the benevolent assistance of God.

After this task I graduated to the floor of the jewelry store where I would be selling.  One day I saw one of my university professors entering the store.  She was a humble, little Indian lady dressed in simple garments.  I watched from my department as the salesman in charge ignored her.  I could tell she wanted assistance.  She was waiting patiently at the counter, but he persisted in ignoring her.   So I made the dash across the floor yelling “HELLO PROFESSOR!”  I introduced myself as one of her students and when the salesman in charge realized he was ignoring someone with a big job and a big salary, a look of panic came over his face!  Why do we judge one another by the way we look?  I sold her many beautiful things and she seemed happy her student had come to serve her.

My husband told me a story of a farmer from his small town.  He had never had children of his own and he wanted to buy a car for his nephews.  So he went to a car dealership looking at an expensive car and guess what happened to the humble farmer dressed in casual clothes?  The sales person ignored him!    So he left the car dealership and went across the street to the BMW dealer and he bought two BMW cars, one for each of his nephews!

May Our Holy Lord Jesus help us to treat all people with dignity and honour.  May Jesus give us the patience and courage to undo the knots and damage that our poor choices have caused.  Please give us the grace Lord Jesus to love all people.  Let us never stop serving God and one another.