The Gentleman in the 10th Row
theophilus October 23rd, 2007
Several times a week, I drop in the church for a few minutes before going to work. Always, and I mean always, there is a single car in the parking lot - a white Chevy HHR.
I then walk into the assembly and there, without fail, in the tenth row is this elderly gentleman, sitting, gazing upon the Crucifix. I only see him during these moments (or is it that I just don’t otherwise recognize him in our mega-parish).
I take my favorite seat in the back next to the Holy Mother, say Morning Prayer, and reflect upon the tabernacle. At about 7:55, twenty or so of my fellow faithful slowly file into the church and take their usual places for 8:30 mass. At precisely 8:05, someone starts the Rosary and the vocal part of our parish’s daily prayer begins.
At about this point, I sneak out, invariably run into one of our pastors on his way in, and drive off to Starbucks and then to work.
The elderly gentleman remains through it all. Every day, he starts our parish’s worship with silent prayer and reflection in a dark, humanly deserted church, prays the Rosary, and partakes of the Mass.
I envy him – the time he can spend in worship – but I’m also curious about him. In this day and age, how and why is he there every day without fail? I may miss my morning time with Christ, but I gather he never does.
After reading today’s gospel (Luke 12), I think I finally get it – “[b]lessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.” This aging gentleman is being vigilant – the servant awaiting his master’s arrival.
I often think that he has the gift of time. He has the time to spend in church. He has the time for prayer and reflection. After all, I have to squeeze in daily time at church in between work, family and my various responsibilities.
But then, it has also dawned on me that he may think the same of me – that it is I who have the gift of time. He knows he is in the twilight of his life. He knows his master is coming sooner rather than later and he must be vigilant for his arrival. He chooses to be vigilant at the Lord’s house, gazing upon him on the Crucifix, contemplating the mystery of his presence in the tabernacle, praying with Mary, receiving Christ through daily Communion.
And I hope that when all of us are his age (God willing), we spend our time waiting as vigilantly as he does. I hope we live life to the fullest and that part of this full life is us taking significant time everyday to spend with Christ, being vigilant, waiting for his arrival.
Heck, why don’t we just try to start now – no matter how little time we think we have in our schedules. Let’s spend some time, any time, at church, everyday, doing some act of worship. Let’s not wait until we’re old.
Let us wait like the elderly gentleman in the 10th row, no matter how old or young we may be.
Photo: “Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, August 8, 2006″ - Ranier Ebert (Photographer) – Flickr page - License – Some Rights Reserved.
- Jesus , Liturgy , Mary
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