Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“No  servant can serve two masters”

We can be self-centred and ignore the needs of others, or we can see what people need and, realising that Jesus Christ said ‘that what you do to the least of mine, you do unto me’ help them as well as we can. And you never know the outcome.

So, here is a not a parable, but a true story I heard a week ago when I was with my dentist of whose family, having married her parents, baptised her, celebrated her wedding and baptised her two children, I am an honorary member.

She said, that one of her brothers – I do not mention his name: no name , no pack drill – was on a flight to Ireland. As it was hot, he, was – thank God – wearing shorts, not his usual trousers.

When a senior aged couple came along, he helped them with their luggage. Then as he was about to sit down the lady said,  “excuse me, I hope you won’t mind, but I am a dermatologist and I noticed the mole on your leg. I advise you to go to your doctor asap.”

My dentist’s brother realised he had noticed how a week or so earlier, the mole had changed its appearance.

Bottom line, he went to his doctor the next day. And yes, the mole had become cancerous. Melanoma  - still, fortuitously only A1. 

It had not spread. He had the mole removed.

Had he not taken that early action, the melanoma would have spread and… who knows.

Moral of the story for me: ”Helping those who need help, can prolong your own life.”

Helping others has enriched my life no end. So, I will keep on keeping on; with my short homilies.