SMALL MIRACLES

by Sister Maryaline Zierle, Pastoral Care

Given an alert and awake mind and spirit we are apt to find in the signs around us more information than we might find in words of the media.  Simply said, “When the tulips are blooming, I’m getting ready for the beach!”  And when the geese fly south, I’m battening down the hatches for another long winter.

When you have been around Maryhaven for any length of time, you receive signs that enable you to detect the inner spirit of the people who reside here or who attend day programs.  Often an attentive family or a minister of a particular faith has ignited that spark.  Somehow the light continues on in what may be a limited life.  The wise observer can say that the developmentally disabled person is not disabled spiritually and to those who can read signs the yearning and connection to God is very apparent.

As you know, my ministry in Pastoral Care invites me to “hang out” here and there.  These are some of the signs I have read:

--individuals in the Yaphank work place invite me into their confidence and there at the work station ask for prayers for family or a blessing for their pains;

--a group of women from the IRA program attend an overnight retreat program of prayer and learning at the Dominican Sisters Motherhouse in Amityville;

--autistic children attending Passover service at school sing from memory the Jewish prayers along with the cantor;

--a young adult man attends classes to become an altar server at his parish church;

--groups of residents from the ICF program weekly pray and sing with the “Friends for Life” program;

--12 adult individuals participate in a study about their faith in action to assist a student pursuing a theology doctorate;

--day program members join in prayer with the visiting deacon during coffee break;

--religion class attendees sing and craft their way through the lives of the heroes of the Bible.

As usual, we learn from those for whom we care…