Her Name is Mary Cavanaugh

One of the few people whom I was endeared when I came to Stephen's parish is an elderly lady whose name is Mary Cavanaugh. Mary, as she is fondly called by her friends and acquiantances, was a native of Gayana, but now an American citizen. She had been into this country since 1982, I was told. She worked in the nursing home all her life till she retired a few years ago. She had been married, but now she lives alone by herself with her sick doggie.

Mary has a very pleasing and warmth personality. She comes to our Church to hear mass at least three times a week, at seven in the morning. On other days, she goes to two different Churches to hear mass. On weekends, she sings in a choir in one of those Churches.

What endeared me to her was that, every after mass when she attends our Church, she would always come and see me just to say hello. Her friends from the Church would always kid her around when she comes to the sacristy looking for me. When she heard that I had been sick with diabetes, she started to bring me some food almost every week. She would bring me some chicken, fish, salad, soup, and some fruits to eat. This has been going on for almost a month now. I have told her that I am doing ok, and that we have a chef who cooks for us on a regular basis. She need not do this. But she still insists of sending me all these food to eat. In this, what struck me was not so much the food she gives me but her generosity. I know she does not have much in life. But in spite of that, she still wants to share what she has. Yesterday morning, she invited me to go to her apartment and have breakfast with her. She didn't have much to prepare- just some pieces of bread, sausages, and a coffee. But I was happy and overwhelmed by her invitation. Mary was more than elated as well that she could invite me into her home and spent some time with me.

When I went home, I was just overwhelmed with much joy for having met Mary. She is just a simple, unassuming, elderly lady. A woman who does not have much in life, and yet she is able to give and share what she has with other people. Here I remember the woman in the scriptures who dropped a few coins at the basket in the temple. But Jesus praised her because she gave everything, even the few coins she had.

Mary, I think, is like the woman in the Scripture. She has a generous and big heart. She is always ready to share even the little she has with others. I wish I could have the same generous heart like Mary. May God bless her for her generosity and loving heart.