You Matter
“If you feel unimportant in the eyes of the world, that matters not at all. For me, there is no one any more important in the entire world than you” (Father Joseph Langford, MC, speaking from the viewpoint of Jesus and inspired by St. Teresa of Kolkata).
The Man With the Sign
As my husband pulled onto the exit, our car approached the stop light. There he stood—an old man with a sign. It read, “Please Help. I don’t have much money.”
He radiated kindness, and I remembered the bag filled with granola bars and vitamin water stashed in my passenger seat. It’s part of a small project that my girls and I began—making snack bags for the homeless. They are sealed with cutout hearts made from construction paper and marked with the words “Jesus Loves You.”
I keep my car stocked with a few of these bags for people I may encounter along my commute. Today, a bag went to this man, who gave us the biggest smile in return and gratefully said, “Oh, these will definitely be finished by the end of the day. God bless you.”
The Priest’s Message
We frequently visit the little lovely town of Rockaway, Oregon, because it is close to my father-in-law’s home. When we visit, we attend Mass at the local church, and we’ve been warmly accepted by the parish family there.
While we were sitting in the pew there one Sunday, Father looked all of us straight in the eyes and began his homily by stating, “You matter.” I was convicted as tears began to roll down my face.
As we enter a new year, I can’t help but feel a wave of sadness for all the people who don’t know this truth. I wish all could hear these words.
Father continued by sharing that our value does not diminish with age. Everyone, no matter how old, has dignity. And we all matter to the Lord.
Two Words for the New Year
I began to reflect: How can I show others that they matter? I can’t reach a multitude, but I can reach everyone that I encounter. I can keep on smiling to all I see, even when smiles are not returned. I can keep trying to give out my girls’ prepared snack bags. I can simply tell others, “You are special, I will pray for you.”
Last year, I picked up the ritual of adopting one “word” to pray with at the start of the year to support my spiritual stretch goals. This year, I will select two words: “You matter.”
Help and Resources:
If you or someone you know needs someone to talk to or wants to seek help, contact your local Catholic parish, reach out to a Catholic life coach or therapist, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-TALK (8255).
Lilia Grundy is University of Portland’s Pamplin School of Business’ Director of Corporate Partnerships with over 20 years of corporate experience (including Kraft Foods, NBC Television, and Telemundo). Lilia launched Catholic Women Professionals to inspire other working women to grow their faith. She is married to her high school sweetie Rob - they have beautiful twin girls who love art, music and learning about the Saints. Connect with Lilia at LinkedIn • Instagram • Website