Today I would like you to read and reflect on two stories the first one is called The Bagpiper and the second one about recognizing our sisters and brothers

A young bagpiper was asked by a funeral director to play at a
graveside service for a homeless man with no family or friends.
The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there.

He was not familiar with the backwoods area and got lost; he finally arrived an hour late, and saw the backhoe and the crew, who were eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight.  He apologized to the workers for his tardiness, and stepped to the side of the open grave, where I saw the vault lid already in place.

He assured the workers he would not hold them up for long, but this was the proper thing to do. The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch. The bagpiper played out his heart and soul.  As he did the workers began to weep. He played: from My Home and The Lord Is My Shepherd, to Flowers of the Forest.  He then closed the lengthy session with Amazing Grace and walked to his car.

As he opened his door he heard one of the workers say to another, "Holy Moses, I never seen anything like that before - and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

On a much more serious note, a rabbi asked his students:  “How can we determine the hour of dawn, when the night ends and the day begins?”

One of the rabbi’s students suggested:  “When from a distance you can distinguish between a dog and a sheep?”  “No,”” was the answer from the rabbi.

        

“It is when one can distinguish between a fig tree and a grapevine?”  asked a second student.  “No,” said the rabbi.

        

“Please tell us the answer then,” said the students.  “It is when,” said the wise teacher, “when you can look into the face of another human being and you have enough light in you to recognize your brother or your sister.  Until then it is night, and darkness is still with us.”

 

Today I would like you to read and reflect on two stories the first one is called The Bagpiper and the second one about recognizing our sisters and brothers

A young bagpiper was asked by a funeral director to play at a
graveside service for a homeless man with no family or friends.
The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there.

He was not familiar with the backwoods area and got lost; he finally arrived an hour late, and saw the backhoe and the crew, who were eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight.  He apologized to the workers for his tardiness, and stepped to the side of the open grave, where I saw the vault lid already in place.

He assured the workers he would not hold them up for long, but this was the proper thing to do. The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch. The bagpiper played out his heart and soul.  As he did the workers began to weep. He played: from My Home and The Lord Is My Shepherd, to Flowers of the Forest.  He then closed the lengthy session with Amazing Grace and walked to his car.

As he opened his door he heard one of the workers say to another, "Holy Moses, I never seen anything like that before - and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

On a much more serious note, a rabbi asked his students:  “How can we determine the hour of dawn, when the night ends and the day begins?”

One of the rabbi’s students suggested:  “When from a distance you can distinguish between a dog and a sheep?”  “No,”” was the answer from the rabbi.

        

“It is when one can distinguish between a fig tree and a grapevine?”  asked a second student.  “No,” said the rabbi.

        

“Please tell us the answer then,” said the students.  “It is when,” said the wise teacher, “when you can look into the face of another human being and you have enough light in you to recognize your brother or your sister.  Until then it is night, and darkness is still with us.”

May we see our brothers and sisters in each person whether they are on our southern border or our next store neighbor!

May God Be Praised!