Once there was an elderly man, who one evening was taking his usual walk.  He was enjoying the crisp night air and the wind blowing gently…. suddenly he heard a voice crying out, “Help me! Help me!”

The man looked around and saw no one and so he continued his walk.  Again, he heard a tiny voice, “Help me, help me!”

This time he looked down and he saw a small frog. He gently lifted up the frog and looked at it intently.  The frog spoke, “I am really a very beautiful princess. If you will kiss me, I will turn back into a princess and I will hug you and kiss you and love you forever.” 

The man thought for a moment, placed the frog in his top pocket, and continued walking.  The little frog looked up out of the pocket and asked, “Why don’t you kiss me?”  The man responded. He said, “Frankly, at this stage of my life, I’d rather have a talking frog.”          (Bausch Homilies)

Life is lived in different stages and in several phases.  Spend a few minutes thinking about St. Damien of Molokai whose life in Hawaii on the island of Molokai was not a vacation in the sun; rather it was a labor of love, care and support for people suffering from leprosy. His was human compassion fueled by God’s grace!

Pope Benedict XVI in his 1^st volume on Jesus of Nazareth wrote,

“Jesus’ bread of life discourse … points the main movement of the Incarnation and of the Paschal journey toward the sacrament,

in which the Incarnation and Easter are permanently present ….” (p.269-270)

Our life, although lived in stages and phases, is blessed by our Baptism and nourished by our reception of the Eucharist, so that we can be eucharist for others during each stage and phase of our life.

How are you living this phase of your life at this stage of your life, is there a talking frog in your pocket?

May God Be Praised!