My parents, like most young people at that time, never attended high school, but they had more wisdom than many who had degrees and diplomas. They were great readers, listened attentively to people, priests and radio and television and had “computer” memories. I was blessed in having them as teachers in our home when I was growing up.
They knew the Word of God very well and were able to apply the lessons, parables, etc. to everyday life. They never hesitated to tell their children and others about the fact that by keeping God’s 10 Commandments we can live, happy, holy and healthy lives. Looking back now they found “words of wisdom” in the Bible for everyone but especially for their children.
We heard about “not using the Lord’s name in vain” and about keeping the Lord’s Day Holy, but the ones that cropped up most frequently were “don’t fight, don’t tell lies, no stealing and always obey your parents.” To the last one they added, “As you do to your parents, your children will do to you.” Maybe that is why I became a priest and therefore would never have children; I really was not that bad!
I was a very small boy, when mom told me the following story and it made a big impression on me–I have a feeling it was about herself. She said that a wealthy family in England wanted to hire a housekeeper and on the day of the interviews, they placed a sweeping broom across the footpath going up to the front door. The first lady arrived and walked over the broom but told the family that she would keep everything neat and tidy. The second applicant did and said the same and they were told that they would let them know if they got the job. The third person that wanted the job, picked up the broom, brought it into the house and she got the job with a good salary. Action speaks louder than words. This was mom’s version of the parable of the Good Samaritan in terms that we could understand.
Dad taught us valuable lessons, mostly by his actions and not his words. He was the hardest working, most honest, holy and most thrifty man I have ever known. He was a “fixer upper” and could repair anything from our bicycles, leaky roofs, the soles on our shoes, lawn mowers, plumbing and thousands of other things. His favorite saying was: “I would rather wear out than rust out” and he lived to be 94 years of age. When I helped him do some building, he often said, “Measure twice and saw once” and I knew he was telling me to always be careful before doing something.
Mom would often tell us, “A stitch in time saves nine” which implied that we should not be lazy but take appropriate action promptly. To get us to bed at night my parents would often say, “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
And to get us up in the mornings, they would tell us, “The early bird catches the worm.” They told us to put our shoes under our beds and when doing this, we would be on our knees and at night and in the morning we should say our prayers. They believed that the family that prays together stays together and the daily reciting of the Holy Rosary kept us a very united family all our lives.
One of my parents’ favorite daily prayers was “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you. Amen.” Both of them died happy and holy deaths. My mother died on March 19, which is the feast of St. Joseph, the patron saint of a happy death. Before she went to her eternal reward, she advised us to take care of each other and ourselves and added, “If you didn’t have faith now, what would you have?” Dad thanked us in his final days and said he was very proud of us. He added, “Thank God, I have been able to play a full game and a little overtime; I’m tired now and I need to go home to heaven.”
Mom and Dad always said that good health was the greatest blessing, but when we got sick or hurt in different ways, they would point out that “God works in mysterious ways” and that “our crosses in life can gain us crowns in the next life.” When beginning to do some work, they would say, “Let us begin in the name of God” and all journeys began with a prayer for protection from accidents and injuries.
Now that I am retired and living with my sister Catherine, we often reminisce about the wonderful example our parents gave us and often quote their favorite sayings to other people. When we fixed something for mom or dad they would be very grateful and say, “May God bless your two hands.”
My parents did bless my hands and I am sure they prayed that God would bless them in the Sacrament of Ordination to the priesthood, and that I would be able to bless many people in different ways in my life as a priest. But I will always remember that one of mom’s favorite sayings was “An ounce of mother is worth a pound of priest” and she was telling the truth.