Won't Anyone Stay Awake with Me?

I saw a father and son in church today. Not the scene you'd imagine of a young dad and a little boy, but rather a man my age with his elderly father. The father was badly bent and had to lean on his son to rise during the Mass. Despite his condition he stood and knelt with the rest of the congregation. I was touched to tears watching the son take care of his father.

The father obviously had a need and desire to be at the Mass. I don't know if the son shared the same level of spirituality for God, but he respected and loved his dad enough to bring him to God.

It reminded me of another man we used to see at the Cathedral. When my boys were younger we would go to Mass and sit front and left of center every Sunday. An elderly gentleman would be at the same Mass and he'd sit in isolation to the right of us. He always picked an empty pew. He never made eye contact with anyone and stood silent and still when it was time to exchange the sign of peace.

One Sunday, John and James decided to step out of their seat and confront him with the sign of peace. It was an awkward moment for sure, but he did exchange a friendly handshake. As the weeks went past he came to expect the greeting and he'd even smile at us as he came into church. He still wanted his own pew, but you could tell he really looked forward to the moment of friendship.

I don't know who he was. We never exchanged names. He used to come in on the senior citizen bus, so my guess is he lived alone or in the nursing home. A couple of years later he was gone.

I think about him now and again when I am in church. Once in awhile I'll even look for him. The man with his son reminded me of him today. John and James weren't the equivalent of a real son, but for a moment each Sunday they came close.

"Dear God, I pray in my old age I'll have a son to bring me to your altar as my journey on earth draws to an end. Please take care of all those who are lonely or broken hearted."