Easter 2021
25 March 2021
Happy Easter Everyone
A Pilgrimage – past Jerusalem – to Glory Land
That’s what it was this morning. A glorious stroll past that wall with the cracks in it – because as the song says: that’s where the light gets in. And the Easter Light came in this morning. Came for you and me.
From the kids. Doesn’t it always. I’d put on my Graduation robes of those so many years ago to honor our Master “Bert” Then, a real loser of a kid.
Now in his University top honors Graduation Robes with me, Father Joe, dressed up to honor him. Wish you could have been with me, with all of us, but most of all with the little kids: to honor big brother Bert.
He’s autistic. – Not hugely so, but enough. It makes him bashful, plus a genius on his computer. Anyway, he graduated today. With top honors. Didn’t know quite what to do with himself in cap and gown and all the attention and picture taking.
And we telling all the little kids, if they really try hard, they can be like ‘big brother Bert.’ Our Easter gift.
Such a difficult time growing up: no one wanted him, so ‘we said. Everybody, you’ve got it all wrong. He’s our beloved son. He belongs here at Mercy. You all would have done the same. ‘Come in the front door Bert. It’s never closed for you. This is your home forever. And it has been for twenty years. Lots of tears and fears and difficult days and nights, but we all made it together.
And today, just before Easter, Bert ‘came home. Once again, walked through our front door. This time, in Graduation Robes. I hugged him and hugged him and old man that I am, cried and cried, and so did he. I said… Bert, you’ve always been my adopted son. And I’ve stumbled along, tried to be your daddy along with 100 other kids here.
But you’ve always been special. And he said, Yes I know. Yes I know. And the University wants me to be an assistant to the Professor there, but I will help here with my younger brothers and sisters, as much as I can.
Enough. But I, Fr. Joe, want to send this on to all of you as a small Easter & Thai New Year gift. Yes, there will be a longer letter coming soon, but this today, in time for Easter.
All my love and respect, and hello from Bert Fr. Joe & all of us.
A Pilgrimage – past Jerusalem – to Glory Land
That’s what it was this morning. A glorious stroll past that wall with the cracks in it – because as the song says: that’s where the light gets in. And the Easter Light came in this morning. Came for you and me.
From the kids. Doesn’t it always. I’d put on my Graduation robes of those so many years ago to honor our Master “Bert” Then, a real loser of a kid.
Now in his University top honors Graduation Robes with me, Father Joe, dressed up to honor him. Wish you could have been with me, with all of us, but most of all with the little kids: to honor big brother Bert.
He’s autistic. – Not hugely so, but enough. It makes him bashful, plus a genius on his computer. Anyway, he graduated today. With top honors. Didn’t know quite what to do with himself in cap and gown and all the attention and picture taking.
And we telling all the little kids, if they really try hard, they can be like ‘big brother Bert.’ Our Easter gift.
Such a difficult time growing up: no one wanted him, so ‘we said. Everybody, you’ve got it all wrong. He’s our beloved son. He belongs here at Mercy. You all would have done the same. ‘Come in the front door Bert. It’s never closed for you. This is your home forever. And it has been for twenty years. Lots of tears and fears and difficult days and nights, but we all made it together.
And today, just before Easter, Bert ‘came home. Once again, walked through our front door. This time, in Graduation Robes. I hugged him and hugged him and old man that I am, cried and cried, and so did he. I said… Bert, you’ve always been my adopted son. And I’ve stumbled along, tried to be your daddy along with 100 other kids here.
But you’ve always been special. And he said, Yes I know. Yes I know. And the University wants me to be an assistant to the Professor there, but I will help here with my younger brothers and sisters, as much as I can.
Enough. But I, Fr. Joe, want to send this on to all of you as a small Easter & Thai New Year gift. Yes, there will be a longer letter coming soon, but this today, in time for Easter.
All my love and respect, and hello from Bert Fr. Joe & all of us.
