I had a discussion recently with a priest. The background for the discussion is that I am a member of the Knights of Columbus, and my council had been asked by our sister group, The Daughters of Isabella (DOI) to help out at some of their parish functions. I went to one of their meetings to make some see what help was needed and to make some proposals. It was there I met the priest.
It turns out there had been a small group of Knights at the parish, but they were not active. The priest demands functions from his parish groups: do something, or stop wasting my time seems to be his attitude. I understand, However, his knights always complained they were too few to do anything, and, ultimately, he threw them out. He had neither time nor space for those who make excuses.
He and I spoke a bit about this. Like them, he laid the blame on the numbers. 'What are you going to to with six guys?'
That's a good question. I, unfortunately, am not always quick on my feet, and my best responses usually come long after the conversation is over. The answer I should have given him is this: It depends on the men. With the right men, you can do much. With the wrong men, you can do little or nothing. But being 'right' or 'wrong' seems to be a difficult term. None of the Apostles, on paper at least, look like the right men. And yet, look at what they accomplished in the end.
I relayed this little story to my council at a meeting. Whether or not we are the 'right' men, it is necessary for us to become so, and to find ways to serve. Like the other council, my council has few men who are active. Doing large functions on our own is out of our reach. Therefore I have encouraged the men who are active to take St Theresa of Lisieux as their guide and model: let us not think of the big things we cannot do, and instead focus for now on the small things we can. We need to stop thinking about the opportunities we do not and will not have, and think of the ones we do, the ones we may do with just a few good men,
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