the small coffin

I have recently found a lovely blog,"Catholic By Grace"and therein a story that has lifted my spirits on this cold January Day.It seems that the family of Christina Green contacted the Trappist monastery in Peosta,Iowa and asked that a coffin be made for their murdered child,a victim of the shooting in Tucson.

The coffin, a small one, arrived in Tucson yesterday.The monks carved her name, her dates and a cross and then made small crosses for the family members out of the same wood.They refused pay even though casket making is their lively-hood.The spokesperson for the monks said that this work was very difficult for them.I can see the monks in their brown robes,bent over their small box in deep prayer for this little lost girl and her devestated family.

Just a small thing but such a grace for anyone who knows this story.In all the violence,the rancor and finger pointing,these humble men did what they could for the family, expecting nothing,blaming no one, just praying and working.Thinking of this brings peace to me.

We have a Trappist monastery here in Georgia and I have spent many a blessed day there.The quiet,the smiling monks,the stray cats who greet everyone at the door,peacocks down by the lake,given by Flannery O'Connor's family after she died.
There is a flock of geese who own the place and I dare anyone to go on the path to the lake when they are there.My husband nearly lost an appendage one Spring day when he figured they would move.Ha.

I have chosen to be buried in the green cemetery that is near the monastery buildings.I also will have my casket made by the monks and my tombstone will be a flat rock laid in a field of flowers by a stream.I don't expect any of this to help my next journey but if my family chooses to visit, they will find a restful place and the thought of that pleases me.