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Molly Smith
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Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Aug 08 2007 at 12:16pm | IP Logged
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I just have to share this story about Matthew while it is still fresh in my mind.
We brought the girls to their Irish Dance workshop at St. James in West Virginia today and then I took the boys in to the Charles Town WalMart for haircuts. On the way out of the parking lot, they saw a man sitting on the corner with a “homeless, broke” sign on his lap. They wanted to do something, so I pulled over and gave him $5. He was so genuinely thankful and sweet.
All the way back to church (about 10 minutes) Matthew couldn’t stop talking about the man. Who was he? How did he become homeless? What does he do in the winter? Doesn’t he have parents (he was an older gentleman)? Where does he sleep? Where does he go in a tornado? And he cried the whole way back to the church. He said he didn’t feel right leaving the man there in the parking lot and couldn’t we go back. So, we went into the sanctuary and asked Jesus to take care of everyone who is homeless and hungry, especially the man we met today. And we thanked God for using us today to help the man.
All the way home Matthew was making plans—to build a homeless shelter, to provide transportation and medical services, to open a free restaurant for homeless people. He said he was hungry until we met the man at WalMart and now he had lost his appetite. You know he’s serious when he loses his appetite!
When we got home, I remembered the last time I heard Matthew say, “It doesn’t feel right leaving him here alone.” It was one first Friday after Mass, when Jesus was on the altar in the monstrance for adoration. He walked backwards out of church so as to not turn his back on his Lord. Today, Matthew brought to life Jesus’s teaching:
On the last day, Jesus will say to those on His right hand, "Come, enter the Kingdom. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was sick and you visited me." Then Jesus will turn to those on His left hand and say, "Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink, I was sick and you did not visit me." These will ask Him, "When did we see You hungry, or thirsty or sick and did not come to Your help?" And Jesus will answer them, "Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me!"
And now it is me who is crying!
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Molly Smith in VA
Mom to seven beautiful children, ages 1-14
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kingvozzo
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Wow, Molly! What a special young man you have. Thank you for sharing this!
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Noreen
Wife to Ed
Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
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Kristin
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| Posted: Aug 08 2007 at 4:57pm | IP Logged
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Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful story. So inspirational --- praise be to God!!! 
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Bunch 'o Honey to my Honey Bunch and Mama to five - Noah 10y  , Rose 8y  , Dominic 2.5 y  , Oliver 16m 
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MaryM
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| Posted: Aug 08 2007 at 4:57pm | IP Logged
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And I'm crying too, Molly. Very sweet.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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momwats8
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 that is just wonderful - what a good Mom you are to have such a wonderful son.
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Mary- Wife to Mike and Mother to Austin(92), Mikey(95), R.J.(97), Benedict(98), Kolbe(00), Ignatius(02), Christian(03), Margaret(05),&4 angels in heaven
http://www.momwats8.blogspot.com
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Leonie
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Very sweet - and very thoughtful!
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Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
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stefoodie
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| Posted: Aug 08 2007 at 7:22pm | IP Logged
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Oh Molly, what a precious child you have there. Thanks so much for sharing. 
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stef
mom to five
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gracie4309
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What a moving story, Molly. Matthew is a special boy, and an inspiration. Thanks for sharing!
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Grace (wife to Jim, mom of Nick-16, Mary-13, Sam-8, Paul-5, and Patrick-5)
How Sweet The Sound
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: What I learned from my 9yo today
