super hero

Today is the feast day of St Luke and as the day's event went on, it came to pass that i will be the one to cook for the day's festivity.

The whole morning was spent at the kitchen preparing for the 1:20Pm Main meal. I have been used to the routine in the kitchen as i have been doing it for almost seven years now. work in the kitchen is physically demanding as the one assigned to cook and prepare for the main meal must prepare six kinds of foods to be served at table. Newcomers find the work taxing, burdensome and problematic, but for Seniors like me, working as cook entails no big deal...

The main meal went on as scheduled. After the main meal, monks assigned to do other kitchen works like dishwashing, stove cleaning, and refectory clean-ups did their job. During this time, monks are allowed to talk and make conversations while the work is being performed. It lasts until 2:10Pm, then afterwards, silence is imposed and everybody should stop from whatever interesting topics or stories they may have engaged into, in order to resume the silent mode of the community.

After the main meal and during their washing-of-dishes and refectory-works, I received comments of approval and commendations from the monks about the foods served at table. The monks, especially the Whites and Mexicans, are usually vocal in what they feel about the food they eat at table.

And from the words and phrases I received from them, one struck me. And in some point, it moved me and gave an emotional impact upon me.

He said: "brother Lawrence, the chicken was very delicious. You are my super hero who saved me from my hungry palate and my aching-starving stomach"...

The phrase was said in a jolly mood as the monk showed a striking smile in his face as he went away and went back to his work at the dishwashing area.

The incident made me think that in a community like mine, every one is a gift to every one...to be used for the good of the community and mankind!

And I think that to function well and answer to the expectations of the community , one has to be patient. One has to be forbearing.

Cooking for a big number of persons per se is not an easy job, and one must give himself to be able to do what is right and pleasing to everybody.

to end up my reflections for today, let me quote what someone has said: "Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them,cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours---just to get a glimpse of the one...who taught them to hold on a second longer."

I believe there's a hero in all of us that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble and finally allows us to give ourselves selflessly for the welfare of others.