The story of that afternoon remained with him as a gentle reminder of the care required when speaking and when listening.
He continued his work in the parish with the same steady attention to the needs of those who came to him. He continued to offer rides when the opportunity arose and to share conversation about the responsibilities and challenges of serving the community. On occasion he would open the Bible again to Psalm 129 and read the verses that encouraged the reader to continue forward. Each time the memory of the nun’s voice returned, clear and direct, and each time he smiled at the path his own thoughts had followed
that evening. The episode had required no dramatic turn of events. It had grown from an ordinary act of kindness, a shared conversation, a repeated reference to a familiar psalm, and the quiet decision to look the words up for himself after the journey had ended.
