All God's Chillun Got Shoes

 Today started off disasteredly. First  I. Didn’t sleep well resulting in not waking until 8:40 and I had a 10 o’clock meeting.

I jumped out of bed.  My hair was a fright but I didn't have time to do any fixin'.  I even skipped washing up, never mind a shower!  I brushed my teeth.  Out the door, I grabbed coffee and a biscotti.  I made it to the Senior Center in time.  I parked my car, got out, and the first step I took, my shoe collapsed.  

The entire sole of my shoe fell off.  The shoe on the right is the shoe.  The sole is on the left that fell off the middle picture of the shoe.  

I didn't have time to do anything about it.  I walked lopsided in.

After the meeting, I went to lunch, like that.

After lunch, I played cribbage, like that.

I left early to pick up the grandkids, like that. 

After that, I went to Urgent Care to get help for a UTI.  Why do I always get UTI's when life is crazy busy?  I still have a broken shoe because I didn't have time to go home.

Once I got my prescription, I went to the drugstore and picked it the prescription--like a limping old lady.

Finally, I limped home.  

I got shoes,
You got shoes,
All of God's children got shoes!
When I get to Heaven gonna put on my shoes;
I'm gonna walk all over God's Heaven,
Heaven, Heaven.

But when I get to heaven my shoes will be perfect.

Where are Mary's Shoes?

Yesterday, my three year old granddaughter was playing with all the interesting little  things on my dresser.  I  asked her if she knew who the statue was of.  She answered, "Baby Jesus."  Well, she was half right.  We were looking at a statue of Mary holding Jesus.  I explained that His Mother Mary was holding the Baby Jesus.

She examined the statue more closely.  Then she asked, "Where are Mary's shoes?"  I never noticed that Mary was barefoot before, and I didn't know.  I admitted I didn't know, and we went on to other interesting things, like spraying perfume all over everything, and opening my jewelry box.  But ever since that simple question, I've been wondering why doesn't Mary wear shoes.

I've seen statues where she does.  They did wear shoes in her time.  Remember Yahweh told Moses to take his shoes off.  Exodus 3:5

So if it were the custom to wear shoes, probably sandals in her part of the world, why is she barefoot?  She definitely was poor.  She married a carpenter.  When she and Joseph took Jesus to be circumcised, they paid the price that the poor paid.  (Lev 12:6)  But the poor wore simple sandals.

I think it's just pure, simple, artistic interpretation.  It's the sculptor's prerogative to decide the footwear.  Definitely, in the statues where Mary is stepping on the serpent we need to see her heel crushing the serpent.  Otherwise, I think the bare feet was just to show Mary's poverty and humility.  That's why the Discalced Carmelites and Primitive Franciscans go barefoot.

Do you think a three year old would understand poverty and humility?

Maybe, I should just tell her that Mary is more comfortable barefoot.  After all, my granddaughter is always taking off her shoes.  

Shoes

That's right, shoes. This was the topic at the Laetare Communion Breakfast, this morning. Sister Barbara Reney, csj, tied shoes to spirituality.

Douay-Rheims Bible
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, and that preacheth peace: of him that sheweth forth good, that preacheth salvation, that saith to Sion: Thy God shall reign! Isaiah 52:7

She had us contemplating where our shoes (feet) had taken us. She told us the story of her being a pastoral visitor and bringing Communion to parishioners in the hospital. While in the elevator she met a women who saw that she was a pastoral visitor and asked her if she would visit her friend, even though she wasn't a parishioner. Sister Barbara did.

She went up to the fifth floor and into the room. The patient was the only one in the room. Sister walked over to her and saw that her eyes were closed. Sister Barbara gently touched the young lady. And when she opened her eyes, Sister gasped. She knew her. She immediately knew who she was and said her name. This patient was a former student who Sister Barbara had had when she taught fifth grade.

Sister brought her Communion as long as she was in the hospital. She also visited her in her home. She was there for her, until the day she died.

And her shoes brought her there.