By Fr. Justin Fulton
This time of year always gets to me. Around about mid-April to early-May, my adrenaline starts to pump. The weather beckons me outside. And a call from the forest directly hits my heart. I am a self-proclaimed morel mushroom hunting addict! Growing up in southeast Nebraska, I have it in my blood.
This time of year, thousands of Nebraskans head into the hills looking for a spongy-looking, delicious fungus: the morel mushroom. Once found, a hunter is surprised with joy!
Mushroom hunting takes patience, commitment, hard work, and an element of surprise. A hunter has to constantly be looking at the ground. Hunters search through grasses, damp areas that get some sunlight, tree bark, dead trees and more. God allows moisture and good 50-degree or so soil temperature so that these mushrooms can pop during the early springtime.
Once found, they provide an element of surprise finding a clump at a time in acres of woods and grasses. A hunter is surprised with joy! The hunter then collects the mushrooms and keeps on looking. And maybe 15, 20, 60 or 120+ minutes later, the hunter may find another crop. It takes skill. It takes luck. And the surprise of it all gives one a rush.
Later, the hunter soaks and cleans the mushroom, makes some batter for frying, cooks them, and devours them. They are splendid and delicious! Give it a try sometime.
This past week Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska received a generous surprise much like the surprise of finding a treasure of mushrooms. Jim Cada, on behalf of a fella named “Francis,” gave me a call. Francis passed away last year and left it to Jim to distribute some money. His wish was for Jim to “get the money to the right people.” And thanks be to God, Jim felt like the poor and disadvantaged who CSS serves should get some help. He called me and let me know that he had a gift to CSS for nearly $800,000! We were surprised with joy!
Whether it is a gift of 1 cent or $800,000, we are always appreciative and thankful to God!
We believe this may be the single largest one-time gift in the history of CSS. These gifts do not happen every day, but it goes to show that God will always take care of the poor and needy. We were shocked by the gift. We know the responsibility and trust that has been placed in us. We will get this gift to the people who need it, according to Francis’ wishes.
We thank all of our donors, prayer warriors, and supporters. Together we are all One Body in Christ who help Jesus help serve His poor. Whether it be a silent prayer, a donation of a penny, a volunteer hour, a donation of a dollar, $10, $100, or $800,000 all of our supporters are appreciated, and we thank them.
Thank you for allowing us to be Jesus in southern Nebraska. May we all know that we can surprise others with Jesus’ love with gifts seen, unseen, visible, invisible, large, and small.
May God bless and keep us all!
