While he may not have tried very hard to obey my “commandments” (even when I suggested he could just humor me some of the time), when it came to serving our Lord, Ed was all in. He showed me so much about being faithful to God and about helping others. (And a wee bit about not sweating the small stuff.) Ed’s goal was to be “a good and faithful servant.” He dedicated himself to following the teachings of the Church, attending Mass often, visiting “his buddy” Jesus in Adoration, performing many corporal works of mercy, and finding ways to encourage others to get to know Jesus better. Some of his actions were simple. For example, he wore a bracelet with 10 wooden beads and a cross that said, “Jesus, I trust in You!” If someone commented on it, in a flash he would take it off and hand it to them, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a Divine Mercy Chaplet prayer card to give them. ‘Let's make it happen’ Similarly, when we traveled, we would find a local church and attend Mass. After Mass, we would usually introduce ourselves to the priest. If the church did not have a Divine Mercy Image, Ed would “convince” the priest that he could accept one as a gift. Other undertakings were more ambitious and laborious. Following Ed’s death on June 26, 2023, some tributes to him focused on his work as an apostle of Divine Mercy. Ed would hear or formulate a good idea for a pro-life march or a Divine Mercy conference and then say, “Let’s make it happen.” He was (in)famous for his multi-tabbed, multicolored spreadsheets, which reflected his genius for organization and flair for recruiting talented speakers and musicians and a legion of “foot soldiers.” After all, this was a battle for souls, and Ed was willing to lead the troops. Others remember him for his compassion. He was deeply afflicted by the plight of the people of Haiti, and managed to get his former employers to donate an earth-mover to help rebuild roads destroyed by one of the hurricanes. That gift required connections, but Ed also rolled up his sleeves to help. When a parishtwinning program needed someone to run the warehouse and make sure that the supplies coming from all over the country were properly labeled, sorted, and stowed in the correct shipping containers, Ed stepped up. (Hard for me to imagine how he could do that and not put the lid back on the jelly jar.) Generous nature Ed donated generously to many Catholic and humanitarian charities. In the last few years, arthritis made it hard for him to write, so he allowed me to write checks for him. I used the opportunity to offer (unsolicited) advice on some tax-wise ways to give, including gifts of stock and qualified charitable distributions from his IRA, and when he realized that following this advice would allow him to donate more to charity, he did it! (At last, I said something that he found worth heeding.) Many people have shared with me ways that Ed had an impact on them. I now ask you to join me in praying that he gets his eternal reward and hears the invitation: “Good and faithful servant, come and share your Master’s happiness.” Inever thought of my late husband, Ed Miller, as a living saint. Does a saint leave the freezer door open after he gets another helping of ice cream? When we were married some 16 years ago and he started to grasp my expectations for a “happy home,” he began calling them “Ellen’s Commandments.” At last count he was up to 26 — a mere 26! GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT Outstanding Helpers Ellen Miller is director for Special Gifts. Contact her at [email protected]; (413) 298-1380; or Association of Marian Helpers, Stockbridge, MA 01263. Visit Marian.org/PlannedGiving Marian Helper • Fall 2023 • Marian.org 31
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