Little Acts Of Evil

When I go to church, there are these 2 older women, selling 3 types of Catholic weekly newpapers. 2 of them cost RM1.50 each, and another one is RM2. They are doing this job for since a few years ago. I never saw people who do the duty of selling at the church entrance more aggressive than them. What I usually saw is people usually just sit or stand there, not even doing any persuasion for others to buy buletins. Well, that’s church area, and not market, of course I won’t expect to see some sellers making noise, asking people to buy. It’s different with these two women.

Maybe you wonder why I speak about them with that manner. You will know in a bit. I never feel so much pressured when I try to take a look at the headlines of the newpapers at the church entrance, because these two women will definitely start making noise and pushing you to buy. Oh, doesn’t sound that wrong. They make the people buy the newspapers so people can read what’s inside them and get more knowledge about the happenings and programs and other news related to our religion. So they are actually doing something good. That’s one. Sometimes they even put the newspapers for you, and waiting for your money, assuming that you want to buy those newspapers they prepare for you. That’s another one. Every week, we have this one sheet church buletin, where all the schedules of mass and other announcements are put for us to take note, and sometimes a piece of song sheet too. These two are free. In other churches, they usually just leave it there unattended so that people can help themselves with it. In this particular church that I go to, these two things are put at the same table where these women sell newspapers. I can’t believe that they go to the extent of Only giving the papers to those who buy the newspapers. Or else, they keep them “guarded” so no hands can go and pick one without buying any of the newspapers. I remember years back, when some of us asked for the song sheet from one of the women, she refused to give! She said that a warden will distribute later inside the church. It was a shock to most of us who have been going to this church since we were kids, cos never before that wardens would go through the trouble distributing song sheets when people are already at their seats. Cos the church area is big, and it’s not practical to do that when it’s just easier for everyone to pick one at the church entrance. Imagine that. So a few weeks, I remembered that most of us could not sing along the choir because we didn’t have song sheet. Luckily, the church management managed to fix this thing. Maybe the church received complains about the woman who refused to give the song sheet to those who did not buy the newspapers. Gosh, can you guys imagine something like this can happen in the church area? Almost unbelievable.

Not enough with that, there’s another thing. When you buy the newspapers, for so many times, they don’t even bother to give back the money change! When you buy one newspaper cost RM1.50, it’s whether you give them exactly the amount of you will never get your chance back. Especially those who give RM2. Maybe if you give RM5, you will get back RM 3. They simply overcharge the newspapers! Maybe some people will say that, Oh, nevermind it’s just 50 sen. It’s the church, please be a little generous. The money will still go to the church and consider it a donation. Yeah, I know some of you will think that way. But come on, the way I see it, it’s because you are doing a duty for the church, that you have to be extra righteous in your work. Whatever that you do at the church area, doesn’t make your deeds angelic, Not when you just take people’s money that way. As much as we know we should donate generously, it’s our own hands that take out the money and put it in the basket, Not you slip hands into our pocket and pick the money you think we should donate. Goodness gracious. Why is this happening at the church?

Last Saturday, I saw that a lot of people are holding this card of a special prayer for The Year Of Faith (which starts from October 2012 – October 2013) and looks like they got the card for free. I saw the card at the table where the women sell the newspapers (again!). Knowing what I know about how the women do their duty, I thought that I had to buy the newspaper to get the card. Fine. So I went there and pointed at which newspaper I wanted to buy. One of the women, again, simply pushed two newspapers for me, but I said, No, I only want one. With a funny look, she put the other one back, and gave me the one I wanted. As usual, not only that I didn’t get back my change, she didn’t give me the prayer card. I just shook my head at these women.

Please correct your ways. It’s really not the right place to display such attitudes. Doing things for the church doesn’t always mean that whatever you do is right especially when it’s against the basic human ethics. Please don’t “pollute” the house of God with these little acts of evil. May they receive help from above, so that they can do their duty better next time.