麻豆约拍

Good morning.聽 My aunt, in her 80s, is rarely seen without a yellow daffodil pinned to her lapel, emblem of the charity for whom she鈥檚 raised money tirelessly since she was widowed.聽

Marie Curie, providing care for people with a terminal illness, is named after the Polish scientist, born on November the seventh, 1867, who became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize for her work on radioactivity, and later, the first scientist to win it again in a different category.聽 During the first World War, her use of portable X-ray machines on the battle front saved many lives, and by establishing the field of radiation therapy, she made a major contribution to the battle against cancer.

Marie鈥檚 hunger for learning led her to overcome many obstacles.聽 She lost her mother as a child. She couldn鈥檛 go to university in Warsaw because it was for men.聽 She worked to support her sister鈥檚 studies in Paris before she herself could go, becoming the first woman to get a PhD at a French university.聽 Her scientist husband was killed in an accident, yet she managed to take over his teaching post, becoming the Sorbonne鈥檚 first female professor.聽聽 Her research had terrible consequences for her health, but she continued undeterred.聽 "Life is not easy for any of us,鈥� she said, 鈥淏ut what of that? We must have perseverance and above all, confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."

St Paul wrote to the Roman church: 鈥淲e have different gifts, according to the grace given to us鈥�.聽 He encouraged them to use their gifts wholeheartedly in the service of others, because they belonged to one another.

Lord, help us to recognise our unique gift and to use it for the benefit of our fellow human beings.聽 Amen.鈥�