Territory

I am amazed at how quickly I become territorial.  I came into a rectory to begin a parish mission.  The rectory was new and strange.  No one was there.  The pastor was away.  I did not like the place.  Skip to two days later, being in the rectory alone.  The front door opens and I hear someone come in.  It is one of the staff people.  My thought is, "Who is this coming into MY home."  How quickly things change.  Sometimes, time is all that is needed to change one's view of the same thing.  If a spiritual practice seems strange, give it some time.  You might find yourself at home in your soul.

Religious Fears

A Cardinal said that some Vatican officials used to think, not too long ago, that any complaints of sexual abuse by priests, was being done by enemies of the church.  This seems kind of backward and out of date, but as I look around at other religions in third world countries I find more out of date stuff going on.  I read where one religion wants Christians to convert or die/go away.  Maybe there is something about religion that has trouble growing into maturity.  It tends to live too much in the past.  Fortunately, God does not live in the past.  This is good, as my worst sins are back there.

Dumb Me

I accepted a parish mission without asking enough questions.  Turns out the pastor was going to be away when I got here.  Plans for eating were a bit "thin."  I was expected to preside at three consecutive Sunday masses, something I do not do anymore at 70+ years of age.  It beats up my back and legs.  Turns out it is Spring Break and many people are away, which is not good for attendance and $$$.  I never thought to ask about that either.  The pastor gets no newspaper and his cable plan has few stations. No March Madness here.  I blame myself for not thinking of all these things before I offered or agreed to this date.  It was 5 degrees when I got up my first morning here.  I could have been in Florida.  God must have a plan?  God's ways are not my ways.  Ain't it the truth for all of us one time or another?

Change

I overheard a priest "teaching" a group of Junior High students about Christian beliefs, specifically Catholic ones.  He talked about Jesus, listing the things we are supposed to believe.  Well, say that the students agree.  Do they really have to make any fundamental changes in the core of their life? They will go off from that catechism class and do the same things they were otherwise planning for the rest of the day.  But what if the same priest were to say to a group of homophobes, that Gay people are just as loved by God as everyone else, and are made in God's image just like everyone else?  Now that would call for some change.  I suspect the change would be in the priest's assignment.

My Birthday

Today is my birthday.  I am 71.  Everyone seems to have given up chocolate and sundry other treats for Lent.  So I don't expect to see treats filling my mailbox today.  I will have a day of profound anonymity and gratitude for all that I do have.  But maybe a wee bit of self-pity for lack of chocolate.  Most of my pious friends are working on perfection.  I am still trying to stay out of hell.

Power Up

Some one said that prayer is like plugging your smart phone or electronic device into the wall or another computer to recharge or download something.  I like this.  I am pretty good about making sure that my phone and iTouch do not run out of power.  Would that I were as conscientious as to my spiritual life.  I have to turn to prayer of some sort each day to recharge my spiritual battery, or to get some info from the spiritual realm that is new or I have forgotten.  I am a good forgetter.  So the next time you are feeling low energy think about prayer, be it sacraments for Catholics, or meditation on some Scripture or spiritual reading, or getting together with another on the spiritual path.  Just taking a nap does not fill us up.  Besides, you don't need a nap as soon as you wake up in the morning.  But you might need to POWER UP!

Gums

My gums are rotting.  Well, a nice Dentist way tosay it is that my gums are receding, but I like "rotting" better.  It catches my attention, and  gets me focused.  It is better to say we are aging than to say we are rotting.  It makes for a better day.  Anyhow, back to my gums.  I got some stuff put on my teeth to help fix some of this during my six month teeth cleaning appointment.  I came out of the dentist chair feeling so very clean.  I may be rotting, but I feel good!  I don't ever want to eat.  It would mess up the gleam in my mouth, that smooth feeling.  Not eating would be an unatural act though.

It got me to thinking about confession.  Spiritually, I feel at times that I am rotting away within.  I am an Irsh Catholic male, so sin is part of my spiritual DNA.  But when I come out of confession, I feel so clean.  I don't want to sin anymore, which in unatural for an Irish male.  But for a while, I will really take good care of my spiritual life, to maintain that good feeling, just like I will take care of my teeth.  Gotta go!  Time to floss.