Sunday, December 20, 2009

How Strange

In the early morning dark and drizzle I arrived, went inside and knelt down. I couldn’t muster the fortitude to say any prayers, I was just there physically. I troubled about this becoming an early bird’s meaningless habit. It didn’t feel special. Yet, I knew it should be an important event. I sorta daydreamed though the opening prayers and first reading. Father read from Matthew’s Gospel…about the birth of Jesus. The same old story so many times I had heard. Mary betrothed but not yet married to Joseph…She turns up pregnant…Joseph starts to bail…some angel in his dream tells him that; the Holy Spirit did it and the kid would be call Emmanuel, a.k.a. “God with us”. I couldn’t help but think how strange this all would be today. I couldn’t help but think how strange our God is. Why would God do this? What if I were in Joseph’s shoes/sandals? How would I react? How much stranger this must have been two thousand years ago when you were stoned to death for being “with child” out of wedlock. That would be a bummer.
As my mind wondered and wandered…I came-to during the consecration. Some little voice inside of me said, “Just go with it…no matter how strange or mysterious it all seems.” That’s when an overwhelming gorge of gratitude served up with a large portion of unworthiness smothered in endless mercy choked me up and rendered me speechless. The words would not come out as I moved my lips, “Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us”.

Thank you, Father God for being so strange/
For You have the power that makes me change/
Thank you, Lord Jesus for being with us/
For this indeed is worth the fuss/
Amen.




Log entry dated 12-18-2009

Friday, December 11, 2009

Not The Night Before Christmas Story

I sat dumbfounded, hands frozen to the steering wheel, as a result of the deafening noise and violent crash that rocked my wife’s faded and dated little Honda. The car stopped in the middle of the street in front of my next door neighbor’s house as I verbalized an automatic expletive. I recall seeing Blitzen’s nose pressed up against the windshield with a startled look on his face. Before I could gather my thoughts; he Dasher-ed off…imitating a Dancer or a Prancer…with the speed of a Vixen-ed Comet. We watched…aided by the light of our high beams, in stunned silence…as Cupid Donner-ed his attempt to escape unnoticed. When I regained my composure, I got out to investigate the possibility of a sled embedded in the right front fender…or worse a dead body dressed in a red suit. But no…there was nothing…nothing but a thoroughly crushed quarter panel. We had been the victims of a hit and run. The perpetrator had left the scene neither leaving his insurance info nor his phone number. Where is Rudolph with his red nose when you need him? I got back in the car to hear my wife announce “I’m getting a new car tomorrow.”

And so it came to pass…after more that a year of driving me nuts with her indecision…and with questions like “which car should I get?” she did it. She made a decision…all by herself…she got the silver one.

Thank you, Lord, for sending a sign
For this is a prayer that has been mine
Thank you, Lord, she made up her mind
In this my Lord you are infinitely kind
Amen.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

By Association

I was invited to a wedding by virtue of the fact that I was married to the mother of the groom’s sister’s best friend. My acceptance by association is very much a pattern I’ve notice throughout my married life and a blessing I acknowledge.

As I sat listening to the reader recount Paul’s dissertation on love from the first letter to the Corinthians…I couldn’t help but wonder what was going though the groom’s head. This made me think of the day I was front and center…saying; “I do”…to what I didn’t understand. The past becomes clearer when looking at it from the present or examining it though the hour glass of time. According to Paul love is kind, not jealous, does not put on airs, and is not snobbish. Love is never rude, not self-seeking, is not prone to anger; does not brood over injuries. In retrospect…if that’s the case…it would be hard to argue that I had love on my mind. Another “L” word may have been more applicable…perhaps
…“Lust” with a capital L.

Now…I suspect D.P. (Divine Providence) had a lot to do with all of this…for I am convinced that God knows what I need…I only know what I want.

I have come to recognize the fact I could not have picked a more suitable partner than the wife God has given me.

Thank you, Lord, for fulfilling my every need
Thank you, Lord, for this indeed
Thank you, Lord, for this today
Thank you, Lord, for this I pray
Amen

Blind

A full moon hung in the jet black sky of the early morning chill as I pedaled around the puddles left by yesterday’s rain. It was the first morning I had been able to ride my bike since Thanksgiving. I envisioned the congealed tryptophan in my arteries slowing the flow of blood to my brain…this made it difficult to process any cognitive thoughts. After several miles of repetitive contracting and relaxing of my femoris quadriceps the slow burn eventually heated my entire body. I became so warm that I had to unzip my windbreaker and remove my sox hat. Finally I coasted into the parking lot, dismounted my bicycle, and bounded up the front steps. I opened the large bronze doors and entered. Immediately the moisture in the warm air condensed on my cold spectacles blinding me. I felt my way up the aisle, genuflected and knelt down. It seemed futile to wipe off the lenses as the cold glass would just condense more moisture…I wanted to pray and meditate anyway. Besides I did not need to be looking around with my judgmental eye making inaccurate or hypocritical assessments of anyone else. It was a nice change just listening to the opening prayers and the readings. Interestingly, the temperature of my eyeglasses rose above the dew point just as the gospel was read, allowing the moisture to evaporate. I could not help but think…“It is Christ’s words that allow me to see clearly.” Maybe this would not qualify as a miracle…but, for sure…it is a nice reminder of the awesome power that is in the Word of God.

Thank you, Lord, for the little reminders.
Thank you, Lord, for removing my blinders.
Thank you, Lord, for allowing the blind to see.
Thank you, Lord, most especially from me.
Amen



Journal entry
30 November 2009