Blissful Ignorance

As I studied a “remember me” e-mail from a long forgotten school mate it brought me back…back in time…to a time when I was not a child but not yet an adult. I had not yet experienced the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the excitement and disappointment that living seems to generate. High school, my senior year, it was a time of blissful ignorance. I look back with feelings of regret and envy…longing for those simpler times.

Today, given the current economic and political situation and the degenerating moral condition of our apparently godless nation...I pine for that feeling of blissful ignorance.
There seems to be no regard for the sanctity of life. There seems to be no regard for fiscal responsibility. Do our political leaders reflect the thinking of the majority of our country? Is it just me? Is it just them? “These are the times that try men’s souls” Thomas Paine lamented. So maybe things have not changed, even the great Roman Empire crumbled and fell in upon itself. I suspect debauchery and moral decay played a large part in its demise. History repeats itself over and over. I feel my beloved land of the free and home of the brave is dying…dying like a beached whale…dying under its own weight.

At this point I have only one hope…blind faith. Blissful ignorance is no longer an option. As I ride the roller coaster of life, blind faith in God’s promises is my only recourse. Taking one day at a time, investing in the hereafter, and following my leader, Jesus Christ, is my plan. Not having to worry about tomorrow is bliss beyond belief.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for nothing compares to the promise I have in you.

Amen

More Tito Wisdom

Here are more (unedited) words of wisdom from Fr Tito.
This was a response to my writing of "introspection" I noticed he even changed my name to protect the innocent. I can identify with the part about getting in trouble not knowng how foolish we are. I remember when I was young...neither my parents nor God knew anything. Now, I'm hoping the "Boss" will not be to rough with me.
Blessings
Gene


----- Original Message -----
From: Fr.Tito Sammut
To: Gene Jeansonne
Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2009 10:08 AM
Subject: Re: introspection


Dear Jean, You knoe when we get old our brain atart to act differently. When one is young nothing seems to be iompossible. and we get into trouble not knowing how foolish we were. But old age brings in new force to try to overcome all guilt feeelings. But is make us feel that when we meet God he will be ready to start talking to us in a rough way. But that is niot true. In old age the brain acts differently. IOt starts preparing us to meet the one who made that is why we try to change habits. For one thing new habits strat growing slowly. Our ideas became like new beautiful flowers so that when he meet the boss he will purify us so that he will be able to lead us to forget all our life and give us that life he wants for us to be with him, always happy. Love fr. T

A Note From Father Tito

Dear Gene, Jesus does not measure our lives by days and nights. He measures it by our intentions. He loves sinners and we are all sinners one way or another. He did not make us perfect, and he knows it. It is true that he told us to for any infraction big or small we have to make up for it somehow. But he ignores most of our infractions… using an act of contrition should be enough. He does not expect us to go overboard. St. Paul was murdering Christians but he forgave him and he paid for it by his actions after conversion. Pride in this situation has nothing to do with inventing sins…but an honest evaluation of all our actions. Saintly ways are simple, never hurt anyone’s feelings or reputation.

Jesus loves sinners provided they eliminate sin.

Love

Fr. Tito


Here is a response to “20/20 Hindsight” from Fr Tito Summut the priest that was stationed at the Newman Center during my collage days. He also officiated at our wedding over 40 years ago. He has retired and returned to Malta, his home. I always enjoy his insightful responses and I don’t think he would mind if I shared this one with you. I especially like the part about Jesus loving sinners…that is very reassuring to me. I also like the simple ways…I can really get into that. Hope this will inspire you as it did me.

Happy Easter

Gene Jeansonne
4/12/2009

Introspection

Why am I writing? Why has writing become such a fascination to me? In the past I have always considered writing a nuisance and of no real value. Besides I wasn’t any good at it…I have the proof…documented in a stack of report cards with my name on them. No grade higher than a D minus. According to each and every teacher I should have been summarily and ceremonially drummed out of the English speaking world, banished to a planet where they rub sticks together to start fires, grunt and draw on cave walls to communicate. In their opinion I should never be allowed to put pen to paper. What does this all mean? Why have I developed such an interest in writing at this late stage in life? Why do I feel the need to document my thoughts, to bear my soul to the reading world?
What is the lesson here? Why did it take a lifetime to discover these hidden treasures and dig them up...these blessings I never knew or realized I had.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for blessing me in so many ways…ways I have yet to discover or appreciate.
Thank you for making the impossible possible.
Thank you for such loving patience as I journey from my caveman spirituality to You.

Amen

Smoke Gets In My Eyes

As I pushed the ignition button on my Weber gas grill it sparked a memory of my son who had given it to me this past Fathers Day. It was the perfect gift, an old well-used pit that he had found out by the curb with the garbage on one of his jogging expeditions around the city. He replaced the burned out grates and little heat deflector bars with some he had salvaged from somewhere else and purchased a new thermometer for the hood. It was perfect for me because it did not have that ostentatious shiny new look. I love it. But what I love most is my son, a self proclaimed bottom feeder and minimalist, he always gets the last drop of toothpaste from the tube…so to speak, makes use of what others consider unusable. Like the discarded redwood swing set that had rotted at the bottom of the legs where they contacted the ground. He cut off the rotten part then planed, sawed, sanded, mitered and dovetailed together the most beautiful redwood set of bunk beds for my youngest grandson. I can only imagine how much you would have to pay for something like that at a furniture store…if it were even available. The wood is beautiful and the workmanship exquisite. It was all built with no blueprints or plans…just imagination. I marvel at how he has time for all these projects and also time to be a good father to three little children and husband to a beautiful wife…not to mention a full time engineering job that takes him around the world. My eyes water…surely it’s just the smoke from the grill.


Thank you, Lord Jesus, for all my blessings…especially children to be proud of.

Amen

Bologna

As I sat at the kitchen table savoring a bologna sandwich it brought back memories of by-gone days. Childhood days of the family vacations, vacations that were always the same. Always the same pilgrimage from wherever we lived to the home of our grandparents in southern Louisiana. From as far away as California we would travel in the same 1951 Dodge each and every summer. It was a green four door sedan with a six cylinder engine and manual transmission but the transmission had a fluid drive coupling so you could start in any gear, even third, if you had the patience of Job. This I discovered many years later when learning to drive the very same car. I remember the little blue single wheeled trailer Dad always pulled on these occasions. It carried all the essential baggage for the two week pilgrimage. I don’t remember what the speed limit was but Dad never exceeded his limit which was 50 MPH. It was a grueling trip except for the evening stops at the Best Western Motels where my siblings and I enjoyed the swimming pool until forcibly removed and sent to bed. And then there were stops on the side of the road to eat our bologna on white bread sandwiches using the covered top of the trailer as a picnic table. Those were good times. In spite of whatever unintentional parenting mistakes were made…causing whatever pain and punishment I might have endured (deserved or undeserved)…it is all forgotten when the sweet tang of bologna touches my palate. Bologna is good. It is best when eaten on the side of the road over the tarp covering a single wheeled trailer on a hot humid summer day.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for bologna sandwiches, loving parents, and memories like these.
Amen.

20/20 Hindsight

The day after Good Friday and I look back with some regret and embarrassment…for I have yet to figure out what I will give up for lent. It seems like I have made no spiritual headway. During the last forty days I went through no self-denial, did no corporal works of mercy and did not even keep up with my normal attendance at daily mass. I can only hold on to a glimmer of hope that I will not be drummed out of Christ’s army on judgment day. It would be a major mistake to wait until that day to be caught red-handed…at that point there would be no last chance, no turning toward Christ, no redemption. 20/20 hindsight will have no advantage at the final exam.

So I need to perform my Easter duty, swallow my pride and continue my daily conversion.

Please, Lord Jesus, help me overcome my procrastination, take advantage of hindsight now and turn from my less than saintly ways.

Amen

Praying for Rain?

Friday morning 5AM Feb. 20, 2009

Ok, Lord, I knocked out a rosary and it wasn’t too painful. Perhaps I even got most of it right. I don’t know why I have such a hard time with that. Maybe, it is trying to concentrate for more than ten consecutive minutes. Anyway, Lord, I was thinking as I pedaled my bike down here…we need rain…at lest everyone says so. But I am enjoying the cold dry air with the unrestricted visibility on these wonderfully fresh winter mornings. I could see the toenail shape of the moon just above the eastern horizon and realized that it was its own shadow that hides the largest part of the moon. Only the reflection of the sun off its trailing edge was visible. It was as if the sun was chasing the moon with a big flashlight. I couldn’t help but contemplate the geometry involved to make such a wonderful sight. No wonder those guys like Galileo were so intrigued by your marvelous creations.

I don’t want to buck the system...I know lots of folks are praying for rain and I’m ok with that…but I do thank You for the dry too. And I just want you to know I am enjoying every dropless moment. Have a great day God.
Amen.

Good Night!

As I stepped from the shower…I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I was shocked to see my washboard abs had turn into a washtub of jiggly jello. Right there and then I promised myself to reverse this deterioration of my physical being. I’ll eat better. I’ll exercise. I’ll get back in shape. I’ll start tomorrow. Ohooooo! This bed is so comfortable. Good night Lord. Please help me remember this in the morning.
Amen.

Steeping Tea

As I steeped my morning tea, staring at the pictures stuck to the refrigerator with all the grand children’s little cherub faces staring back at me...I noticed a picture of my wife wearing a Dolly Parton wig. She was young, hot and sexy, and I recalled the reason I married her. Then I noticed our two little baby boys sitting in her lap…a result of the reason why I married her. But that was a long time ago and I have changed. I now realize her beauty comes from within...not from what is on her head or painted on her face.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for all the blessings you have bestowed upon me. Please keep me mindful of these as I go about my daily chores.
Amen.