Jim Mahoney's Blog - Sacred to Etc.

Why Do This? - and Welcome!

(You can find the necessary disclaimers in the Profile section of the blog.)

It is the 21st century. The Vatican website (www.vatican.va) is far ahead of most websites of parishes, dioceses, and national bishops' conferences. We either use the new media in the everyday life of our Church or we run the risk of having our communications perceived as irrelevant and our ability to meet our people where they are as increasingly ineffective. Can anyone doubt that Jesus would use every means available to communicate his message?

Over time, the nature and hopefully the quality of this blog will be expanded. For now, this will simply be my thoughts on a variety of topics. I'll give a take on books, social issues, Church issues, politics, history, and popular culture. If I find things that might be interesting for you to read from other sources, I'll include them.

The commitment will be to make a post to this blog five times a week. Feel free to comment on anything that I write - or even on what others write. Kindly remember that I am easily hurt and remember all real and perceived slights forever. But I do forgive after a few decades. I am Chicago Irish. Among many things, this means that I never ever forget and am never ever disloyal to my friends.

A little limited for now - August 8, 2020

My ability to blog is a bit limited - and am praying to the heavens for PSE&G and cable company and anyone else who controls all of the technological parts of my life = to please get me connected once again.

To make and receive phone calls, have to go park on Main Street in Chatham to pick up (steal?) a cell signal. 

Is my situation any worse than other people right now? Probably not. Well, definitely not. But it’s feels like it. I simply cannot wait for it to get past that.

Went out for a drive this morning - and at 7 a.m., I saw the entire parking lot of Livingston Mall filled with power trucks and other service vehicles. POssibly 300 vehicles. I blessed them - and prayed for their safety - and could they please get me back to technological and electric speed sometime soon. I did also pray for the people who do not have these things all of the time. Sigh.

So, I will blog when everything is up to speed. Until then, I will do this little thing while parked on Main Street.

Please stay safe. Stay healthy. If you see me start to whine, just laugh at me.

 

 

 

 

 

Is There Always a Calm Before the Storm?

We have all heard the phrase - Calm Before the Storm. We know what it means in terms of weather. In fact, right now, looking out my office window, I see a storm. I don't recall if there was calm. I do know that I would like to glare at the storm so it goes away. Need Superman. Not me.

Let's set aside the meteorological issues for now - and just look at the issue of calm in our lives before the storm. Here I'm talking about storms that involve the problems of life, not of weather. The problems that we know are serious and we have to find some way to deal with them. Instead of the phrase "Calm Before the Storm" - might be more helpfully phrased this way: Spiritual Resources Needed Before the Storm - What we Need.

First, we need to simply say to God- Be With Me. Let me know that you're here. Focus on the non-abandoning love of God, the presence of God.  My hunch is that we may not need God so much in the good times as we do in the bad times. My theological hunch is that we need God all the time. But I think God understands if we focus more on the bad times. I also recommend that you connect with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, to prepare for the storm. My favorite description of Mary in this regard is this one: "Mary Who Undoes Knots."  Tell the Mother of God that you need help. If you feel like you're drowning, tell her. If you feel you cannot take anything else, tell her. Don't be bashful or tongue-tied.

Second, light a candle (or even a battery-operated one - -- or PREFERABLY a battery-operated once to you don't dirty the ceiling with soot and so that you do not have to summon the fire department.) I find this to be something that is incredibly helpful. I focus on the flame. I like what it does to the total atmosphere. It helps to calm me down and leads me into prayer. Try it.

Third, there is no third here - because i want this to be terribly simple. I personally believe that lots of spiritual writers make prayer far too complicated. Best example was Jesus - who simply told us that, when we pray, call God Abba. One word. That's pretty simple. Try it.

In the calm before the storm in our lives, these are two simple things that can help. If we're in a situation where there does not appear to be any calm at all - then go into the bathroom, lock the door, and establish your own calm, if only for a couple of minutes. It will help. If you don't do this and just careen right into the storm, you won't make things better. We all need this little quiet time to help us get ready. We often must make our own calm period. 

Right now, as I'm pressing "Publish" on this post, I'm looking out the window and seeing the storm. Bah. I'm going to sic God and Mary on the storm. A storm won't change right away. But the calm will have helped me.

 

 

 

 

 

The Strangers or Saints Next Door - Do you recognize them? August 3, 2020

 

Do you know your next door neighbors? Over the decades, I have had a small variety of next door neighbors. Vast majority of them were really nice people. I did not know a couple of my next door neighbors over the decades, but from a quiet distance, they seemed nice.  

I used to have a little condo down the shore (this is correct Jersey grammar). When it came time to move and move into retirement mood, I stopped at the condo office to notify them that I was moving. The Condo manager asked if I was new to the condo development. She did not recognize me. I told her that I had been there over 20 years. I'm shy. End of story.

Well, this is a brief intro to a short reflection that Pope Francis recently gave where he mentioned the "Saints Next Door." Here is what he said: "Let's look at the "saints next door" who, with simplicity, respond to evil with good, have the courage to love their enemies and to pray for them."

It is an intriguing thing to reflect on. I believe that saints are all around us. Sometimes, they are in our neighborhood, town, certainly parish, work site, and all kinds of other places. One of the greatest blessings in my life is knowing a large number of people whom I consider saints. I have lived with saints.  (Hmm, living with me can certainly mean that the other person is a saint!). 

It all comes down to my favorite definition of a saint: "a saint is a sinner who keeps trying."  You and I are called to be saints. Which means, that you and I are called to keep trying. Sometimes, I find that I give up on people, especially annoying people. I know that, when I'm tired, someone who is annoying is hard to be around. I try to be patient. Most of the time, I succeed, but sometimes not. My track record in this regard is pretty good, but certainly not perfect. Sigh.

Think about saints who live next door to you or down the block or even are part of your family. They are a treasure that God has placed in your life.  Thank goodness. Have you thanked God for these gifts?

 

Pandemic Time - Not in days, weeks, months, or years: July 31, 2020

I have mentioned this in passing in prior blogs, but it is a topic that keeps coming up, at least in my life.  It is terribly hard to think back with precision and identify time periods. So much seems a blur. One obvious reason for me is that my life is no longer divided into seven distinct chunks of time.  Given my calling where the weekends are clearly different because of Mass, congregations, and liturgies, all that has changed. It is not the same, over the weekend at least, to celebrate Mass with a couple of people in the Church and somehow hundreds, even thousands, on the other side of the camera, or at least the internet. You can't see them. You can't hear them. You hope they are there. But you do not know for sure. I only have a hunch that people are there when I hear about the numbers of people that went on live-stream for that Mass. But it is not something that you can see.

While the pace and even pressure were killers, I did love the weekend liturgies. Those masses really depleted me - took every ounce of energy and concentration - and I know that I gave it everything that I had. But there was no question that this was about Saturday afternoon/Sunday. For me, this was the major part of the week. I also got to see so many people, good friends, even good strangers (is there such a thing?). It was a major time of connection for me. Not having it  lets me realize how much I miss those connections.

At least with activities using ZOOM for group meetings, you know that specific people are there. Live-stream - it is more amorphous - although it reaches more people - unless you are using a super-duper version of Zoom or someone else in the ZOOM family or distant cousins. More and more, these things blur together. Is there something wrong with me? (don't all answer at once!).

My hunch is that my life in the pandemic  does not have, for lack of a better phrase, the "time markers" that were such easy ways of defining and describing where I was in a particular day, particular activity, etc. Maybe your life has some similar patterns - or even absence of patterns.

To me, the downside of not having these "time markers" makes it difficult to recall things distinctly. I find at times that my recollections of things may lack some distinctiveness. This is not a problem in and of itself.It is more of just being overwhelmed by one darn thing after another in the pandemic. Don't like it. But have to figure out how to best deal with it.

I have been blessed with a decent memory. But now my memory lacks "place-holders" due to the pandemic. Those placeholders served a great purpose of separating days, weeks, months, and years. I liked those separations. Now I have to figure out how to replace them.

There are some times when I know that I am floundering a little. I defiantly suggest that this is now a function of the aging process. It is a function of the place-holders being no longer distinct. This makes a little sense to me. If I can get a little sense from time to time, I'll take it.

But for now - poor Father Time: (made me smile)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doing The Right Thing for Our World - July 29B, 2020

I get frustrated at the far too frequent tendency of some folks to make everything political, including the coronovirus. When the wearing of masks becomes a dividing political issue, then this line of argument has gone too far.

I greatly respect a guy who went to Regis High School, Holy Cross, Cornell Weill, and some other places. Some have branded him political, but I seem him as apolitical. I also believe he has saved far more lives than the people who brand him as political. I won't list his name here. (It is Doctor Fauci!) This is silly to not list it, since you know whom I am talking about. My reason is that life is too short to deal with people who want to dispute this guy's recommendations, people who refuse to recognize that scientific knowledge evolves and changes based upon new findings. So, if you want to argue about this, go argue with someone else. I'm not going to engage you. I will always try to be respectful.

Back to my point. Things are really bad in our world right now. More people are dying. When this guy was asked what can be done, here is what he said must take place to change things around. I list this guy's major points here:

1. Everyone should wear Masks in all possible settings
2. Close the bars – until we get things under control.
3. Practice social distancing. Keep six feet from each other if you do not live together.
4. Personal hygiene – wash your hands.

The above points summarize the science in broad strokes. These will involve some changes in our lives. But unless we do these things, we cannot conquer the pandemic.

We need to realize that public health progress will drive our economic recovery. We can be safe once again. But we have to stop being sidetracked by people who want to keep repeating their point that everything is political. That approach takes up too much oxygen!

This guy is hopeful because Americans can do the right thing. We have shown this in our history.

I pray for this guy every single day. I pray that the above things are followed. To not follow them seems really reckless.

And I pray for every scientist who is working on an effective vaccine - and effective treatment. God bless them.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could unite on this? Isn't it worth it?

 

 

The Indy 500 on our local streets- July 29A, 2020

Feel free to consider this as literary overkill. You may be right. Over the last week, I have tried to cautiously get into my car parked on Main Street- and was genuinely afraid of cars coming along - who, with a slight little swerve, would have hit me as I was getting into the car.

The whole nature of the pandemic can cause us to react to things differently than in normal times. I do find that many people are anxious, cautious, and, to say the least, not adventurous in the slightest. This is probably normal reactions to difficult times.

But there is another part to a pandemic environment. We can often be inattentive, distracted, and somehow not focus on things, including traffic. A lot of people need to be more focused.

I notice a growing number of cars speeding - not just on Main Street, but on many streets in our general area. Where are these people going? (and why wasn't I invited?)

I just wish drivers would be more attentive. Where I live, the speed limit is 25 mph. This is slow. But it makes sense - especially when you have joggers, walkers, kids, dogs, cats, and all sorts of living creatures. I wish people would become more attentive. Someone is going to get hurt. Sigh.

 

 

Finding Any Blessings during the Pandemic? - July 27B, 2020

Occasionally I run across people who speak about finding blessings during the pandemic. Inside, I just groan and then listen quietly. I usually don't respond. I have been far more overwhelmed by this pandemic than I care to admit. The thing that gets me down the most is just trying to imagine the reality that this pandemic affects our entire planet. I can't come to grips with the enormity.  I pray so hard for vaccines, medical treatments, which are so desperately needed - and which are needed to be scientifically tested and just not rushed - although I wish they would rush them. At the same time, I want them to work - and not be done for reasons of political expediency. You can't cut corners on this most important medical project of our lifetime.

But I digress from finding blessings in the pandemic.

Here are a few that I've find. There are many more, I'm sure. I'll drop them in this blog from time to time.

I have a few extraordinarily good friends, best friends, who showed their concern for me in all kinds of ways in the pandemic. I appreciate them even more today than a few months ago.

I also have some good friends who have gone out of their way to see if I'm taking care of myself, telling me to be good to myself, and, in general, coming across to me as genuinely helpful and not annoying! When I think of these people, I smile.

I listen now to Canadian geese chirping loudly early in the morning. I laugh at them. A friend told me that they were saying hello to me. I'm grateful for the blasted geese.

I'm fortunate to live in a little place for my retirement. I really like it. I'm at peace there. It is quiet. It is a bit tiny, but it works for me. This is a blessing.

There are lots of other things, I'm sure. But I'll have to write them down so I do not forget to inflict you with them.

Hang in. That's what I'm trying to do. The majority of the time, I'm succeeding. 

 

Lights Go Out in an Irish Bar - July 27A, 2020

 

There is a wonderful (are there any other kinds) Irish expression about friendship: "you only know who your friends are - when the lights go out in a pub." How incredibly true this is. 

The wonderful treasure of friends is seen so often during this pandemic. How many times have we connected with our friends - and maybe had other friends slip away during these dark times?

When you don't see someone, then it takes real effort to connect with them. We either have to call, email, text, or connect in a deliberate way. It just does not happen easily or automatically.

In one way, I have a huge number of friends. However, the really close friends are the ones who made an effort to connect during the pandemic. I never fully realized how much I treasured them than during this pandemic. I am also more of a social being than I ever realized - and how much I really miss social interactions with so many people. Once in a while, I wonder whether I might not be shy - but then when I think about it, I conclude - "Yeah, I really am shy - but am able to function in certain settings as an extrovert."

I do regret that job responsibilities kept me from connecting at times with other friends. I realized today that I have to do something about this - and maybe connect some more in the next month or so. Letting great friends slip away is sad. I'm going to do something about it.  I also know that great friends are the ones whose loyalty is never ever in question. What a blessing they are. And, as luck would have it, they are probably in the Irish pub when the lights go out.

 

The Pandemic Does Not Help Our Fear of Abandonment - July 24, 2020

The above cartoon is whimsical. It is about a topic that is not whimsical, namely the fear of abandonment. It is real. It can be crippling. It can be occasional. It can be downright puzzling and seemingly without solution. Yet, it can affect not only people who have a deep-seated clinical fear of being alone or abandoned. It can affect many people in their lives, families, and relationships.

I'm not writing here as a clinician, but rather as someone who has watched this fear be expressed by so many people over the years. The fear of abandonment is a primal fear. It hits us in our guts. It is subtle. It is gripping. It is confusing. But it does affect us. 

I connect this with so many things about our faith. In spiritual terms, we believe in a God of non-abandoning love. This has been a somewhat frequent theme of mine over many decades. It takes real courage, real faith, and a real leap of faith to believe that our God has promised not to abandon us. We pray to God - stay with me, don't leave me, let me know that I'm not alone - and, most simply, O God, help me.

Despite what we do, God won't run away from us. God did not abandon Jesus when he died. We will not be abandoned either. In the midst of this complicated religious truth is something comforting and elusive.

The pandemic causes many people to feel abandoned - to feel alone - to feel like there is no tomorrow - and then we're startled to find that everyone is experiencing the same thing.

I don't mean for this post to be complicated. I just want people to know that they are not alone. The most comforting part of our relationship with God is the non-abandoning love of God.  And I believe that the second most comforting part of our relationship with God is the fact that God is absolutely crazy about us - despite everything we do. I think that the third most comforting part of our relationship with God is that fact that God wants to forgive us - and if we cannot forgive ourselves.

The key to religion is finally believing and accepting everything in the last paragraph!

A secret: I struggle with all these things - and hope, someday, to accept them fully - because I believe it is true. 

(I'm going to continue with this topic tomorrow.)

Being Kind Over Being Right - July 23B, 2020

Early this morning, I came across this line from Richard Carlson, "Choose being kind over being right and you'll be right every time."  I have expressed a similar thought in homilies, saying something like "there are more important things than being right." Carlson wrote the wonderful wise book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff - and Its All Small Stuff. His wife, Kristine Carlson, has kept up websites and many different media to continue to spread Richard's worth and insights when he died far too early, I believe, from an embolism.

This is all by way of explaining the title for this post, Being Kind Over Being Right. Being involved with people in families, probably thousands over the years, I often encountered situations where this question of "being right" was damaging to family life, married life, employee life, and even interaction with friends.  

There are more important things than being right. To be totally direct, on the day of judgment when you see God face to face, do you want to have severed a relationship because you held on to your opinion or point of view - and even though that wrecked the relationship, was it worth it?  

We can all hold onto things. We can become entrenched in our positions. We can become blind to the bigger picture. I've seen it happen so many times. It makes me sad, especially when I see this happen in families.

On the day of judgment, I am happy, even eager, to be judged by God for being too kind.  I'll risk that. I would not want to be judged for holding onto an opinion where, even though I'm right, it really fractured a relationship. Ain't worth it. I don't want to be judged for being too righteous, too stubborn, or any of those things that I can be.  I'll take kindness every time.

 

"We Interrupt this Gloom to Offer...Hope" - July 23A, 2020

(You may have noticed that my new daily blog has not been - daily. Sorry about that. In light of my other responsibilities right now, it is difficult to make this a priority. More precisely, I want it to be a priority. Wanting something does not make it so. I'm floundering here. So let me be specific: I get enough feedback on this blog to know that it is worth the effort. My problem is that I don't have the time or energy to add one other thing to the rest of the stuff that I still must do. But I should. I hate how I sound in the sentences written so far. I am whining. No question about it. I do see that an endpoint (known only by God) to my work-life is coming slowly into sight. So why not start with proper attention to this blog? (News Flash) I've now convinced myself. So I will be more responsible. Enough of this naval-gazing. It is really boring me!)

The title of this post comes from a remarkable column in the New York Times from July 16 written by Nicholas Kristoff. He is a wonderful, thoughtful, serious writer. i do not know him, have never heard him speak, but he fascinates me with his ability to look at serious questions in serious ways and cause me to think. I'm not using this post to write about his column so much as I'm using the title to think about our situation. 

In one way, the world looks dark. When the heck will the sun come out in our lives? Kristoff highlights a number of things that can give us some (emphasis on "some") small reason for hope. I'll take any reason you can find.

I know a few people, not many, who have an extraordinary ability to be optimists. I am fascinated by these people who certainly see a different reality than I see. My favorite word is "Sigh!" It captures so many things. Yet, while often being internally morose, I viscerally believe that we are meant to be people of hope. This is what our faith is about. This is what the resurrection is above. This is the effect that Jesus had on this world. He came to give us life. In essence, he came to give us hope. Right now, it seems tough to see, tough to think that things might get better. I just remembered some phrases that I preach about in Holy Week. God does not ask us not to feel anxious, but to trust in God no matter how we feel. (I think it is by Thomas Merton.) 

Things work out for the best - not necessarily in the short run, not even the middle run, but absolutely in the ultimate run. That is what and why we believe. It is time to apply that to everyday life today. I'm tired of feeling morose. I want to get past it.

I want to see us have a vaccine. I want scientific knowledge to be respected and not politicized. We're in a horrible rut where so many things are politicized. Why not say No to the people who do this. I want so many things to now start to change. I'm frustrated. I'm fed up. We're the United States of America. We can do anything. I want us to celebrate our wonderful diversity. So why not support those who can unite us, those who can encourage us, those who call us to greater decency, courage, and wisdom. Why not celebrate those who are genuine role models, rather than embarrassments. It does not seem too much to ask. And while I'm at it, I hope that the Chicago Cubs, in an abbreviated season, can exuberantly defeat the Chicago White Sox.

Hmmmmm. I feel better now. I'm even smiling. I'll try this again later today or tomorrow.  

 

 

  

Golden Retrievers and Ice Cream - July 15, 2020

This will be a little less than profound. There are times when I don't want to deal with problems. I cannot take any more problems. I don't want to hear about problems. Enough is enough.  I keep all of these feelings pretty much on the inside. But sometimes, I do want people to know that I do have limits - and there are times when I just want to think about golden retrievers and ice cream. So here it is:

Looking at this picture makes me smile. It is that simple. Seeing goldens makes me smile. Thinking of ice cream makes me smile. For just a few minutes, let the complaints go away, the troubles go away, and it would be nice: let pandemic go way. Let the virus be found.

Please.

Until the above things happen, I'll just have to focus for a few minutes more on goldens and ice cream. Reality and being a grown-up: eat your heart out!

 

Is Your Life Just a Blur - since the Pandemic started? - July 14, 2020

My life often seems like a blur. Does yours? Frequently, I have to figure out what day it is. Sometimes, the weekdays and weekends blur together until I'm in the Church for Sunday Mass. Those moments are just little aggravations - none of them major, but a little frustrating. Then, when I look back at what has gone on for these last few months, I become alarmed. Where the heck have these months gone?  Why do I feel like this? Have I become lazy? (Quick profound answer: NO.) But something is off in the way that I have been experiencing reality during this pandemic.

I have done a little research on "blur." Trying to see what I could learn. Look at this photograph:

 

Anyone who has looked at a photo or used a camera knows that the photo is blurred. Sometimes, we do this deliberately to get a more interesting picture. Sometimes, it just happens.  But it becomes a different reality when it is part of our everyday life.

I came across this brief hint of an explanation: "Between input and reaction there is a gap of pure awareness that we usually don’t notice and speed right by. That is why our life can feel like a blur."

A Gap of pure awareness - This is the key to living a less blurred life: a gap of pure awareness. A conscious, deliberate moment where I stop, look at what I am doing, think, and then consciously decide to do something.  Conscious, deliberate thoughts - I do this often, but somehow, I don't use this in looking at the flow, the pace, of my life. This is not a big deal. It is not a major breakthrough. But, it is one of those simple things that is so self-evident that I never thought of doing it.

I have spoken with thousands of parishioners over the decades and mentioned this whole notion of stimulus and response. When we start to do something (stimulus), we need to stop before we respond (response).  In that space between stimulus and response - we can really shape our action (response). We are choosing not to let ourselves just be carried away by the movement of time - and instead focus on what we are doing for ourselves or another person. Responses are not inevitable. Losing our temper is not inevitable. stubbornly moving ahead is not inevitable. We need to seek that "gap of pure awareness" = that "space" = and fill it up with something helpful = and especially something that does not hurt yourself or another person. This is really important - and really helpful. I am actually going to use it to practice what I preach. What a remarkable idea! I am saddened at all the times I listen to people and realize what goodness could have happened in their family or relationships if they had used this gap of pure awareness. Some people, myself included, can be hellbent on saying something to another person - and never think it through before speak. This causes so much pain.

I will come back to this topic occasionally in this blog. It can make such a difference in so many parts of our lives. (I am a bit chagrined that I had totally forgotten this in the pandemic.

God help me - and you!

Denial is Wonderful - but not for long - July 13, 2020

Alcoholism is called a disease of denial.  But the problems with denial are not only those experienced by alcoholics. I have been thinking about this topic recently - and considered people in prominent positions who are just in tremendous denial about major things in our world. We can see politicians in denial about other politicians. We can sadly see it in the Church when people denied the horrible reality of sexual abuse. We can see it in so many places. We can often just be in denial: about our attitudes, what we eat, what we believe about others - and so many things. Even something as profoundly serious as the coronavirus.

I put this topic in today's post for the simple reason that most of us can be in denial about certain things, certain people. It is a good reminder to check our assumptions, be sure of who and what we believe - and make sure that we seek facts that are real and not fiction. 

On a less lofty plane, I used to love to go to TCBY for frozen yogurt. I had convinced myself that it was healthy and clearly an ideal weight-loss product. It was delicious, though. Sigh.

 

Face Masks are a sign of love and a declaration of being pro-life - July 12, 2020

The Archbishop of New Orleans, Gregory Aymond, is the only archbishop or even bishop in the United States to be diagnosed with COVID 19. He recently said that "wearing a mask shows true love of neighbor."

Archbishop Aymond has recently written that "There is virtually no scientific disagreement that wearing a mask reduces the possibility of dispersing into the air particles that may contain the virus and also reduces the possibility of inhaling any particles from another person.

As we have seen, many people who are infected with coronavirus are asymptomatic, which means they do not know they are sick and are capable of spreading the disease. Wearing a mask in public protects your neighbor in the grocery store, in the bank and in church.

Admittedly, wearing a mask can be an irritation, but doing so is a small act of charity that we as Christians are called to offer out of love for God and neighbor. Far from being a sign of weakness, wearing a mask is a sign of strength, selfless love and prudence."

I am beyond aghast at those who have tried to characterize the wearing of face masks as a political issue. Enough said. Sigh. 

 

Are You Human? Neither am I! - July 11, 2020

For a few decades, I have had a statue of my desk of Jesus holding up his head, clearly overwhelmed.  The title of the statue is: Jesus wept.  This is often considered the shortest sentence in the Gospels, depending on the particular language of your Bible. Jesus was weeping over the death of his friend, Lazarus. It is a popular understanding of Jesus that he would cry for those ee loved. We can often picture Jesus overcome with sorrow and sadness. The central religious image we have of Jesus is his crucifixion. It is our major religious symbol. He died for us.

Yet, there is an another picture which adds to our understanding of Jesus. Have you ever considered this?

 

Jesus with a happy baby. We see it and we smile. I don't have a statue or photo of this image so I had to find one on the internet. It is a necessary reminder that, despite all the stuff that gets us down, we have a God who wants to raise us up. We often focus so much on the divinity of Jesus, the sufferings of Jesus - that we can give no attention to the human Jesus. That is part of the complexity of Jesus that we each need to identify with as well. (excuse the horrible grammar in the last sentence)

Earlier today, I was rushing while in front of the keyboard, not a new experience. I typed in the web address to begin writing today's post in my blog. Neither the user word nor the password were being accepted. The blasted program told me emphatically that it is did not recognize either the username or the password. I tried all possible combinations. I thought that a malefactor had messed up my computer. I uttered to myself short phrases which may not be found in the Catechism. Finally, getting more frantic and blood pressure rapidly rising, I called customer support. Spoke with a very nice person. She checked it out and placed me on hold.  While on hold, I went through my prior actions on the keyboard and discovered that I was trying to use a totally different program than the blogging program. This nice person on customer support came back on line. I told her that I was sorry, I am an idiot who rushes too much, and I apologized for taking up her time. She is a nice person. I am an idiot. She burst out laughing. 

When this episode ended, I laughed at myself and said, "Jim, you're human and often you don't like or realize that." I laughed at myself and to myself and began this post. Sigh.  Not a bad thing to realize. May it not be a rare discovery.

 

 

 

 

 

I Cannot Tell a Lie - Why we respect George Washington - July 10, 2020

 

There has always been something compelling about the stories of George Washington as a boy chopping down a cherry tree. His father confronted him - and somehow tales went on through the centuries that George Washington told the truth. Washington was seen as the example of integrity. Over time, the narrative about Washington was less about cherry trees and more about the connections between public greatness and private virtues. Historians gently suggest that Washington did not cut down the cherry tree. 

As I think about people, especially leaders, who are known for greatness, there is often a connection with their private virtues.  Sometimes the greatness is found with their private virtues. Sometimes, there is little or no connection - and that is sad.  I was thinking during the tropical storm today about this question. (I do odd things when I'm in a blinding storm.) I thought of the people I know whom I consider great.  To a person, they have strong private virtues as well. It is such a privilege to know them. They may not know it, but they always inspire me to be better and to do more. 

Public Greatness - Private Virtues. They belong together - and when they're not connected, it is time to look at things. Jesus reminded us about the light hidden under a bushel basket. Not a bad life principle to let good things shine - and wipe away the bad things. Sometimes, it is hard to do - but well worth doing. This is even more important than a cherry tree. Heck, this even applies to politicians. 

 

Beginning This Blog - Ready or not (this is addressed to me, not you!) - July 9, 2020

Since the pandemic started, I've sat at the keyboard and began to write this blog - and started and stopped and started and stopped, ad infinitum (I have no idea what ad infinitum means).  Looking at my schedule the past few months, I've actually done a lot of things, but my mind was certainly on auto-pilot. I did the best I could. Now I'm trying to begin again. Here is the clearest empirical indicator of what this means: Since the pandemic started, and even before, I stopped using the word "Good" before these words: morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Over the last several days, I unconsciously started using the word "Good" again. Full disclosure - my not using the word and my using the word was not totally influenced by the pandemic. But it was a happy coincidence and meaningful.

I finally said to myself, "enough of this." Listen to what you preach. Where is your hope? Where is your joy? Do the best you can. You're not perfect (please keep those last three words confidential.)

I carefully dissociate myself with those who use words like "restarting" and act as if this pandemic is not real, does not need our total attention and vigilance, and who act as if science is simply a form of fiction. If those people use the same words that I do at times, I just want you to know that I'm not like those people.

I'm taking a chance announcing a daily blog. The "daily" pressure to write has always been a struggle in the best of times. But I will give it everything I can. Maybe over time, some of the circumstances in my life will ease up a bit and I won't feel as much stress. Or maybe, I just need to handle "me" better! Or a combination of both.

My final words for this new beginning: God help me - that is not a risk, it is a conviction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ready or Not - Lent Begins - Again - Lenten Blog #1 - February 26, 2020

 

(Preface: I'm trying to reshape my approach to this blog. The days of Lent seem like a good time to write one post each day of Lent. Frankly, by the 3rd week of Lent, I start getting panicked at continuing this all the day through Easter. So, I'm reshaping the way that I look at this blog. I'm going to try to have one snippet of thought each day of Lent. Just one thought - and, if I'm inspired, to write more rather than less - but generally to emphasize briefness and snippets of thought.

So now Lent begins.  Are you groaning like I am? Where did Christmas go? Is it a year since the last Lent? What will I give up for Lent? What will I do for Lent? Will I forget by this  weekend the Lenten resolutions that I made just on Ash Wednesday? I have certainly forgotten my New Year's resolutions? Have you remembered the ones you made on January 1st!

I am trying desperately to simplify things in my life, to slow down a little on things, to examine once again my priorities, to get closer to God, and to become less frantic (on the inside even if I look tranquil and focused on the outside!).

Time for my first snippet. (I will reserve the right to totally change this during Lent if there are topics or events that seem worthwhile to share. Do I seem to be floundering? Well, it is only the first day of Lent. I'll get my act together as we get into Lent.)

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Take a look at the graphic above today's post. MEASURE.  I tend to be an empiricist. I often need things that I can count, weigh, or measure.  HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOU HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL DURING LENT? I'm going to focus on at least one individual that I cannot stand. In truth, there are probably more than one! I'm going to pray each day for this person, thank God for this person, acknowledge that they are human like me - and might even be better than me. (Good Lord, I would hate to admit that - but it could be true.)

We're supposed to love our enemies. Well, here is an enemy - I'm going to take 40 days to try to love them. (I note in passing that this is the new grammatical rule which allows you to use "them" in place of her or him.)  This is practical. This is real. It is measurable. This may mean more to God and to me than giving up dessert or something that I like. It won't change the world. But it might change me. And isn't this what Lent is about? 

 

 

 

April 19, 2019 - And Jesus wept. Notre Dame in flames. Our world united in grief and needing Easter

(Due to a frustrating combination of technical problems, I have had to truncate some different posts into this one post. I know things are bad when my home office computer, ipad, and blogging software are all unhappy for objectively unrelated reasons. I drove early this morning to my diocesan office where, at least for these moments, everything technical is working that is not part of my iPad or iPad keyboard.

Actually, I kind of like this particular post bringing together Paris, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Rather than have such a hiatus between series of posts, I have been trying to find an approach that works for us. Here is what I will do going forward: I'll write a few posts each week. I may comment or give a perspective on events of the day, our world, and the church. Sometimes, I'll recommend books or articles. Sometimes, I'll simply vent - but hopefully will always point this out so that you do not have read the ventings. I'm not a culture warrior. Ain't my thing. I feel strongly about issues. I am unabashedly in favor of life - at every age, stage, social condition, gender, and every other way we classify each other. I am a political animal - meaning that I devour political news and events. I have already read the Mueller Report - or at least those sections that were not covered over with redactions.

I will hopefully invite, cajole, comfort, observe, and share with you joy, meanings, and things important to me. A larger number of people than I ever expected have found this blog somewhat helpful. I hope that continues. Especially since I am a retired pastor, but not yet retired from other responsibilities, this gives me the chance to share things here that I might have shared in homilies, but may not now have the chance to do so. Before I retired, I would have preached at all the Masses about the fire at Notre Dame since it affects so many people. I miss so much that type of contact with all the people at Mass. However, I am grateful for the chance to celebrate Mass at least once at the parish on weekends - and deeply appreciate that invitation.

For those that wonder and others that have gently asked, I'm doing ok. It's a hard time in the church. So much anger. So much pain. Retiring as pastor was the right thing to do - but, oh my, do I miss so many things about it that were treasures - namely the people and the experience. I was far more wiped out as pastor than I imagined. It has taken me a couple of months to start to feel even a smidgen better. Paradoxically, being in the most wonderful parish also took an incredible toll on me. I was thinking that this Easter afternoon will be the first time since I was ordained in 1973 when I will not be totally exhausted from Holy Week and Easter. I'm assigned to lead the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday evening and have the 8:30 and 9:30 Masses on Easter Sunday. Once again, I appreciate the chance as a retired pastor to keep this connection. It does not happen in many places. And I never take this for granted.

Once in a while, and it is a fleeting phenomenon, I feel less stressed. Then it comes right back. I do not know what this condition is called, but I am a world-class worrier. The cumulative effect of worrying may have been the most driving thing in having to retire. So I have a long way to go. If you have things to worry about and you sensibly know that it will do you no good yet you want someone to do the worrying for you, I am always happen to add another worry. I am world-class, at least with respect to worrying.

I wish you a blessed and peaceful Easter. May the risen Christ light up your life and our world.

Now the post!)

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A French priest saved the most precious relics at the fire in Notre Dame:

At 9-11, firefighters carried the body of Father Mychal Judge, ofm, the first official fatality after the 9-11 attack. Mychal had served in one of our Franciscan parishes. I knew him slightly - and always respected him.

Once again, it has taken tragedies, caused by people and caused by fate, to unite the world and people of good will. It was interesting that as the flames were roaring up into the sky over Notre Dame Cathedral a few days ago - so many people in our country found that it reminded them also of 9-11. Totally different causes. But each event touched a spiritual chord in people's hearts. The recognition that we are not in control of so many things. The recognition that our common humanity is what unites us even during times of unrest and disunity. Perhaps especially at those times.

My constant feeling after the fire at Notre Dame was simply sadness. Once again, hearts were broken. One of my most treasured statues is on my desk at the diocese. Here is a larger reproduction: "And Jesus Wept."

This brief Scripture passage is the shortest line in the Bible, just three words. "And Jesus wept." What is your image of God? Of Jesus? I believe God weeps for us. The Gospels tells us that Jesus wept for Lazarus. Well, I believe that Jesus weeps for us a lot. When things like 9-11 happen, Jesus weeps. When Notre Dame, one of the most beautiful churches in the world, is ravaged by fire, Jesus wept. Not because a brick and mortar and wooden church was in danger, but rather for what Notre Dame represents to the world: Civilization. Beauty. Hope. A symbol without parallel of people reaching up to God, to heaven - and our God reaching down to us.

When we weep, we are vulnerable. We are without defenses. I would find it difficult to believe in a God who did not weep. And, for that matter, also hard to believe in a God who did not laugh. The profound nature of grief is one of the things that brings together people of good will. Didn't our world seem less fragmented during the fire at Notre Dame? We set aside our concerns about the problems of the world and focused, at least for a little while, on something primal, something important, something finally worth talking about with each other and our children. For a few hours, we forgot about the soon-to-be-released Mueller Report. This has always been one of my favorite images of Jesus at times like this:

Writing this on Good Friday morning, I go back to some words which I uttered in homilies every year on Good Friday: "Jesus died the death we fear - and saved us from the fear of death." These words make so much sense of things that are senseless. Jesus is with us. As we head into Easter, we need to remember over and ever again that death does not win. Life wins. Eternal life is our reward. Heaven is what keeps us going.

 

Easter means this: Jesus is risen. There is no need to be afraid. We will never be abandoned. Why? Because God never ever abandons the ones he loves. Easter is the feast of the God of Non-Abandoning Love. If every single thing just gnaws at you and gets you down, try to remember this - the most basic and important truth of our faith. Jesus came out of the tomb for us. He takes us by the hand. If we run from him, he will catch us. And hold us. And love us. Forever and ever.

(See you more frequently in this blog.)

 

April 16, 2019 - Notre Dame - Post coming in a day or two

I have been remiss in this blog lately, but am figuring out what I want to do with it.

My approach is not working for me (since I'm retired, I can think of "me"!!!!)  This began to crystallize with the horrific fire at Notre Dame in Paris. Usually when there are events that are primal, like this fire, 9-11, etc., I would immediately sit down and figure out a homily - to make connections with our faith and the particular tragedy, to offer some perspective, and, where possible, to offer some hope. But it is different now. I'm not a pastor. I'm retired. So I did not spring into action and offer some help.

My lack of doing anything bothered me - yesterday and today. People actually wrote and said that wanted to hear from me, expected to hear from me. So, I said - to heck with it. This blog is really like my mailbox to the world. So I can use it to send messages to people that might find them helpful. So will work, time permitting, over the next couple of days, to come up with some expression of meaning, wonder, and hope for the inferno in Paris. It will appear by Thursday. I hope it is helpful. 

 

 

 

 

 

March 26, 2019 - The Mueller Report - 26 Posts to go

 

 

 

Ok, I'm impatient. I want to read the report - preferably the whole report. What a chance for social psychologists to go nuts. Four little phrases were included by the Attorney General in his letter to the Congress - and already what he said was misinterpreted and publicized all over the world. There is a phenomenon today that boils down to this: in any issue, be first with your response, repeat it as often as you can, and finally this will be enough to influence many in our country, and perhaps all over the world. Truth does not seem to matter. Facts do not seem to matter. Am I the only one bothered by this?

Amazon is offering the report for $12.99 before anyone knows how many pages the report will be. It claims that the report will be available today. Prime free delivery is also promised. The only thing accurate will probably be free delivery - as long as you are part of Amazon Prime.

A crazy time. I would write more today but I'm too busy sputtering!

TODAY'S GRATITUDE:  Amazon Prime for free delivery.

 

March 25, 2019 - The Daily Miracle of the New York Times - 27 Posts to Go

 

I like to know how things work - how they come together - whether they be animate or inanimate. I am fascinated by organizations. I am fascinated by lots of things. For example, I am both fascinated and jealous of kitchens in restaurants. How do they do all of these meals? How do they keep such a varied menu? (Disclaimer: a few years ago, I was given a privilege of being trained by the executive chef at Rod's in Convent Station so that I could prepare a meal for 6 parishioners who had bid on my services for a small fundraising dinner at the parish. After kindly giving me a two hour overview of cooking, the executive chef met with the owner of Rod's to discuss my potential as a chef. They decided that, instead of being the chef, I would be the server! At least, I did not spill anything - although I incorrectly announced the course I was carrying in as polenta - when, in fact, it was crabcakes. Sigh.)

Yesterday, the New York Times had a special section named The Daily Miracle, prepared over several years, showing photographs of how their paper is printed. The front page said that Christopher Payne, the photographer, captured the craft, precision and unexpected beauty of the newspaper printing process.

Why do I mention this? It was a work of art. The complexity of the necessary process left me just in awe. If you just ignored that section, find it and read it and, above all, savor it.

This is a weak parallel, but the NYT project reminded me of the creation of human life. The complexity leads to something so simple and so awe-inspiring and so worthy of protection. I always am just speechless at the wonder of birth. May we protect this life at every age, stage, social condition - everything - because it belongs to God.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: Human life.

 

March 24, 2019 - Read the whole Mueller Report - 28 Posts to go

Lest I cause a media frenzy by the millions of readers who are waiting for my thoughtful commentary on the Mueller Report, I am thoughtfully giving a snipet of my thoughts before we hear anything conclusive about it today. The summary is supposed to be available imminently - within a few minutes or hours or days or months.

I am a political junkie. I love politics. I love to read about politics. I did become less so over the past few years when I saw some politicians had become just vulgarians and the opposite of the values which I hold. I am not dissuaded from long reports if they give me information and perspective that I would not have by simply getting reporting from the media. In recent memory, the best example of this was the 1200 page report on the clergy sex abuse crisis in the state of Pennsylvania. I read the whole darn thing. You would only know the truth if you read the whole thing and connected the dots. If you relied solely upon the summaries contained in that report, you would never have known that it was filled with some valid insights and then a lot more amateurish analysis -  incompetent analysis. I found it to be amateurish. It took a complicated reality filled with obvious heartbreak and reasons for anger, and then just did a hatchet job. I pray that the same thing does not happen in New Jersey with the work of the Attorney General. But obviously, no guarantees. Especially when some seemed to have formed their conclusions when the work has barely begun. Some early indicators do not fill me with confidence. But we can always pray. In fact, we should always pray.

I have one major question on the Mueller Report which I very much hope is answered. Did Russia influence our elections? Did people in our country cooperate in any way with the Russians? I hope that the answers are clear. We need to know. Will we? Beats me. But I will read the whole thing to find out.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: This might seem an odd thing to list in a blog that tries to be spiritual, but it certainly a reason for my gratitude at these times: The opportunities I had to take and retake and retake the Evelyn Woods Reading Dynamics course.

 

March 23, 2019 - Letting Lent Slip Away - Not Helpful - 29 Posts to go

Since I'm no longer living in the parish, I find that some things slip away which never happened before. This is especially true of Lent. I do have Mass, often private, but it is still different. I am scheduled for Masses in the parish regularly. That is great, but it is not the same. Somehow, being in that building where the focus is on Lent, where the dominant color is purple - makes it hard to forget the season of Lent. I recall periodically what I pledged to do for Lent. (None of your business, but essentially it is to make me a better person, happier, more joyful -and forgiving)

Now I am in the same position as anyone who is not a priest. To make Lent work, we have to work at it. It does not happen by accident. In such a brutally fast world, it can be forgotten without much difficulty at all.

One of the things that I always found helpful in Lent was the little wooden cross to carry in my pocket. I am glad that we made those available for decades to everyone at the parish. It might not seem like much, but it was practical and a constant reminder. I'm going to see where I might have packed those in my boxes for moving which have not yet been unpacked.

If you are like me (and I always pray you are not) - and have let Lent slip away a little, get back on track. I realize that I have to work harder to keep Lent in focus. And if I cannot find the little wooden cross in all my as yet unpacked boxes, then I'll order a small package of them if I run across people that might find them of value.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For those things, ideas, and people that bring me back to the Core of our faith - Jesus.

March 22, 2019 - New Zealand - a Place of Beauty marred by evil - 30 Posts to go

(sorry - I'm a few days behind on my postings on this blog - will rapidly recover by the end of today, Sunday. These next few blogs will be shorter, but reflect things that I have been thinking about over and over these past few days).

I know a few people who have been to New Zealand. They loved the country and the people. The monstrous evil those good people experienced brought my mind quickly back to such times in our own country, and so many other places in our hurting world. I have prayed a lot for those good people - and prayed that somehow, somewhere, some day, evil will be overcome.

Were you as impressed as I was at the rapid way in which the government in New Zealand instantly addressed the problem of weapons in the hands of their people - and found ways to restrict weapons that can only do harm and not good for their people? How continually sad that our nation, the finest on earth, cannot definitively address this scourge on our nation?

"Deliver us from evil."  Please.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For the first responders in every nation.

March 21, 2019 - Now There's Problems with Kale - Darn It!- 31 Posts to go

For the past few years, I have been eating kale because it was supposed to be one of the healthiest and best things that you could possibly eat. Granted that kale was not as appetizing as a pepperoni pizza, but I always felt confident that eating kale was good for me and made a difference. I always felt virtuous having a kale smoothie, a kale salad, even kale chips. Until yesterday!!!!

Now a health organization has placed kale as #3 on a list of dirty foods - where supposedly healthy foods are filled with levels of pesticides that are beyond any reasonable standard of health. Here are the miscreant foods and vegetables:

1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Peaches
8. Cherries
9. Pears
10. Tomatoes
11. Celery
12. Potatoes

This list includes some of my favorite things to eat. The recommendation from the scientists about the study is to have organic foods. Some studies have shown that eating foods that are relatively free of pesticides can lower your level of pesticides in as few as six days.

If you are concerned about pesticides (and I am), then the only way to have some of these really healthy vegetables and fruits is to go organic. This is more expensive, but probably cheaper than the health problems associated with pesticides.

Why am I carrying on like this in this blog"

Some simple concerns:  It seems sometimes like you just cannot win. We are all going to die of something - so why even try to eat right. Is it a valid spiritual principle that unless something is hard, it is not worth doing? Is the spiritual life meant to be easy? Is life meant to be the agony in the garden or truly the path to heaven? Where does peace and happiness truly lie?

I find myself going all over the place on these questions. Sometimes, in spirituality, things are not easy to figure out - even though I want things to be. Here you have a choice - eat things that are supposedly good for you, but they are not. Or just eat what you want - and you will die - and vice versa. Hmm. Either way, you will die. That does not seem fair!

Savor the moment. Enjoy the kale. Wash off the pesticides or buy organic. Follow what Jesus asks - and just do what is right. Maybe that is the best solution - but why is it seldom that simple?

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For those times when things are not frustrating.

 

March 20, 2019 - Some Very Personal Thoughts on partially beginning retirement! - 32 Posts to go

I know that readers of my blog are anxiously wondering how things are going for me. Am I ok? Am I happy? Do I regret doing this? And all kinds of other questions. I felt that it might be helpful, hopefully to someone other than myself, to periodically share how things are going. These thoughts might be of interest to priests contemplating retirements or friends and family.

Just a few thoughts. Did I make the right decision? Pretty much yes. I profoundly miss the continuous connections with all the people. I miss them very much. I am happy to have some limited interaction by saying Mass usually once a week. I do miss the connections. (wrote that twice, hmmmm.)

I know that the years have taken a little toll on me. Probably should have done this a couple of years earlier. There is a valid reason why most corporations have a mandatory retirement at 65. (Can anyone maintain with a straight face that the church, by allowing priests and bishops and cardinals and even popes to remain in office into their seventies and eighties has made us better? Nah.)

I retired from one job at the parish and continue in the other job at the diocese. Right now, it is a very tough job. I do not know an end point. I wish I did. But I have to take care of myself. That is my dominant task during at least half-retirement. It is a silent preoccupation right now - and have tried to take some steps to achieve this.

I worry more about financial matters than I expected. From the time I was ordained 45 years ago, I was blessed by having so many things handled through my assignments. That was proper and the nature of the work. Now everything is different. Most things are now my responsibility. That is proper. Everyone faces this.  I am so grateful to people who gave me gifts for retirement. In no way am I now saying "poor me" - but it is a worry. During my mother's final years, I assumed a number of significant financial  responsibilities for her that I had not planned on, especially with assisted living. Looking back, I am glad that I did. Absolutely no regrets. But I worry about it more than I anticipated. (seem to have mentioned the word "worry" three times in one paragraph - hope I'm not being tedious)

I have yet to reach the point in life where I can just revel in happiness and joy and peace. Keep this to yourself. This is really what I want/hope to achieve. I'm going to do my best to have this happen. One sign of hope for me = every once in a while, I look around my little place for retirement. I sigh. I feel at peace. I even, if briefly, feel happy. I'll take it. 

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For a blessed life.  

 

 

March 19, 2019 - Saint Joseph - More famous than Saint Patrick? Impossible! - 33 Posts to go

Today, we honor Saint Joseph who is allegedly one of the most popular of all the saints. Whole countries. He has apparent powers to help you sell you home. If you place a prayer intention under his statue, he will work on your request while you sleep. all kinds of things about this person who is scarcely known because there are so few facts available about him. 

The most important fact about him is that he was the foster father of Jesus. He was the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Holy Family, the family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph is our connection to family life. Scarce facts, but significant nonetheless.

I have one suggestion if you are thinking about Saint Joseph. He was an incredible influence upon Jesus. We speak of Jesus as human and divine. Well, the humanity of Jesus had to be highly influenced by Jesus. Any direct influence on what Jesus did in the Gospels = we just don't know. But there had to be a lot. It was real. What Jesus said, thought, and did had to be influenced as any parents influences his or her child. It is that simple.

Joseph influenced Jesus. Joseph grew with his wife, Mary, in love and commitment, and sacrifice. Not bad qualities to imitate. Think about the influence you have on others, in your family and other places. What is the legacy of your influence, your example? A good thought on the feast of one who may have been the greatest example of all to a child.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For my parent's influence. 

March 18, 2019 - An Oft-forgotten part of our parish history - 34 Posts to Go

Here is an anniversary that you may not possibly remember. On March 18, 1990, our parish church was dedicated. This is our 29th anniversary. It is a reminder of the fact that genuine 
"sacred space" comes from not only bricks, mortar, statues, and stained glass, but also comes from an environment where people encounter God - in worship, in prayer, and in experiencing the presence of God in the community and, most especially in the Eucharist. It is hard to recall that we worshiped in a gymnasium for 22 years before we finally had a church. Nothing like basketball hoops to make one yearn and pine for "sacred space."

This post is brief, but I just want these sentences to be a reminder of our church - a place that has formed us, comforted us, challenged us, and brought us closer to God. This is a day to be grateful for all the parishioners who came before us in 1968 and all those who have come before. Like any relationship, this church has been for us a place where we come in happy as well as sad times, where we seek meaning and hope and intimacy with God - and where we even come when things seem all discombobulated in the Church, such as our present times. Our church is a place where I come when I am especially searching and tormented and need consolation. I know Jesus is there in the most unique way in the Eucharist, in the focus on the altar, the Word, and the tabernacle.

We are named Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ. May we each be faithful to the challenge and comfort. 

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For my connections with the parish over these past 45 years. Also with a prayer of gratitude for our new pastor who was installed as pastor yesterday.