November! This is how my year runs: January through Memorial Day: Dull. Memorial Day through my birthday (July 23): stuff to do, time to relax. My birthday through October 31: run around like crazy. November and December: rebound relaxation. I have a wedding to go to this weekend, but after that I have no Saturday plans through the last week in March. I know things will pop up, but the silliness of not having any peaceful time is over.
Quite frankly all this busyness is not good for me and I know it. I don't eat right because I'm always on the move. I don't exercise because there is no time. My relationships suffer because it's hard to find time to talk, and that includes the most important relationship I have, the one with God.
It's not hard to see the outward effects of all this just by reading these pages, much of the outward enthusiasm I had for Mass Chaos three months ago has disappeared. I am not saying it isn't rewarding, it's just that I'd like to spend some time with my nose in a book, or quiet contemplation sitting in church all afternoon, or going for a quiet hike, someway to decompress from all these social interactions. No one likes to feel rushed, especially with their relationships. We want to enjoy our friends, our experiences, and the creation that God has provided for us.
Lord, I pray for the wisdom to stop and smell the roses. Amen
Frank, Teri, Me, Lindsay, Frank, Brianne, Joe. We are huddled together for warmth.
Location and Architecture:
Saint Cecilia's Cathedral, 701 North 40th Street, Omaha. There was a very good reason I chose the 9:30 Mass, I just can't remember what it was ... we already see that the later in the day we go to Mass, the more Mass Chaos'ers it attracts. My rambling point is, that the church was in use immediately after Mass, and so I didn't have much time to take pictures.
When I went to Mary Our Queen, Father Gutgsell was in residence, as a person who likes a thinking approach to my relationship with God, I had forgotten how smart Father Gutgsell is, and how much I enjoy the way he ties the readings in along with something that makes you think. All this being said I had two emotional/spiritual experiences this weekend. The first was during the creed, I had an intense chill that gave me goose bumps for about a minute. Then later during the homily I thought I heard the flapping of wings, and saw a shadow of something cross the ceiling, I had the thoughts/feeling of a dove ... I'm sure Brianne thought I was crazy as I looked intensely at the ceiling.
Gospel:
"...and Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.'" Luke 19:9
The Gospel reading this week (Luke 19:1-10) is a great summary story about who Jesus is. Firstly we are told that Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus, i.e. sinners want to seek out salvation from their sinful nature. Zacchaeus is unable to see Jesus easily because he is short, this shows us that something in his nature prevents him from finding the Lord.
Jesus finds Zacchaeus in a tree, and calls to him with a command that He needs somewhere to stay. Jesus seeks out Zacchaeus and tells him, not asks him, that he is going to stay in his house. People begin to gossip about Zacchaeus, and when he is confronted *after all Zacchaeus didn't just for the first time think "if I have extorted anything from anyone") he confesses to the Lord.
Jesus then reminds us "...this man too is a descendant of Abraham.", in other words Jesus declares that this man too belongs to God! Jesus concludes that He has come to seek what is lost. Jesus came to seek people such as Zacchaeus, a tax collector, (if you don't understand how hated a tax collector would be to the other Jewish people, you should really make yourself clear on the subject). Jesus isn't here for the spiritually healthy, but for the sick.
If Jesus can save people like Zacchaeus from judgment, my friends He can certainly shepherd you and I as well. Seek the Lord, even if you can't make that last step to Him, He will call to you. Confess what you have done, and He will bring you back to God.
Prayers:
Please pray for:
Tom who is being deployed to Afghanistan, and his wife and two daughters.
Amy and Shannon for protection on their missions.
Frank who is looking for meaningful employment.
Kevin as he prepares for his final year of seminary and the priesthood.
Marcus as he has been accepted into seminary and will be discerning the priesthood.
Frank and Lindsay for blessings on their engagement.
My friend M., who is pregnant, please pray for her and her baby.
My mother Judy to have her back healed.
Next:
Sunday, November 7 @ 11:00am at Mass: Saint Charles Borromeo Parish, 19251 Chandler Street, Gretna. Followed to a visit to the Holy Family Shrine around 1:00-1:30pm, 23132 Pflug Road, Gretna.
Peace, Eric
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