Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Saint John Vianney - Palm Sunday 2011 - Eric

What's Happening:
Since what has seemed like the beginning of Mass Chaos, I have been asking people to pray for my friend M who was pregnant. She finally had her baby last Thursday, thank you for all who prayed about it, baby D is home, healthy, and huge (9lbs 14ozs at birth).

I've been watching the slowness of this spring and watching everything develop at a pace that I'd like to hurry up ... a lot. I looked at the dates on pictures I took of spring flowers last year, and things are a lot more developed at the same time last year than they are this year, and last year was a nasty, long winter. Monday morning while I was driving to work I was thinking about how I'd just like to be so warm that I couldn't stop sweating.

Lent is a season of denial and self examination. There have been moments over the last six weeks when, quite frankly, I didn't much care for myself. Many people would wonder why anyone would put themselves through a stressful self examination.

I wonder if a flower would put itself through winter? Does my friend regret the uncomfortable changes to her body and painful delivery? Should I avoid Lent because I don't like the process of self examination and denial? The process is as important as the journey. God wants us to grow, and although growing is sometimes, at best, awkward, it is still what is best for us. Trust in His process, and receive the result.

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Ron, Frank, Frank, Joe, Beth, me, Marilou, Brianne, Patrick, Jen, and Lindsay.
Look, we're all palm readers ... ha ha ... ha.

Location and Architecture:
Saint John Vianney, 5801 Oak Hills Drive, Omaha. Saint John Vianney is (tall) Frank's home church. I've been to Vianney several times, but never to Mass before. We crowded the entire Mass Chaos crew into one pew, and I had a nice view into the chapel. The baptismal font is amazing, in particular, the woodwork over the font. The choir has a nice area over to the left (altar right). The worship space is bright and comfortable, and the chapel is very cool. Just as a note from a tall person, the seats had lots of leg room.

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If you'd like to see the rest of my pictures from Saint John Vianney, you can click here.

Gospel
"The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest." Matthew 21:9

I wonder, did Jesus the man enjoy this? He was the one man who deserved these kind of accolades, could He enjoy the moment, enjoy His rightful praise? I'd like to think so. This moment was one in which will be repeated in heaven when we sing forever to His glory. He should have ridden in to Jerusalem and had all crowns placed on his head, but instead, we placed a crown of thorns on Him.

He lived a perfect life. We cannot. Jesus knew what was coming, but it did not deter Him from doing what God had planned for Him. Let us do the best we can to be His disciples.

Prayers
Please pray for:
The people of Japan.
The people of the countries in Southwest Asia and Africa in this time of revolution.
Tom who is deployed to Afghanistan, and his wife and two daughters.
Amy and Shannon for protection on their missions.
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.

Next:
April 22nd @ 7:30pm Christ the King, 654 South 86th Street, Omaha

Peace, Eric

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