So Far Transition Has Been Smooth

[Theologian in Training]

[quote name='journeyman' date='Jul 17 2005, 11:24 PM']Theo . . .  eye contact with the back row will come with time and practice . . .  no more than one subject and verb per sentence . . . and except in extraordinary situations, no less. . . . or did your homiletic commentator say "verve"

our visiting pastor confessed to not knowing anything about wheat, or mustard seeds . . . but yeast and baking bread took him back to his childhood . . . so that's what we heard about in our parish this morning
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Perhaps it was verve. Hey, I am still new, and trying to find a style. I know people are not as patient, but if I am not patient in finding a style then I will be rushing to give out garbage. Granted, God does give the words to say, but I am still working on being the instrument through which He works.

Ah well, I am not concerned...the pastor liked it as did the associate priest....they understand I am still working at it.

God Bless

[homeschoolmom]

a guy fainting during mass yesterday... Our new priest handled it pretty well... I always wondered what would happen in a situation like that.

[Theologian in Training]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' date='Jul 18 2005, 12:09 PM']a guy fainting during mass yesterday... Our new priest handled it pretty well... I always wondered what would happen in a situation like that.
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Thing is, you don't know how to handle that because you are not prepared. We actually "paused" Mass, and the priest went down and gave him general absolution. Then thinking things were OK, we continued with Mass as we waited for the ambulance. However, he was getting progressively worse, so we "paused" Mass again, and while the priest anointed him, I ran over to the rectory to get the pastor. I ran back and did the Prayers of The Faithful and Mass went on as usual....with the EMT's outside the door, so we would hear the defibrillator power-up and hear "clear".....definitely an experience I will not forget.

However, at the same time, from the little bit of time that I knew the guy, I know if he were to have died, it definitely would have been after the Creed. In fact, we had just said "We believe in One God," and he dropped into the pew, sitting down, eyes closed, almost sounding as though he was snoring or gurgling....it was sad but definitely a holy death for a man who deserved it.

God Bless

Edited July 18, 2005 by Theologian in Training

[homeschoolmom]

Wow! that's way more "exciting" than what happened in our parish yesterday. Our guy just passed out (i think from the heat). By the time Father got there, he was up and being helped out. He went back, we said a Hail Mary and he went on. It was right at the beginning.

[Theologian in Training]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' date='Jul 18 2005, 12:26 PM']Wow! that's way more "exciting" than what happened in our parish yesterday. Our guy just passed out (i think from the heat). By the time Father got there, he was up and being helped out. He went back, we said a Hail Mary and he went on. It was right at the beginning.
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Not just exciting, but very scary as well. There is a sense of wanting to help, but feeling so helpless....

[homeschoolmom]

Yeah, that's got to be a horrible, horrible feeling.

[Theologian in Training]

I just realized my title for this thread....seems th transition is getting a bit bumpier....I best hold on either I am liable fall out....let the ride begin....

God Bless

[Theologian in Training]

I must say that I am getting a little annoyed. First, I get here and need to create a username so I can access the Bulletin, Prayers of the Faithful, etc. I set up an account for myself on the server, but I cannot access the internet. Don't really think much of it and leave it at that. 10 minutes later the secretary is complaining she cannot access certain files, the internet is not working for her, and a whole slew of other problems. I am in a panic, so I restart the server, all is well.

I give a sermon this past Sunday, and during the Creed someone actually dies.

I just now set up my computer (Apple) to print to the network printer....it won't print out properly I think nothing of it, give it one more try....the paper jams and now keeps on jamming.....they need to get it repaired.

It almost seems like anything I touch here breaks or dies.....



</end rant>

God Bless

[homeschoolmom]

Um, well... think of it this way... Having someone die while you are celebrating mass is probably one of the worst things that can ever happen during mass... and well, what's the chance of it happening twice??

[ofpheritup]

I am grateful that the weeds didn't get pulled up but were allowed to grow with the wheat.

There have been times in my life where I HAVE BEEN MORE WEED THAN WHEAT. God was merciful to me and gave me an opportunity to change. I think it is called a second chance.

To the issue that the rich have everything they need. My sister is rich and miserable, I am poor and happy. Which is very irritating to my sister.

Homily for next week. DEATH, COFFIN, YOUR U-HAUL AND YOU. :bugeyes:

Edited July 20, 2005 by ofpheritup

[Theologian in Training]

[quote name='ofpheritup' date='Jul 20 2005, 12:53 PM']Homily for next week. DEATH, COFFIN, YOUR U-HAUL AND YOU.  :bugeyes:
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Interesting take on the "pearl of great price"

God Bless

[Theologian in Training]

I am not going to complain, because I am tired of doing that.

I merely ask for your prayers again. Just so I can gain some insight into what needs to be said in this weekend's homily. I don't think I ever realized how difficult writing a homily actually is until I had to do it every weekend. So, for those that criticize priests and deacons for giving horrible homilies, you might try writing your own or give them a little more credit. I realize now that some of them are trying their best....if even their best is less than mediocre.

What a humbling experience it is writing homilies....I have a whole new respect for amazing homilists now.

God Bless

[philothea]

Prayers, as long and as often as you want them.

Does it get easier over time, maybe? I hope so.

Sympathies. I can only imagine how stressful it is to have to come up with something to say to all those people. I can't even read at a mass without going into a panic. (I need a wimp smiley.)

One parish I visit, the priest gives a homily every day. Dang.

[ofpheritup]

I accept priests for who they are and realize that the homily is a small part of the process. SO BREATHE, RELAX. Speak from your heart and throw in a little life experience. When we know "you are in the boat with us we'll just love you all the more."

We used to have a priest who "one on one" was great. Homilies were just not his thing. We knew it he knew it, why cause he told us .
We loved him just the way he was.

Nab the Holy Spirit and ask for help. We will be praying for you.

[Theologian in Training]

I want to, once again, thank everyone for their prayers and support. I have finally finsihed my homily, and I am actually quite pleased with it in comparison to the one I wrote last weekend. So, if anyone has any comments, though they will be acknowledged I can almost guarantee I am not going to change anything, because I had to really carefully craft this homily, which will make sense why when you read it.

Again, thank you all

God Bless

Today we come to this Mass with a heavy heart. First, by saying our final farewells to N, whom, based on the funeral, I am disappointed I never met, and then doing the same, just yesterday, with N, who just last Sunday, sat in that pew right over there, and with his last breath professed the Creed of the Church; dying the way he lived, in perfect conformity to the words he believed, words of fidelity to the Church he loved.

Quite an eventful week for your new deacon, to say the least, but an experience definitely all its own.

And yet, to be honest, I don’t think any of us, myself included, can really go through that without taking some time to reflect on those events and really question what they mean to us. In fact, I would almost find it a bit strange if we merely ignored it and pretended as though it never really happened.

It is with this mindset that I would like to offer a reflection on the Gospel today, because I think, in really reflecting on this Gospel what stands out is that we are given a lesson on life and how, in essence our lives are, in many respects, a preparation for death.

Now, please understand I am, by no means, trying to sound morbid in saying this, but I think it serves as an important reminder of our own mortality and that we too need to be ready, ready, as the man in the parable was, to sell everything for a treasure in a field, to leave it all behind for something greater, the treasure of heaven, the pearl of great price.

This is what Jesus constantly tells us we must do in order to gain the kingdom of heaven, and it is no different today. To sell, like the rich young man, all we have, and be ready and willing to do so, never attaching ourselves to anything or anybody that may keep us from entering the heights of heaven.

Many saints and classical spiritual writers called this detachment, a term many are not too familiar with today and to some, may almost seem antiquated. However, be that as it may it is still something that is actually practiced even today. In fact, think about the soldier, who leaves his wife and family to go and serve his country, knowing he may never return to see them again. Or, the young men and women who still enter cloistered monasteries, leaving behind their family, friends, and possessions to exclusively follow God alone. In each case, painfully letting go of what they treasure most in life, to attain a greater treasure, freedom and justice or an unhindered and loving union with God.

We too, do the same, of course not to the same extreme, everytime, during Lent, when we give up that which we most treasure and love in this life as a reminder, if even momentarily, how fleeting and passing that we have given up truly is.

In fact, it reminds me of a story I once heard about a little girl in first grade who would ignore the parish priest every time she saw him. He would say hello and she would keep walking. This went on all during Lent; he was frustrated trying to think of what was going on.

On Easter morning she comes running up to him and jumps in his arms and gives him a hug and screams 'HAPPY EASTER'. Bewildered he asks her, "Why have you been ignoring me all this time?"

She said, "Remember you said for Lent we had to give up something we loved. Well I love you. I gave you up for Lent."

When we let go, we do it for a purpose, for a person, we do it out of love. We don’t do it out of fear of people or of attachments themselves, but so that we can focus our attention on what matters most, on who matters most. It is not so much getting rid of stuff, or leaving people behind, but rather, having our priorities straight, by putting God first and always living that recognition; what the saints meant when they would do something for the poorest of the poor because they saw Christ in that person.

True detachment then is not giving up all we own and all we know, or being poor, rather, it is being drawn closer to Christ by those things we have and those people with whom we love.

In the end then, our life is a preparation to see Him as He is face to face, to, as St. John of the Cross instructs: "Live in the world as if only God and your soul were in it; then your heart will never be made captive by any earthly thing."

Again, I am not trying to be ideal, and trying to imply that this is easy. Rather, I am merely trying to invite us all, myself included, to perhaps take a look at what keeps us attached, what binds us when we should let go, what keeps us from seeking God first and, in doing so, to seek true detachment so that we too can be ready to sell all we have in order to buy the true pearl of great price.