I haven't posted on my blog as regularly as I would like, because I like it to be of a certain quality of writing. I just haven't been very pleased with my skills lately. I know what I want to say, but it doesn't sound the same once I put it on paper. I related this to a couple of you who have wondered about my health this week, so to put your fears to rest, I'm going to write an entry tonight to prove I'm not sick, just tongue-tied. ========================================================================
My plan this morning was to attend Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Fresno. This plan would have had two significant meanings for me. The first was to continue my pilgrimage to visit every church in the Fresno and Stockton dioceses. The second was to finally see the inside of the church where I was baptized!
I say finally, because this was my fifth attempt to attend a Mass or just to get inside the doors of OLMC! Every time I have tried previously, no one ever showed up, and there was a “CLOSED” sign in the window of the parish office. Today was no different.
According to the website, daily Masses are Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 AM. So I got there at 7:30 to look around and say a few preliminary prayers before Mass was to start. By 7:50, no one had opened the doors, nor had anyone driven up to the church. I’m beginning to wonder if I’m not supposed to include this church in my pilgrimage until all of the others have been done!
A less-determined pilgrim would have given up on Mass today, but there are plenty of churches I haven’t seen yet, even here in Fresno. I remembered that I would be passing by the diocesan Cathedral (St. John’s) on my way to the store I was working today, so I headed over there. In less than 5 minutes, I was there (on time) for Mass. At first glance, it seemed a lot smaller than my own “home” cathedral in Stockton, the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption. After Mass, I took a couple of minutes to look at it more closely. It does appear to seat less than Assumption, but the sanctuary in St. John’s is much larger and ornate—almost 25% of the entire church is the sanctuary.
About the Mass. It was in Spanish. I attend a lot of Spanish-language masses when I’m out of town. I don’t know why, it just works out that way. It doesn’t really matter, because the structure of the Liturgy is the same no matter what language it’s in. And I usually read the next day’s readings every evening so I don’t miss out on the Liturgy of the Word. I’m getting better at understanding the homilies, too. It’s amazing the number of words I pick up on. What happened at today’s service is an example.
At two different points during the service, cell phones started ringing! They were turned off rather quickly, but not before taking everyone’s attention from the liturgy to the source of the interruptions. After the Liturgy of the Eucharist and concluding prayers, but before the final blessing and “ite misa est”, the priest said (in Spanish), “It is necessary that I speak about respect for Our Lord for a few minutes.” At least that’s what I heard. As I said, I am not fluent or even conversant in Spanish, but I am quite certain the Holy Spirit was allowing me to understand Father’s words. He spoke about the reverential attitude we should exhibit when we enter the house of God to listen to His Word and receive the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of His Son. He reminded us that weekday masses only last about 30 minutes and it was a show of disrespect not to give Jesus our undivided attention while we were guests in His house. He said we should leave our cell phones in our cars before coming to see our Lord.
This got me thinking about the gospel earlier in the week about Mary and Martha. Martha seemed more concerned about the duties of the world, while Mary ignored everything else to listen to the Word. Jesus lovingly told Martha that, while he appreciated her labors, Mary had chosen the better path. Just as I was thinking about this, I heard the priest saying the names of Martha and Mary. Who needs a language class, when you’ve got the Holy Spirit translating for you?
=======================================================================
Now, my reflection for tomorrow:
Faith is a gift from God, as necessary as the air we breathe. In addition to our physical life, He has made us in His image by giving us a human spirit through which He silently communicates His love and truth to us.
Some dismiss this, because unbelief has deafened and blinded them to God. Others are so comfortable in sin that their only concern is satisfying their desires. A third group performs all the visible signs of faith, but has neither "heart knowledge" nor a true love for Christ that develops in those who have a prayerful relationship with Him. The latter are open to receive His gift of Faith, which is a deep-seated, totally trusting belief in God's Word and in His love for all humanity.
These humble, steadfast people live quietly, but they unwittingly provide this world with a strong witness that God, in Christ, is present on earth and ever offering us His graces through His Spirit of love and truth. Jeremiah refers to these as faithful shepherds who will help unite and guide God's people to live in a spiritual covenant that will one day symbolize their nation as a divine throne attracting all the world's nations.
Christ's parable of the "sower" refers to those sent by God to sow His "Seed," to inspire faith in His holy Word by generously casting it upon the minds and hearts of all those in the land. But the seed's growth depends on the "ground" in which it falls.
For example, if the seed falls on an insensitive, foot-hardened path, it will lie there to be stolen by the evil one. Rocky ground may joyfully receive the seed but it lacks sufficient soil to allow the seed to develop strong roots, and the plant dies for lack of nourishment. The seed sown among thorns is suffocated by worldly concerns; earning riches is more exciting than waiting for God's gifts.
Only a rich, yielding, receptive soil will understand what the precious seeds will bring forth, and it gives itself to promoting a large and nourishing crop. It is man who determines the goodness and the growth of God's life in this world.
No comments:
Post a Comment