Now I've seen everything!

I the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. (Isaiah 48:17)

Coming to the end of the second week of Advent, we should now be at a point where we reflect on three things:

·      We are not of this world

·      We should reflect on the seriousness of sin, and

·      We ought to prepare ourselves for the final judgment.

We are constantly bombarded by anti-Catholic behavior, thoughts and idols that exalt the things of this world. It would be better for us to give our God greater time so that we might better receive His message. If we listen and learn from the Lord, we won't have to be concerned with the passing things of this world, things that will not last.

The choice is ours: will we follow Jesus on the path to holiness, or will He in judgment compare us to something else? (Matthew 11:16)

The choice is ours!

I haven’t seen it all, but I’ll say it anyway!—

“Now I’ve seen everything!”

I made plans to attend Mass for today’s Holy Day of Obligation at Holy Spirit church inFresno.  I had been there once before and remarked on the opulence.  I had forgotten just how opulent it is, and that grandeur really stands out in the evening darkness.  The fountain out front is lit up, and the stained glass windows seem 60 feet high! 

The church is in the Northern end of Fresno, near Clovis.  That’s the “wealthy” part of town.  They are not pretentious about it, though it’s obvious in their manner of dress, the types of cars in the parking lot (I felt like I was “slumming” the place up) and their general demeanor.  But they are very good Catholics nonetheless, and the Mass was very pious (except that the lector and the celebrant seemed to “rush” through the readings and prayers.)  They had a 25 or 30 member choir all dressed in red albs.  It reminded me of the high school choir competition in the movie “Sister Act”.

But I’ve seen that before.  What I haven’t seen however, is a parishioner using an iPad as her missal!  Until tonight.  I watched her as she pulled up the hymns, the readings and even the ordinary (new translation) of the Mass.  It’s unbelievable, where technology has taken us!

I’m taking Mom South with me on Sunday after Mass.  She hasn’t been down there since last January, after Bob’s funeral and the Christmas holidays.  She and I made plans earlier this year to go down, but one thing after another made it clear to us that we weren’t meant to go at that time.  So Mom is really “chomping at the bit” to go see her other children (not that I’m not a regular bundle of kicks and giggles each week, but Dick and Jane are coming up to LA from Texas as well, so she can visit both my brothers and their families as well as Marilyn and her kids all at once). My prayer intentions for Saturday and Sunday this week will be for a safe trip for all of us who are traveling, and a Blessed Christmas season for all of my family!  Please pray for us!