Today's readings: February 26, 2009
Reading One: 30:15-20 ;
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 ;
Gospel : Luke 9:25-29 ;
go to this page(for all three sections listed above on one page)
And here's some audio file; & reflections (video)
My ride to Franklin, NC was wonderful. For about an hour while driving through the mountains, beams of light cut through the clouds, that looked like the ribs of a fan. These beams stretched from the north side of my view all the way to the south, with the sun at the center. The view was even more extreme due to my polarized sunglasses, that softened the brightness of the sun and made it much easier to see, though it was still viewable to the naked eye. The rolling mountains of western North Carolina were a perfect background. And in one of those wonderful Holy Spirit moments, a song on the radio had lyrics that said something like that the heavens shined with your Glory and that the mountains were joyfully proclaiming your praise. It was all that and then some. What an amazing world we live in, if we just open our eyes. I was so thankful to be alive and living in this paradise.
The people I met on the road were also such a treat. So many smiles, people sharing stories with each other, a mother chiding her son in church, and lots of laughter, much of it gently poking fun at each other. little tweaks offered in kindness and love, the edge of being bitter not part of the equation. My favorite example came a few minutes ago, when the lady serving up coffee inside McDonalds yelled at a guy leaving the door... I Said (she said this quite loudly, it was funny)... Have a nice day. The sleepy fellow leaving had no option left, but to smile and return a quiet laugh.
Last night was spent sleeping in the back of the SUV, since it was very cold outside, in the low 30s - so I thought it best to sleep in the back in case it got too cold. As it turned out, I had a great nights sleep and was quite comfortable. But before I went to bed, I did get a little worried about what some other folks might be thinking, concerned someone might call the police and tell them some crazy guy was sleeping in the parking lot. I imagined waking up in the middle of the night, with flashlights shining in the window, and a loud knock from the police wanting to rouse a man trying to stay warm and get some sleep. My concerns were unfounded, but I'll admit there was some consternation and worry. My night prayers were very helpful in assuaging those concerns and I fell asleep in just a few minutes.
This morning has been excellent. I took a short walk with my dog, and we were greeted by a little rabbit that we disturbed from its sleep. It scampered off in a hurry, and though my dog saw him, he didn't give chase, saying in dog language... hey, I'm too old for that, I just don't feel like chasing it now. He was happy to get his breakfast and I had a good laugh, as I realized in the morning light, that the parking lot I selected to sleep in, was adjacent to the police station and the ems. How funny life is sometimes. No wonder I was concerned about getting rousted by the police.
Off to mass at Saint Francis of Assisi. I am blessed to have an hour or more to quietly offer my prayers to such a wonderful and gracious God. I have no idea what today will bring. I am planning to ask Father Tien after mass if he has any chores he might like me to do. But I have no idea if he will accept my offer. Whatever happens, I find myself feeling great, knowing God is with me.
