Funny Memories

 Found these on Facebook: 

Your funniest moment as an alter server server was........

Msgr: "Let us prayyyy!"

Server:

Msgr: "*Ahem* Let us prayyyy!"

Server:

Msgr: ".....Let us get the boooook"

Server turned beet red and came running with tears of embarrassment streaming down his face. Msgr comforted him and all was well.

The bell clapper came off in my sweaty hand right before Sanctus. No way that wire was going back in, so I improvised. I held the clapper in my left hand and shook the bell so the ball hit the sides. It sounded different, but Father was happy when I 'splained and told me to get the pliers.

Lit the advent wreath on fire, trying to reach the candle. Technically it was a ribbon attached to the wreath that ignited.

My brother and I were serving at midnight Christmas Mass, my brother fell asleep on the altar.

Father's sleeve knocked a Host off the ciborium and he didn't notice it.  We servers looked at each other.  Then one of us picked it up and just placed it on the altar.  Father saw it, and just picked it up and put it in with the others in the ciborium.   Then one of the boys said, "Thirty second rule."  We lost it.

Believe None of What You See

 The reason I read "How the Light Gets In", is because I read Louise Penny's book before this one.  I had to know what happened to Chief Inspector Gamache and Inspector Jean-Guy Beauvoir.  Book # 8 left me hanging.  I just had to follow up and read # 9.

     Louise Penny did not disappoint.  Gamache's back was against the wall.  His department was gutted.  His friend, Jean-Guy was alienated from him.  Gamache finally just resigned--literally.  It maybe, forever, but I have to read the other mysteries to find out.

     In this one, Gamache has to go into hiding.  Of course, Three Pines is the place.  Gamache's supervisors, and even the premier of Canada, are all in cahoots against Gamache.  They were making a lot of money by not doing the construction work they should have done.  Structures were going to collapse.

      Fortunately, Gamache's plans pan out and the good guys win, again.  I love happy endings.

Prayer Request

 My "cloistered brothers" are walking around dazed.    "None was there when I had my fatal hour": on the death of Jorge L. Zerquera - Reinventing PeaceReinventing Peace (tufts.edu)

Sunday School isn't Cool

 

My parish put up its creche.  I brought my grandchildren to see it and say a prayer.  They didn't want to.  They were embarrassed because their friends might see them.  

I was telling this to the Faith Formation Director and she said she knows.  Children don't want to go to Church or Faith Formation Classes.  It's not cool.

I don't know what to do to change the culture, help my grandchildren.  Come Holy Spirit!

Beautiful Music is a Mystery

 Louise Penny's novel, The Beautiful Mystery is very well researched.  I gather that Louis Penny is not Catholic, yet her knowledge of monastic life and Dominicans adds great authenticity to her tale.

The monks are Gilbertines, an order that disappeared from sight around the 1300's.  In the novel, their monastery is on an island in Canada--very isolated.  They were very specialized in singing chants.  To raise money, they released a CD.  The monks got the money they needed.  Also, however, came the fame, which they didn't want. This cause the monks to be divided.  There were those who wanted to do more CDs and those that resisted.  The conflict led to the murder of the choir director.

This is where Chief Inspector Gamache and Inspector Jean-Guy Beauvoir, come in.  They track down the murderer.  Additionally, is the story line of Gamache's boss and Jean-Guy's drug addiction.  The book actually ends with Jean-Guy abusing drugs--again and angry at Gamache.  Now I know Jean-Guy eventually married Gamache's daughter, so Jean-Guy and Gamache must come together again, somehow.  I've just got to get the next book. to find out.  Louise Penny is clever, isn't she?

The murder mystery is interesting.  I'm not a music person, myself.  But since I've read this novel, I'm listening to Gregorian chant and trying to appreciate it.  Appreciating chant would have given me a taste of the mystery's theme.  If I loved chant, I would have understood the monks better.  But murder?  Well, music is said to tame the savage beast.  Chant is said to be conversing with God.  

A Dominican even enters the scene from 400 years ago.  No, he's not 400 years old, but the Inquisition had been looking for the Gilbertines since they disappeared from sight.  Their fame brought them to the attention of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (Inquisition).  400 years!! Now you know why the Dominicans are called "hounds of the Lord." But I don't think the Gilbertines need fear the Dominicans, this friar fell in love with their chant, as he helped solved the murder.  He's the one who understood the ancient markings on the scroll, the murdered monk was clasping in his dying hands.

This novel had all the elements that I love: religion, murder in a monastery, monks, Dominicans, cops, and tension between employers and employees.  And it leaves the characters hanging just enough for me to order the next book in the Gamache series.  

The Final Doxology

 

LECTIO;

Rom 16:25-27

Brothers and sisters:
To him who can strengthen you,
according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages
but now manifested through the prophetic writings and,
according to the command of the eternal God,
made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith,
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ
be glory forever and ever. Amen.

STUDIUM:

Good Grief, Paul!  This is one long salutation!  However, it's at the end of this letter to Romans.  It's called the Final Doxology.  A doxology is a hymn of praise to God.  Is one of Paul's titles "Saint of verbosity?"

MEDITATIO:

I get it, Lord.  You are God.  You are omnipotent, omnisciencent, and we owe everything to You.

ORATIO:

I join Paul in praising You for your love and care, especially giving us Your Son, Jesus.

CONTEMPLATIO:

 Thank You, Jesus, for loving me.

RESOLUTIO:

I must never, never, forget to praise and give thanks to God.

Keep Singing

 

LECTIO

Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29

R. (2a) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"He shall say of me, 'You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.'
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

STUDIUM:

These verses sing the praises of God.  What you don't see is the despair, the defeat, and hardship, that David is living.  In spite of it, David still praises God; that's the point.

MEDITATIO:

I see the very words of God quoted here: "My kindness is established forever; "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity. and establish your throne for all generations."

     David has faith.  I should.  

ORATIO:

Lord, increase my faith.  I need the faith of David.  I want to be steadfast, strong, and loyal.  I plead for the grace of more faith.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Steadfast love leads to faithfulness.