Day 55 – 2.5 hours                       396 to go

We, as the church of Christ, are called to care for our widows, the marginalized, the poor.  I wrote recently about a homeless man we pray for.  At our parish, we also “look after” some of the widows in our community (Frank, Liz, Helen, & more).  Last night, I had the blessing of taking one of our marginalized to Stations & the Fish Fry that followed.  He was a simple man who called the rectory looking for someone to take him to Stations & then to Sunday 10:15 Mass.  He had lost his long-time ride at another parish & I happened to be @ our rectory when the call came in.  I took his name & number, called him & made arrangements to pick him up for Friday Stations.  He called 4 times a day during the week to “confirm” our meeting.  He changed his mind once or twice, but last night was waiting in front of his apartment for his return to church.  This man was proud to be a Catholic – he watches EWTN Mass when he cannot attend (no rides) but understood that he missed the Eucharist and wanted to be able to receive the Blessed Sacrament.  This was a man with no formal religious education.  This was a man who only grasps the simplest of ideas and concepts but fully understood the deepest mystery of our Church.  He was gracious and thankful.  He was a blessing to my day.

The DI chapter yesterday continued the challenge of absolute humility.  Titled True Glory, this lesson was about reputations and the need to “put this attachment right behind us.”  St. Teresa of Jesus writes that “many people who have devoted themselves to the spiritual life, and are deserving on account of so many good works, are struggling with their walk to holiness because of overconcern about the esteem we receive from others and the need to make our own point of view prevail.  Wait, is this saying that even though “we are acting completely with an eye to good”, it may be only “a defense of our own pride”?  Is this saying that I should not worry if my friends are turned off to my church life?  Is this really stating that I must not be stressed about what people think of me? – I think I know the answers!!!!!

Friday was forgiveness day.- Psalm 51 & 22 – Saint Gregory’s homily about the innocence and the suffering of Job.  He ended with this thought that plays into the paragraph above: “The cry of the Lord finds a hiding place in us if our lips fail to speak of this, though our hearts believe in it.  So that his cry may not lie concealed in us it remains for us all, each in his own measure, to make know to those around us the mystery of our new life in Christ.”- & I will add, No matter what others think!!!

The day ended with a challenge from James 5: 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed (as in our caring & sharing portion of our Small Church Community gatherings) The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. 19 My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, 20 he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. ⁸  & I will add, No matter what others think!!!

My chaplet was for the people of Haiti & Chile and my rosary was for Ernest, Jean, Janet, & the Orr, Sefransky, Georgetti & Schmitz families

Peace

please join me in a prayer of thanks for our Shepherd in Norwich, the Most Reverd Michael R. Cote & for all of your diocesan bishops