The Tomb is Empty

This Lenten season has been an extremely busy one. Looking back, it was if I had a checklist of things to get done for both the Confirmation class and my family, as I tried to walk the Lenten journey. As I was alone on the highway this morning, I  thought about how the women came to the tomb  in the dark and silence of early morning, to take care of their deceased Lord. I felt akin to them as all the tasks that I encountered these past forty days, with  all the standard preoccupation, worries and deadlines , have vanished. I now feel as if I am staring into an empty tomb. When I  truly look for my risen Lord, every other thing vanishes. The tomb where I hold all my worries, frustrations, grudges, and fears, is empty.

I smile as I can see the sun rising out my window. Time to get ready for mass and the blessings of the chaos of food, family and friends that will come today as I celebrate Easter.

The tomb is indeed empty!

Take My Hand

"Precious Lord, Take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand;

I am tired, I am weak, I am  worn;

Through the storm, Through the night, Lead me on to the light:

Take my hand Precious Lord, lead me home.


"Herman died this morning." I immediately started to  quietly, reverently hum "Precious Lord."
I also looked to the front pew where Herman always sat, with his hat lying in the empty half pew in front of him. Herman was one of the elders of the church. I was always quite humbled in his presence. Anytime I needed something, I knew I could ask Herman and he would grin at me, tease me, and ultimately help in any way he could.

I have no idea if Herman liked  the song, "Precious Lord " but every time we sang it, I would always watch him sing and think how he always seemed to me to follow the Lord through anything. I would watch him walk down the aisle after church, put his hat on, and take the ministry out to others. 

Herman had a stroke years ago and spent the last several years quietly living with his family. I went to visit him while he was in the nursing home, but only went to visit him at home twice in the last four years.  Herman did not respond to me that first visit at home, but he  did acknowledge me that second time. I am remiss that I never went back to visit after that second time. Maybe I did not return because I was too busy or maybe it was because I did not want to ever visit him again and have him not know me.    We should all be so lucky to be known by someone like Herman.

Herman helped me with the last Confirmation ceremony at Kirby and it is fitting that I am preparing for a large confirmation retreat right now. That last lyric of Precious Lord, "At the river I stand, guide my feet, hold my hand," reminds me that that kind, compassionate man still guides me.        

The Secret to Living Well

Found this is the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center Newsletter:

"I have begun to wonder if the secret to living well

          is not having all the answers

but in pursuing unanswerable questions in good company."
                                                            
                                                        Rachel Naomin Remen



This quote made me sigh...........wistfully.............

You see, its Monday night. Years ago during the consolidation years some of us started to meet informally at the Church on Monday evenings. The official unofficial start time was 7:00. Those who came were to silently pray until about 7:15. I always loved that if someone came in about 7:15, the others would not say a word to allow that person to pray for a little while. There was no hurry to  break the prayerful silence.

We eventually dubbed Monday Evenings "Neri Nights" after St. Philip of Neri, the 'Second Pope of Rome.'  He would frequently have informal sessions with his students where people could wander in and out as they had time and interest.  Neri Nights not only were opportunities to discuss what was going on in our church community, but also  gave us time to pray together and interact. Sometimes we sang from the hymnals, sometimes listened to Cd's or shared reading material, but mostly we shared what we knew was going on in the Catholic Church,  the Diocese or in our own new consolidation.

I can't really remember why we stopped meeting. I hate to think that we grew apathetic about our parish, maybe we just accepted that the faith community that nurtured us was gone? The small parish where many had ownership, has turned into a much larger parish where we have membership. Oh yes, our  new consolidation still has a Bible School, the Mission Fair, CCD and an early morning mass at the St. Mary's sight and for that I am thankful. But too many programs were either dismantled or quietly succombed to a quiet form of oppression. No real 'bad guys' for me to point a finger at and I sincerely do not wish to complain to the well- meaning people in charge. They sincerely want the consolidation to come together yet no one has convinced me yet that coming together does not mean closing the buildings at Kirby.

 I have been quite active in my ministry in the name of Transfiguration and have been in my simple terms, "A Good Soldier".  And I must also admit that I am quite peaceful lately. Is  being peaceful living well? I had assumed so. But that phrase "pursuing unanswerable questions in good company.", won't go away. I actually felt guilty writing in this blog when I have tons of preparation to do for the Confirmation retreat in two weeks for sixty+  confirmation candidates.

Oh well, it's Monday night. I can take a few minutes on Neri Night to pray and contemplate, even if , for  now, it's by myself.  I remember that secret to living well.