Parish Mission 4th and final night

This was actually a kind of mini-Mass. Only the Old Testament reading and the Gospel, shortened prayers, but longer homily. The night's focus--community.

His thoughts--technology is destroying community a bit at a time. Hard to stop this, but we should be trying. His answers--the small things--go into your bank instead of using the ATM. Use a regular checkout line in the store instead of the self check out. Pay for your gas inside. Why? It is in the everyday human interactions we build community. Park your car outside in the summer. Take walks in your neighborhood. Stop and talk to the lady planting flowers. Stop and chat with the kid playing ball. Offer to pitch a few. Invite the neighbors over for a meal. Send food if someone is sick or a family member has died.

I had an experience of this yesterday at work. A young woman came in. She's been here before--always short on cash--always wanting coffee. Yesterday was no exception. A dime short and I said--no problem--I'll cover it. Small enough thing--I had already made $4 or $5 in tips. But she starts crying. I come around the counter to give her a hug. She says "you don't know how much this means--I am moving to my sister's this week as my boyfriend is going to jail, and six months ago today my mom died so I've just been really depressed. I have no one to talk to about any of this. I just don't know what I will do."

So I say "you'll take life one day at a time--Trust me on this--I know. How long is your boyfriend going to be gone?"

One year--so short a time to me and so long to her. So I tell her. Not all, but enough so she knows I get it. We talk about the practical stuff--getting on visitation lists, getting him a bit of cash now and then so he can buy the practical stuff to make the next year bearable. Getting him into programming quickly. Finding out if he qualifies for work release or job training or anything. Doing all of it soon. The realities of visits. That they will hurt sometimes--take someone with you the first time. So you don't drive home alone.

All this because I chipped in 10 cents for a cup of coffee. Amazing how fast those interactions can take place and how small they can seem to some and how important to others.

OK--back to the mission. :) Combined choirs--both bell choirs and both singing choirs--wow--the sound was impressive. I think we are doing this again for the Bishops visit a week from Sunday. Should be neat.

And we did prayers of the faithful the old more Evangelical way--people with requests standing up and voicing them, with us all answering Lord hear our prayers. So neat. I've become so excited about church again after so long of not feeling like this. I am so grateful for being led to this church.

Now comes the hard part of church--I am starting to get to know people well enough for them to ask about Curt. Where do I go with this and what do I say? I am praying for wisdom and peace about my decisions here. So far--we are separated for now is all I've said. But people see I am still wearing my wedding ring. (along with 3 or 4 others usually). It almost came last night. But I kind of chose to not go there. Decided I was too tired and too emotional (hormonal?--probably time for my period) to really say anything about this right now.

But this has been a good week for me, for my family and my church.