Last night was the first night teaching my fifth grade class. Before we finished the year this past May, I made the decision to move up with my fourth graders, and I was really grateful that just about everyone signed up to have me be their teacher again.
Yesterday was like a family reunion, and we had so much fun, just talking and learning. We bonded very well last year, and I think that will only continue. I can’t wait to see it happen.
Friday was an interesting day. In the afternoon, I went to a funeral home for the viewing of a gentleman who died in our parish.
Something happened while he was participating in a triathlon, and he died. By all appearances, he was in top shape. He left a wonderful wife and a young son. Just tragic. I pray that the angels led him to paradise, the martyrs greeting him on the way to the heavenly Jerusalem.
As I was driving home, I was really thinking. This man was younger than me, in better shape than me, and yet he was dead. I thought back to my recognition of my own health issues a few years back, and I was very grateful that I made the changes I did. Of course, I need to do a lot more, and it’s hard to stay in maintenance mode. But, you have to take care of yourself, body, mind, and spirit.
Note: I have a lot of new subscribers, so they would more than likely not have read this post, originally published last year on 9/11.
On this tenth anniversary of this great national tragedy, I thought it was worth repeating. Let’s all pray that one day soon, there truly will be peace in our world.
Most people don’t know that the first recorded victim of the terrorist attacks on 9/11 was a Franciscan priest.
I’m still riding high from my retreat that ended last Monday. What a joy it was to have some extended silent time.
I had a lot of positive feedback about the posts I wrote about my experiences, and I hope that somehow I was able to convey my desire that you too might be able to experience some silent time in the not too distant future.
I guess I could have done a post just on all the various barns I saw while I was in the country this past weekend.
It’s amazing to me how different they are from one another, and yet, there were a couple that we almost exactly the same.
While out on my long walks each day, I was also struck by how many barns are falling into disrepair. This one, however, was well maintained. I guess even farmers are stressed out and don’t have time to take care of everything.
I woke up yesterday to let the dog out, and to my right was a very beautiful sunrise. You know the kind, where the whole sky is kind of an orangey-red mix, and the clouds take on a pink-like hue.
I raced inside, got the camera, and then walked to the road to take this photo. My little camera doesn’t do the best job taking pictures of sunrises and sunsets, but I thought it came out pretty cool.
St. Ignatius of Loyola was born in 1491, and died on July 31, 1556. I’ve always been fascinated how the Catholic Church marks the feast day of saints, not by their birthday, but by the day they entered into eternal life.
Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows how much I’ve been influenced by the writings of this saint, especially through his great gift to Christianity, the Spiritual Exercises.
Of primary importance in the Exercises is what St. Ignatius called the First Principle and Foundation.
In Catholic churches this weekend, the gospel reading came from Mark 4:1-20, known as the Parable of the Sower.
The imagery is simple. A sower goes about planting his seed. Some fell on good soil, some on bad. Seeds sprang up, and some survived, others didn’t.
I usually make it out to the Loyola Press website every day to check out their wonderful three-minute retreat. But the last week has been rather tumultuous, and even though I needed to be praying more than ever, in hindsight I missed plenty of opportunities, which included taking just three minutes to use this devotional. I’m sure you can relate.
Today, I went to Loyola’s site and learned that they had come up with a really great way to get immersed in Ignatian Spirituality. They’re calling it 31 Days of St. Ignatius, and even though today (Sunday) marks the third day, you can easily catch up.
This past weekend, I went on a Men’s Retreat with a Catholic group called the King’s Men. Overall, it was a great experience for me and the two guys I went with.
Rustic to say the least, the retreat took place at French Creek State Park in Pennsylvania, not too far from Amish Country.
The 120 participants varied widely in age and background, and came from up and down the eastern seaboard.
Everything the King’s Men do has three common themes running through: How can men be better leaders, protectors, and providers for their families, friends, and community. I got a lot out of how these themes were presented, and overall the retreat left me with much to think about.