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Halitosis and the Holy Mass

September 27, 2011

I’ve been meaning to write about this for some time now. It’s just that it’s such an awkward topic to address. But… here goes.

Spread the word! Far and wide!

You see, every Sunday at Mass, often even at daily Mass, someone, or usually several people, comes forward to receive the Eucharist in a state of reverence, and when they respond “Amen,” the Priest (or extraordinary minister,) is bowled over by the most horrible smelling breath one can imagine. It happens at every Parish, all the time.

It’s all one can do to stay standing, and to suffer as did the saints, in silence.

We Priests, I realize, have our own issues. We don’t always look great, we don’t always smell great either. This is just a public service announcement!

A good habit to get into: practice sound oral hygiene before Mass.

Please? And tell a friend.

I promise, I will too.

Here are some Home Remedies for Bad Breath.

And a how-to: Preventing Bad Breath While Fasting

And most importantly, How to Tell a Friend.

Amen.

A Picture, a List, and a Conclusion

September 25, 2011

I came across this enormous, huge oak tree the other day at the recently reopened Camp Salmen. I wish someone were standing in the picture for perspective because, frankly, it’s ginormous.

I’m working on a Camp Salmen post for some time this week.

A Quick List

Our Deacons preached this weekend, and I have to say they did a marvelous job.
Every time I turned around today a Letter to the Phillipians was being read. First in the Office, then again in the Office from one of the Church Fathers, then at Masses.

When a reading jumps out at me for no particular reason (I hear many different readings, all the time after all,) I figure the Holy Spirit is trying to get my attention. So then I test the spirit to be sure, and go with the discernment. (Life is so complex at times.)
I keep coming back to this:

Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
each looking out not for his own interests,
but also for those of others.
I love this passage / verse. I’ve also grown jaundiced enough to realize that many others will not be living this way. But… that doesn’t matter.
A growing lesson I’ve been taking away from the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, is that holiness is often unrecognizable in the world.

Jesus lived a small, unrecognized life out on the edges of humanity, and then was murdered. Yet his legacy blossomed and changed the world.
So, each of us who profess to follow Jesus Christ, is called to live with the humility expressed in St Paul’s Letter to the Phillipians; and all throughout Scripture of course.

“Humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.”
Oh. That could be tough.
The biggest help that we can have for the world is to seek holiness in our state of life.

For some that’s in business, some in education, some in politics, some in their roles as parents, etc… Wholeness, and holiness, are what brings the world into balance.

In Conclusion

I wish I had more to offer this evening, but I don’t. It would be a corny analogy to compare the effects of a true and authentic personal sanctity to a little acorn which grew into a mighty oak. So I will not do that!

Hmmm… I just did that, didn’t I?

It’s a good analogy, so we can leave with that.

Holiness. It’s what’s important.

Blue Sky Dawning

September 22, 2011

Fresh on the heels of being complimented for having good photos on my website, I’m posting awful photos.

I apologize.

I tried!

I framed. I snapped.

I dodged and burned and filtered.

I masked. I Gaussian blurred!

Then I started all over again. Again and again.

But I had used a different camera, and then got caught up in the busyness of the day.

And I always get caught up in looking at the sky. The sky is a thing of beauty.

On today:

The Convocation for Priests was very enjoyable and energizing.
It was also strangely exhausting.
I’ve determined that I don’t sleep well in most hotel rooms.
That has nothing to do with the Convocation, but it explains why I was up at 4AM watching Pope Benedict’s Adress to Berlin.
In honor of the Holy Father’s trip to Germany, I ate sausages and potatoes for breakfast.
I wish I had eaten cereal.

From Pope Benedict’s address this morning:

?”Freedom requires a primordial link to a higher instance. The fact that there are values which are not absolutely open to manipulation is the true guarantee of our freedom. The man who feels a duty to truth and goodness will immediately agree with this: freedom develops only in responsibility to a greater good.

Such a good exists only for all of us together; therefore I must always be concerned for my neighbours. Freedom cannot be lived in the absence of relationships.”

This actually goes perfectly with our theme of Presbyteral Unity.

So did the reading from St. Paul in the Office yesterday:

“…live a life worthy of the calling you have received, with perfect humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another lovingly. Make every effort to preserve the unity which has the Spirit as its origin and peace as its binding force.”

You know, it’s not always easy bearing with one another lovingly. It’s just… not always easy.

And I did get around to taking another picture of the hotel, careful to not get any palm trees into this architectural triumph of a shot. Chrome and soft dawn sky colors don’t really blend.

And after all that, I like the picture better with the palms in it.

We had a great several days reflecting and giving input on Presbyteral Unity. Many thanks for everyone who offered prayers for us!

Much like freedom, the Priesthood cannot be lived in the absence of relationships.

St. Padre Pio, pray for us.

Blessings and Irritations

September 20, 2011

Here at the long awaited Convocation for Priests there are lots of… well, there are lots of Priests. I think every Priest serving in the diocese is here. It’s a blessing to have everyone meeting together, and getting involved in discussions on Presbyteral unity. It’s positively inspiring.

It’s not without it’s irritations however. I ran into someone I have an old resentment towards. And while I was trying to be kind and charitable, I still ended up grimacing and walking away.

Ordinarily, I’m the very model of Christian charity, (and humility of course,) but evidently I have a ways to go with some relationships. Or maybe it’s just accepting some situations which is my task. Perhaps it’s just letting go of old hurts. Or, maybe it’s just accepting the fact that oil and water don’t mix.

Whatever it is, I’m sure a good night’s sleep will help it.

And the room’s are very comfortable. This is, indeed, yet another blessing for which I am extremely thankful.

Then, I was trying to take the artistic shot of the hotel at the top of the page (you can clearly see that it’s very artistic.) I was trying to let a Priest pass in his car in the street so that I could take this photo, and he kept very politely tooting his horn for me to go ahead and cross.

I waved him on. He tooted his horn for me to cross. I waved him on, he tooted. Back and forth it went… Back and forth.

Finally I crossed the street, snapped this picture along the way, and got on with things. It’s a busy day you know.

Maybe tomorrow I can had back out into the street and get the palm fronds out of the way. They’re very irritating.

St. John Vianney, pray for us!

Music at St. Mary's

September 19, 2011

I love this Pie Jesu, by Duruffle.

This photo was taken after everything was done and right before I left. I realized I had left the lights on upstairs, and had to take another hike back up to the top.

But, this morning I played the Duruffle Pie Jesu on this organ, which is about three stories up and a block away from the string players and the soloist.

It’s the kind of challenge I thrive on. St. Mary’s Assumption is a beautiful church, by the way.

Lots of stairs were involved.

What is this way up at the top of the arches, high above the sanctuary? An all seeing eye looks over the Church… Makes one wonder, it does.

It was a beautiful, prayerful, and musical morning in the Church.

I followed up with a trip out to St. Louis Cemetery #3, and found the gravesite of Margaret Haughery.

But that’s another story, for another time…