Happy Birthday Padraig! Hope your day is filled with lots of love and laughter. Many blessings to you.
Thank you all for your kind regards. Offering up mass tomorrow for you all. I was at mass in St Patrick's at 1pm today downtown. Since I am not working at the moment I got time to get in about 30 minutes early to pray. I saw two women talking were I usually sit so I went to the other side to pray. I sat down for about 30 seconds when a man and woman right in front of me very loudly. I retreated to the middle of the Church and after a pause more talking. I wonder if I am a crank letting it disturb me so much. the thought crossed my mind that the problem is not really with them but with me for letting it bother me so much. But to distract myself I wonder who in the Church might be a saint? Who might from what I have seen be the holiest who comes here every day. Well you know I think it is a fairly young African gentleman in maybe his 30's. He is always smiling, always helping out round the Church but he sits very, devoutly in prayer. There is something about him. I just suspect he is very , very holy indeed. All Churches have someone like this. It is fun playing guess the saint. A hobby of mine. My best discovery was a Church in East London many years ago. I discovered and elderly Carribean gentleman who was clearly going into full Ecstasy, right out of himself every time he recieved the Host. No one else seemed to notice. If you have time you should watch this video on Mt Athos. They only put it up about five months ago; it is quite wonderful.
Your birth day... what a beautiful day . The first day you saw this world. How many souls you have touched since then...God surely knew what a gift he created for this world. A soul that would shine at this time of darkness. Happy Birthday !
Just got back with my wonderful wife from celebrating my youngest grandson's baptism. May the superabundant graces that John Isaac received overflow to you, Padraig! Alleluia!
Happiest of birthdays, Padraig!! May the coming year bring as many blessings to you as you have brought to all of us on the Forum! Incidentally, today is my parents’ 52nd wedding anniversary, too!
Thanks again Its wonderful to have these ten days off work to pray. I am getting ready to go to mass early to pray and offer up mass for all here. Yesterday in mass praying I felt such a total flop. My mind scittered off in all directions except the Lord. But the words of Jesus on the Cross came to me to encourage me, 'Thou oh God are Holy Enthroned on the praises of Israel' In other words in the time of Darkness He Looked at the Faith of Israel and this brought Him comfort and ease. He looked down for instance at Mary, the Theotokos, the Ark of the New Convenant. Stella Maris, light in the Dark. So looking round the Church I see God enthroned on the Praises of the New Israel. I saw a gentleman talking and laughing with a beggar outside the Church. He was not only giving money but more importantly his time and his heart. So important; so touching. Inside people wandering around the great Church from Grotto to grotto from Statue and painting praying. So touching, so very ,very Catholic. Such a joy to watch. Now in prayer I tend to be wrapped in the gentle dusk. But I recall when young the raptures and ecstasies. The fire of love that used to knock my of feet to the ground. I sed to cry out to God to sop hugging me with love in case I died. He was like some Great Big bear. Often I though t my heart would explode. Now only gentle dark. But prayer is not about how we feel, I guess when it comes down to it, it is stickability. Like a marriage. First the honeymoon then the bills and crying children. But while the marriage appears to rock it is really rolling along. Deepening. The Seeds planted in the Dark Earth are sprouting below , even though we do not see them. Darkness and dusk are good places to be. They bring promises of growth.
Yes, talkers can be a nuisance but it isn't the worst distraction. I was in town one day last week and paid a visit to a church. There was a man in the front seat playing the uileann pipes. It wouldn't have been so bad had he been an accomplished player but it reminded me of the old Jack Benny comedy routine with the violin except that the violin isn't nearly as loud as the pipes. One tune sounded a bit like Amazing Grace interspersed with the screeches of a tortured cat. The saints in that church were the couple of people who were still there when I left. Hope you had a great birthday.
I'm behind the curve, as usual. A belated wish for a happy and a Holy birthday. And thanks for all that you do.
