Feb 20 Colgan d. 796

Jack and Thom,
Good Morning, I love you
110211, 2232

A peculiar Friday. Up and out in time for the nine o’clock at St Paul’s. Time enough to pick up coffee on the way to drink while I worked in ‘my’ classroom after.

Our Ubergeros led the liturgy again today. Maybe our pastor is out of town? Fr. Scherer returned us to yesterday’s reflection on his problem with intercessory prayer because after Mass yesterday he and the deacon talked about it. The deacon suggested that maybe, being the deferential deacon that he is, maybe intercessory prayer is part of God’s Plan and not a request for an exception to it. As Fr. Scherer [he’s got to be about 75ish] said, you never stop learning, gaining wisdom, absorbing other people’s piety/holiness.

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, a world day of prayer for the sick. Recall Bernadette and her relationship with her family, her friends, her priest, her community and with Mary. Remember the promises Mary made to us via Bernadette. And pray for the sick often – sick of body, mind, heart, soul, intellect, emotion. We are sick in many ways. Me, for example. I’m blimping out! There are several sicknesses woven into this devolution. Ora pro me.

At the end of Mass, sauntering out along the aisle behind the last rows of pews, minding my own business, zoned in on getting plugged into my laptop, work to do, curious about the latest post-Mubarak resignation news and commentary, there was Marge at the baptismal font, the focal point of the church’s center aisle funneling of exiting traffic, our 9:00 Mass Liturgical Coordinator (she reminds me of Aunt Helen, she even has the same Long Island accent; but she’s at least four inches shorter and probably the same age), pointing her haggardly crooked finger at me. At me? There were three people following behind me. I couldn’t figure out why me.

I pointed to my chest and mouthed ME? In her in charge Ms Benign Napoleon way kept pointing and nodding her head yes. She asked me if I’d be willing to be a reader at Mass. Sure. I’m not going to be here next week but I want to be sure we have everything covered. What Mass do you come to? [I’m surprised she hasn’t that logged in her mind; or, maybe she was being polite. Marge is in charge of everything, it seems around our nine o’clock liturgy and obviously knows everything and everyone – she certainly talks to everyone, her forceful voice piercing any preMass silence.]

I told her to tell me what Mass she’d like me to read for and I’d be there. Next Tuesday? Ok. Then she asked for my first name. I’ve been on her liturgical team as a reader for the 5pm Mass twice now. Oh well. I told her. After she confirmed again next Tuesday, she said to my walking away back, “I’m surprised you didn’t talk to me before this.” I kept walking because when I looked over my shoulder at the comment, Marge was already in a conversation with someone else. Maybe I’ll follow up on that remark.

Maybe, probably, Marge’s asking me is a follow up to the encounter I had Wednesday evening. The woman I passed on the way out after adoration – who was going in to the Respect Life Committee meeting – is Marge’s liturgical coordinator protégé. She’s there every nine o’clock. Bet you a nickel she’s the one who suggested to Marge to ask me to read. Whatever.

Next Tuesday is the sixth week of ordinary time. February 15th has no biggie nor a William, Thomas, John, Kenneth, or Jesuit. But a couple of Irish: Berach and Farannan. (see previous entries for Feb 15th.)


Reading 1
Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10

When the LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil, he regretted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved.

< Concupiscence run amuck! The inertia of evil. God’s Glorious creation with free will gone arie. He’s not talking about starting over here. This is it. Done. Finis. The grand experiment in infinite love over. … God regretted he had made man on the earth. I kinda know how he felt. I too have periodic pangs of regret over my creations of men on the earth. Regrets about my creating other disappointing outcomes but the greatest pain comes when I regret my creations from what I thought was from and for love, forever love, a fulfillment of sacrament and sacrifice, of a vow forever no matter what. Maybe the regret is over being duped et al. but the story of God’s regret is also similar to mine. There are Noahs in my life. I am the waiting and forgiving father vis a vis prodigal sons. >

< God’s heart was grieved. Oh Good Grief! In the depths of regret and grief what should a man do? In the image and likeness of God – or is it just projecting back onto Him? – we should do like He did/does. >

So the LORD said: “I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created, and not only the men, but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air, for I am sorry that I made them.”

< Regret, Grief, Sorry; I am sorry I made them, I am sorry I did any of it. With the disappointment of man, all of creation tastes like ashes in my mouth. Everything else I did pales, withers, decomposes, in the throes of my regrets and grief and sorrow about the creations of my love. So, would that I could erase it all. Not necessarily to start over again just wipe it all out from the earth, from my feeloughts, from existence. Alas, I am not God. I am really not the creator, not even of my love. Once created, you are created by God for His purpose. Perhaps it is His will that I regret, grieve, sorrow and find my salvation through that briar patch. >

But Noah found favor with the LORD. Then the LORD said to Noah: “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just.

< It only takes one. Fortunately for us, God sent His only begotten Son to be our One for once, for all, for ever. Deo Gratias. >

Of every clean animal, take with you seven pairs, a male and its mate; and of the unclean animals, one pair, a male and its mate; likewise, of every clean bird of the air, seven pairs,
a male and a female, and of all the unclean birds, one pair, a male and a female.

< I didn’t remember the “seven” pairs of clean vs. the one pair of “unclean.” It’s remarkable that all of our re-enactments of the Noah and the Ark stories only includes the “unclean” pairs. What’s that tell you about us? >

Thus you will keep their issue alive over all the earth.

< Not only does God choose to sustain His creature Man, but he empowers man to sustain his accompanying animals and creeping critters, and birds. >

Seven days from now I will bring rain down on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and so I will wipe out from the surface of the earth every moving creature that I have made.”

< Regret. Grief. Sorrow. God preserves the one just man and his household. He permits man to keep alive the creatures of the earth. But, let’s try to get it right this time. Not quite the garden of Adam and Eve – Noah wasn’t granted a mulligan for mankind. Let not wickedness and evil take over your heart. >

Noah did just as the LORD had commanded him. < Is not this the definition of the Just Man? Noah definitely got off to the right start. Unlike Adam, do as God tells you to do. Thy will be done. >

As soon as the seven days were over, the waters of the flood came upon the earth. < When God says He’s going to do something, y’all better believe him. >

The lector at daily Mass also leads the responsorial psalm.


Ps 29:1a and 2, 3ac-4, 3b and 9c-10 Responsorial Psalm

R. (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.

< Give to the LORD Glory, Praise; Adoration. In what you do, in what you say, in your very existence praise, adore, and glorify our God. >

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.

< The LORD has a BIG VOICE. He speaks from clouds. He speaks from burning bushes. He speaks in the wind. He speaks in His creation. He especially speaks to us in the people He gives to us. Listen for God’s majestic voice in the whispers of friends and strangers. >

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.

< Say, Glory! Say it with umph! Say it with meaning! Say Glory! with all your heart. Do not boast in yourself, boast in God, let your very existence glorify the Lord. Our king forever! With power over heaven and earth; and the power of His Love freely and forever given to us. >



Mk 8:14-21 Gospel

< obviously, I don’t have the Gospel at Mass.


February 20

Colgan 796

Angels and Saints tells us that Colgan was a friend of Bl. Aleuin. I hope that you are also known for your friends who are called Blessed.

Colgan was called “the Wise.” What are you called? I pray that “wise” is among your monikers.

Colgan was also called “the Chief Scribe of the Scots.” [The Irish were also called the Scots in the eighth century; although, the Scottish were also called the Scots. Could be that Colgan also led a monastery in Scotland. Whatever.] One of the contributions of the Irish to civilization is our having copied the holy books and many of the essential secular tomes throughout the ages, especially during this early period. Some would argue, that this contribution alone ‘saved western civilization.’ We Irish are known to be writers – Amen to that and Deo Gratias.

Colgan was the Abbot of Clanmacroise, in Offaly, Ireland. The leader servant of the community; both secular and religious. When you lead, be aware that you are responsible for leading the spiritual as well as material/secular well-being of the people God has given to you. Think Abbot. Remember the many Irish Abbots; and the Williams too.



Foila is the Co-patroness of Kil-Faile and Kil-Golgan parishes in Galway, Ireland, and the sister of St. Colgan. Thought you’d like to know that too.

I love you,
Dad
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