Sadly, true!

After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say: "I want to see the manager!"

Willliam S. Burroughs

Apples and humanity . . .

Every season has it's promise but I think I like Fall the best. Even in California, we get some cooler crisp to the evenings and hope we actually get brisk weather for the Winter holidays. The best part of the Fall is apple season! We live about 45 minutes away from Oak Glen where you can go right to the orchards and purchase apples just picked that very morning.

We have a couple of favorite places to go but the best one is run by an elderly couple and their dog, Daisy. The gentleman will not let you buy apples until you try them and listen to his stories. We have learned to put aside the time to enjoy this visit. There have been people who show up, mentally push the man aside, and demand so many pounds of this and that apple and refuse his offer of a sample. His face remains calm but you can see feelings of hurt and regret about a moment lost.

It is not only the stories and the apples we go for but the kindness and respect the couple show for each and every customer. They remember us from visit to visit. We cherish these times for the unique apples he raises, our drive up to the mountains, and the stories that go with each variety of apple.

We developed a longing for a specific apple that only shows up towards the end of the season. It was kind of funny as in our anticipation of this event, we kind of rushed our joy in the many types we purchased and sampled in the months before. Yes, we got a bushel of the desired, long-awaited apple. No, it was not as splendid as we remembered. It was unusual, not often seen/heard of, but not quite as tasty as some of the previous harvests.

I think we treat life this way, too. We look so forward to one, specific event and just touch on all the potential happiness on the way to it.

Judge not . . .

Over the years, we have sponsored children/seminarians through the Catholic Foundation for the Children and Aging. Someone, looking at the photo of 'my' little girl in Peru, remarked, "She looks pretty well-dressed to be needing your financial help. I heard the same remark from someone when my mother was showing him pictures taken during World War II in Germany. He said, "I heard everyone was hungry and sick. You all don't look that bad."

Both people judged by the picture. I have come to find out that when a child gets assigned a sponsor through the above-named organization, everyone rejoices for them and the whole village/neighborhood loans them the best for the photo. They might be poor and in need but they want to look nice. Same with my mother. She said that when anyone took a picture, people pulled their lives away from the war for the moment and spruced up the best they could.

In both instance, people judged by what they saw and left their opinion at the superficial level. We have all been guilty of that, from time to time, and you have to wonder what terrific people you will never become friends with because you judged hastily. There is a lot of evil in the world today. It is a shame to miss out on including all the good people you can find in your life.

Democracy doesn't count . . .

The State of California is basically sitting by and watching the destruction of Democracy. Elected officials who are supposed to uphold the majority rule, have let the majority down. A person with a vested interest has been given the 'deciding vote' which naturally went the way of the agenda at hand.

I'm talking about the much-publicized Prop. 8 which states that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Regardless of where you stand on this issue, the fact is that the majority of California voters, voted in favor of this proposition TWICE yet one judge decided to throw it out. The judge is publically gay which means it was acted upon by a prejudiced party with a vested interest in the outcome.

There are a lot of other things about our government and world that I'm not happy about but when the majority votes one way, the minority should not be able to throw it out because they disagree with the outcome. I mean, why vote? Isn't this kind of a dictatorial act?

Face it, not one group is ever entirely happy once the votes are counted. You rejoice when your viewpoint is honored. You are sad and vow to work harder when your idea/proposition is shot down. California was given the vote on Prop. 8 twice and the same conclusion came about twice.

There is rejoicing among some factions over the judge's decision. Even though they 'won', they, like the rest of us, lost today. Our government clearly showed that voting was for 'fun' and the majority doesn't necessarily win. Democracy started the death march today and everyone lost.

Padre Pio knew best . . .

“Ahead! Courage! In the spiritual life, he who does not advance goes backward. It happens as with a boat which always must go ahead. If it stands still the winds will blow it back.” ~St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Bitterness vs. Spirituality . . .

We have a typical, Novus Ordo parish where a detour from the Rubrics has and does happen. We have the poorly trained Extraordinary Ministers and a couple who just decided they could do it sans training . . . which shows. I'm not always happy with what I see or experience but am usually able to keep my focus on the altar, the priest, and the miracle that God through Jesus Christ has granted us there. The human mistakes are momentary while the Eucharist is for eternity.

It is sad, however, when some of the more orthodox crowd lose sight of the Eucharist in their dismay over Rubrics and voice their bitterness frequently and loudly. It is like the hatred of things not going entirely in line with Rubrics is replacing their chance at experiencing the spirituality of the Mass. Unfortunately, it runs over into their peers and you have to wonder what the long-terms effects will be. Their feeling is that if everything was done exactly right, life would be perfect. Well, Adam and Eve decided the question of perfection and, sometimes, you have to work around the imperfections to find the grace.

I've seen both sides of the liberal/conservative coin. I found it interesting, in my time attending a more conservative parish, that the conservative people couldn't let go of whatever might be happening in more liberal parishes. It is like they were bringing their bitternes into their preferred Mass. Seems to me that if you can't leave the bitterness behind, you are tainting the perfection you are looking for in church.

Now, I prefer the peace of a consevatively celebrated Mass. I didn't find it at the conservative parish. Ultra-conservative people, in my experience, are more judgmental even towards the people trying to worship with them. In fact, the attitude of the conservative parish actually drove one of my children FROM the Faith and left him with . . . bitterness.

I was told, this morning, by a particularly angry woman that she was leaving our more liberal parish to attend the very conservative one full time and I should go, too. I attended that parish for over twelve years. I was only able to leave behind bitterness and find peace by leaving that parish.

Yes, we get peeved at some people's perception of how to participate in the Mass. We have made a name for ourselves by NOT going along with that kind of stuff. The difference is that after Mass at the liberal parish, people come out and are still friends. When we didn't fall in line with the more orthodox parish views, we were often left out.

I have to wonder, however, at how adamant some people have been towards me about their idea that going to a liberal Mass will cost us our spirituality. I think it may be that they might not have the spirituality to go it on their own no matter what Mass they attend. To me, daily Mass is always food for the soul regardless of the problems. The priest celebrates with the correct words, Christ comes down from His Cross into our hearts, and all can be well with the world if you cut the bitterness and invite the spirituality.

I have heard said that the Masses you attend while you are alive speak more in your favor then the ones said for you after you are dead. I'm pretty sure God counts EVERY Mass and doesn't count out any Mass attended with a good attitude. Besides, attending Mass 350-plus times a year vs. the required 52 will be credited at your personal judgment day.

Got that right!

"Too bad the only people who know how to run the country are busy driving cabs and cutting hair."
-- George Burns