"There is something very comforting about evening services...maybe it's because I always associate evenings with family and home. The only thing more comforting than your own home... is God's House in the evening."
And at the end of Catechesis today, Jeff Schwarz commented on a thought that occurs to him as he assists in distributing the Sacrament, and he sees our very oldest members come, at times, nearly crawling to the table, and holding tight to their Jesus and he thinks of the countless snares Satan has laid for them in their lives, and yet here they are toward the end of life itself, still holding fast, unmoved, clinging to their Savior. Take that, Satan! Our Lord triumphs in them!
How can a pastor's heart not be filled to joy with two such comforting and beautiful thoughts!
How can a pastor's heart not be filled to joy with two such comforting and beautiful thoughts!
One of the dynamics in the pastor and
ReplyDeleteparishioner relationship over a long
period of time is the learning that
takes place. It becomes a two-way
street, the parishioner learns
spiritual truths from the pastor and
the pastor learns spiritual truths
from the parishioner. In this way
everyone is learning on their journey
from earth to heaven. May the Lord
continue to bless your parish.
In my vicarage congregation was a 100 year old parishioner, who lived by himself for part of the year that I was there. He faithfully came to church every Sunday. Being 100, he was not as spry as in his younger years. But every time the sacrament was offered, he was there. He would come from his seat in the back of the nave, and shuffle forward. I don't think that one foot ever made it in front of the other, but he slowly, surely, and steadily came forward. The Lord invited him to come to the table. He wasn't going to tell the Lord no.
ReplyDeleteJeremy
All the dear oldsters need to know how much it encourages ME to see them in church. They might think they can't do much anymore, but their presence there despite all the sorrow and pain that can come with advanced age is such a comfort to me.
ReplyDelete