August 11, 2022

Reflection

VIGNETTES

Thirty-second scenes or vignettes are happening all the time.

I just happen to

be watching another channel too many times.

A child waves from out  side window of a car - as we are both stopped - parallel to each other - waiting for the red light to change to green- and then both cars move along - going our separate ways.

I pass a pug dog on the street. I'm thinking about McDonald's just up the street. I don't stop to comment about his pugness.  Yet he keeps on walking along on the sidewalk of my mind - as I keep on walking along the sidewalk of my mind - as     I keep walking up the street - with memories of Peppy - a pug I knew - who recently died.

A person yawns without covering their mouth - right in the middle of my sermon - and I think of Judas' question: "Is it I Lord?"

Five guys at Best Buy today are laughing - and celebrating something - very happy at their job at that moment. I'm wondering: how do this store make enough money to pay all these workers in blue shirts? I could have just celebrated their joy.

I brought Jesus to this lady today: Holy Communion. She was totally out of it. I hear her husband call her "mother" - never "Honey" or "Nancy".  I hear the same stories he has told me the last three years. I take a tiny piece of the Sacred Bread: Holy Communion.  I open her mouth with my fingers and I place the Bread carefully on her tongue. I put my hand on the top of her head and the other hand on her jaw and close her mouth.  It works. I've done this before. I stand up and walk into the bathroom and wash my hands. I'm talking all the while. I then give the rest of the tiny round Bread - Holy Communion  - 95 percent of it - to Jack her husband. They are in Holy Communion with each other. He takes the small glass of water he has ready and holds the back of her head and gives her a sip with the small glass of water in his hands. He then toasts me and drinks the rest of the water. He smiles. He knows the ritual.

An old man sees me as I come back to the rectory. He makes the money gesture of rubbing three fingers together. I open up my wallet and take out two twenties. I say,  "McDonald's" and I add, "Get a Big Mac and a chocolate shake and some fries." I add, "Come back tomorrow. The St. Vincent de Paul people will be here." I say, "I waved to you and beeped the other day when I saw you under the bridge at the end of our street and you didn't wave back." He said, "Sorry" then "Thanks" as he went off into the afternoon.

Long day so far. 6:45 Mass this morning. Breakfast with a mother and two daughters and then the vignettes of the day so far ....