Is it Wednesday?

Did I happen to mention that not only did James have strep, but he also has a cold, which he has now passed on to Father and I. I spent a restless night trying to sleep while being bugged by a very affectionate Luna who wanted to sleep in the crook of my neck. Every time I moved her, she would move right back up. Once I got her to settle by my side, she decided to clean herself and clean and clean. Cats…..why do they feel the need to plaster themselves to your side, then proceed to clean?

So, since we have all been feeling under the weather, much time has been spent in laziness, lolly gagging and getting lost in internet land, perusing the blogs and news.

Interesting things I have come across. (this is long so go to the bathroom, grab your coffee, tea or Pepsi and relax. Do you have on your reading glasses?

Mother Teresa. There is much being said about the publication of her personal letters. I think we have all experienced at some point or another “dark nights”. The Anchoress blog says it best, so I won’t repeat it. Read what she has to say.

In the National Catholic Register, read about her unfailing faith

Except from article “A light in Darkness” by Father Sebastian Vazhakala, who worked with Mother Teresa.

The Corporation Ambulance brought in a man. I looked at him and I recognized him straightaway, as he had been to our home several times. So I told Blessed Teresa that there was no sense in taking him in again, as he would go out when he might feel a little better.

Blessed Teresa looked at me and said: “Brother Sebastian, does this man need your help now or not? It does not matter that he was here yesterday or not, or that he is going to come back again tomorrow. We do not have yesterday any more, nor do we have tomorrow yet; all what we have is today to love God and serve the poor.”

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Ask Sister Mary Martha She is a remarkable, humorous nun with much to say and really makes an impression.

Excerpt: “Friday was the Ladies of the Parish Card Party. It's one of those monthly events that has everyone arguing about what to serve, what type of table decoration will hold the table mints, who's in charge and on and on, every month. Then everyone plays cards and has a great time.

Well, almost everyone. (I myself have a good time watching them have a good time as long as I know they've settled on who will put up the chairs and tables when they are done. I'll have an even better time if I know that person knows how to stack the tables and chairs properly so that an hour later we don't hear a horrible crash when they all slide to the floor.)Sometimes there is resentment about who did what, who didn't do much, who feels slighted and who feels put upon.

And in this regard my two topics meld. I have to hear confessions. Not Confessions. Don't get your socks rolled up. Only a priest can hear Confessions. (And only men are priests. There are no men within a mile of the Ladies Card Party, unless you count our janitor, Mr. Schlaganhoff. He's cowering somewhere waiting for the tables to crash.)

No, I hear the confessions of who did or did not do what they were supposed to do, why someone feels slighted and who got put upon. Last year one of the women told me she was so tried of how put upon she was feeling that she was going to change parishes. Not only was she doing most of the heavy lifting for the Card Party, she was always left holding the empty box and the bill for the donuts for "Breakfast with Father" every other Saturday.

I generally just take it all in, because during a confession (small 'c'), people just want to vent. I can listen to people vent all day. I'll confess. I get a bang out of it. It's almost always funny to listen to people go on about their tribulations, the petty ones. It helps them get it off of their chests and it helps me think about my own stupid gripes and just drop them. It's a win/win.

But at the point where someone's going to change parishes because they have just had it with the people around them or the music that's playing or the organ being too loud (that's a real big one in our parish...it's a real big organ) I just have to say, "What do you think heaven will be like? Are you hoping none of these people get in? "

Seriously, people, who do you think you're going to be sitting next to in heaven? If right now you sit on the other side of the pew or go in the other door so you don't have to look Mrs. Blarney in the eye, you're going to have a big problem when she's seated at your right hand in heaven, eating the donuts you paid for.”

Last but not least:

One blog I read every week is Dura Mater who is a home schooling mom with 5 kids. Her youngest son has polymicrogyria, a brain malformation. She has the strength of a saint, humor and patience and a very busy life.

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Well, I am off to read for my class Science and Religion Chapter 2 "Religion: Ally or enemy of Science" and answer and disuss the questions

1) Do you think that religious faith involving belief in God should be totally irrelevant to the proper administration of health care? Why?

2) Do you think that science can offer moral guidance about how we should live our lives and how we should interact with each other? Why or why not?