Sunday Ponderings

I don't like to attend Mass on Sunday mornings. (or sometimes at all...but that's another story) It makes Sundays too much like a workday - shower, get dressed etc. But we watched the Cyclone men on TV during our regular Saturday evening church time, so we attended this Sunday morning at 8 a.m.

It turned out well because St. Francis had substitute "tell it like it is" priest, Father Jim Kiernan. He's 79 years old, and does Mass "his way", inserting lots of jokes, instructions and interesting information. I enjoy Fr. Jim - who used to also sub in Creston. He's retired and lives here in Des Moines. He's a character - one of many I've been blessed to know in my life.

The Padre told us of his childhood just SW of West Des Moines - in Booneville. He said the town made the paper twice - both times when the bank was robbed. He and his brothers were the only Irish Catholics on the bus, and his father said he often went off "half-cocked". It sounds like he was a bit of a partier.

Fr. Jim said that another person who had tenancies to be half-cocked was St. Peter - the apostle Jesus picked to succeed him when his time on earth was growing short. I appreciate it when a priest helps me to feel more connected to religion by humanizing the people who lived thousands of years ago. It's easy for me to thing of those bible characters - as well, just that. Fr. Jim does that very well - he brings Jesus and the apostles to life for me. He even talked about Judas - explaining why he thinks the man did what he did.

Father Jim also inserts personal touches into Mass. When the gifts were being carried up the aisle he told us to think of what we were putting in the basket as our gift (not letting us off easy for just sticking in a check or cash). He suggested - aches and pains from the week (oldsters) and homework done - for the kids. Then...during the sign of peace, he suggested we think of ourselves as greeting our enemy. Paul was a stand in for a certain politician. He chuckled and told me later that I didn't seem very sincere. I'm hurt.

So - 8 a.m. mass turned out to be a good thing. We DVRd the Sunday Morning Show - so that helped my Sunday morning get back on track. Later today we're going to Ballroom Dance - to make up for last Thursday's cancelled class. I watched the end of the movie "Shall We Dance" Thursday. I'm going to pretend I'm dancing with Richard Gere....