Dogs at the Table

...or to put it another way, "Perish, priest!"

Saturday, September 03, 2011

September reflection

This is my somewhat grumpy bulletin back page to begin September. One too many parents said their pre-teen had an activity on Sunday mornings.

I don’t know what a race car driver feels like, but I have flown often enough to know the feeling that when the brakes are released and the engines are fully revved up, you go from a standing stop to two-hundred-twenty kilometres per hour in the space of a few seconds.

That is what September feels like in the parish. All our groups and organizations begin meeting again; our attendance catches up (and, yes, our finances); events become more numerous and we settle in to the rhythm and routine of “normal.”

So...

...if the parish is important to you, make sure that Sunday mornings are a choice for you. I have raised three children, so I am aware of the stress that their activities can bring to bear on my choices. Sometimes we need to say to our children that what they want to do is not a good choice. Trust me, they will respect you more for standing up for something than simply accommodating every request that they make.

...there is a laziness about Sundays. The line goes like, “it’s the only day I have off, so I want to spend it with my family or doing things that are important to me.” Why can’t the parish community be a legitimate choice for you and your family? We’re asking for an hour, and promising eternity – not the other way around.

...I’d like there to be three books that are important to you. In no particular order they are (1) a Bible – it’s a good book and says a lot about how humanity relates to God. (2) your cheque book (or credit card statements) – the way you spend your money says a lot about who you are. (3) your calendar, because time is a gift from God, and if we do not cherish the gift, it has little value in our lives.

Today's weigh-in: 235 The diet seems to have taken a day or three off.

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