Minute by Minute, Almost

I shall try to reconstruct some of my personal events of this day.

On paper this was going to be a busy Sunday. I planned to be an Altar Server and then assist with Hospitality Sunday at my parish and then attend another Mass at another parish and learn how to be a sacristan there.

I arrived and for a brief moment I thought that I was late because Mass was going on. Since Daylight Savings had only hours before moved an hour somewhere else, for a second or two I feared the worse and imagined that I had overslept. Then, the old brain began to listen and I recognized the somber Stewardship appeal. I hastened to the sacristy, changed, and waited for my assignment.

There is always activity in the sacristy before Mass. There are always questions and answers. There is also prayer. Yesterday, after lining up and waiting for the procession to begin and before the choir began there was a beautiful moment when I prayed love universal and unconditional.

I enjoyed the Mass itself. I enjoyed being reminded to bear witness.

After Mass I helped out with Hospitality Sunday. I mainly talked with friends and introduced one young woman who was interested in the Homeless Ministry to one of that program’s leaders. Then, I circulated, smiled, spoke, smiled, spoke, emptied the tiny trash can filled with the tiny plastic empty coffee creamers, empty paper sugar packets, paper napkins, and stirrers. I did not drink coffee. I tried to avoid eating a donut.

And then one of my friends that I met at the Homeless Ministry saw me and reminded me that I had not given him his housewarming present yet. He had some coffee and donuts and sat down.

I then decided to help with the Hospitality at the next Mass. Moments later I decided to attend the Organ Concert. And then the doorbell sounded. People interested in another ministry arrived and I was helping to move some chairs from a conference room into the hallway for them to sit down.

After the next Mass the room was filled with people, young old, children and adults. Trays of donuts were being emptied quickly and carried into the kitchen and refilled. I was trying to keep the pitchers of orange juice and water on two tables located near the rear of the room filled. It was amazing. How great it seeing all these people and trying to navigate around them. How great it was to see the children waiting for the orange juice.

And then I raced upstairs to attend the Organ concert. How beautiful the music sounded. I am still amazed that the organ is incomplete and more work still needs to be done on the pipes.

Later, with a hint of approaching exhaustion, I rallied and walked across the bridge to the other parish. I arrived and listened to the instructions about pre-Mass preparation and set-up.