Two feet of snow fell over most of Ohio from Friday to Sunday. Saturday was "all blizzard, all the time." For the first time in recent memory, I didn't leave the house. There wouldn't have been anywhere to get to anyway because malls closed, restaurants closed, and many roads were impassable. It was glorious--the only flaw is that the timing was not right for snow days, so the school teachers and school children didn't get their most fervent wish.
Sunday morning I got up early and cranked up my snowblower and got to work. I had left my car near the end of my driveway, but it still took tremendous effort to clear a path to get out to the road. We were finally able to get the car out and headed to Sunday mass. Catholics go to Sunday mass no matter what; there are no excuses. Masses are never cancelled and real Catholics go under almost every circumstance.
It was a glorious Sunday morning, sun shining, snow deep, gleaming, pure white. We navigated our way to St. Mary's Church in Painesville (not our regular church), where the parking area was mostly cleared and gigantic piles of snow lined the edges of the lot.
Fr. Vellenga had the mass. Linda and I sat in our usual corner, what I call the "cult corner" of the church. There you find the infant of Prague statue, the painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and an impossibly ugly plaster statue of St. Patrick, holding the bishop's staff, day-glow green misshapen shamrock in another hand, and three snakes being crushed under his foot, their mouths open, fangs exposed. We love this little corner of the church, and gloried in the March 9th sun pouring in through the ancient stained-glass windows. At the communion, the choir began to sing "I am the Bread of Life," with its magnificent chorus, "And I will raise you up, I will raise you up, I will raise you up on the last day." The soaring chorus brought tears to my eyes as I remembered this song being sung at my Mom's funeral in this very church in December of 2003, and at my father's funeral at St. William's Church in April of 1997.
We don't exactly understand the mysteries of Heaven and of Resurrection. but we believe in them, believe in a time of being reunited with our parents, family, and friends.
Sunday morning I got up early and cranked up my snowblower and got to work. I had left my car near the end of my driveway, but it still took tremendous effort to clear a path to get out to the road. We were finally able to get the car out and headed to Sunday mass. Catholics go to Sunday mass no matter what; there are no excuses. Masses are never cancelled and real Catholics go under almost every circumstance.
It was a glorious Sunday morning, sun shining, snow deep, gleaming, pure white. We navigated our way to St. Mary's Church in Painesville (not our regular church), where the parking area was mostly cleared and gigantic piles of snow lined the edges of the lot.
Fr. Vellenga had the mass. Linda and I sat in our usual corner, what I call the "cult corner" of the church. There you find the infant of Prague statue, the painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and an impossibly ugly plaster statue of St. Patrick, holding the bishop's staff, day-glow green misshapen shamrock in another hand, and three snakes being crushed under his foot, their mouths open, fangs exposed. We love this little corner of the church, and gloried in the March 9th sun pouring in through the ancient stained-glass windows. At the communion, the choir began to sing "I am the Bread of Life," with its magnificent chorus, "And I will raise you up, I will raise you up, I will raise you up on the last day." The soaring chorus brought tears to my eyes as I remembered this song being sung at my Mom's funeral in this very church in December of 2003, and at my father's funeral at St. William's Church in April of 1997.
We don't exactly understand the mysteries of Heaven and of Resurrection. but we believe in them, believe in a time of being reunited with our parents, family, and friends.
If you arent't familiar with the hymn "I am the Bread of Life," here are some links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCeXk45IHzs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6MgOyFfUHE&feature=related
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