Sunday, September 21, 2008

The Week that Was and Will BE!

I got through last week with its strange time schedules and CLEARS meeting...but apparently, my allergies have caused a slight sinus infection. Now, normally this would not mean much except for two thing: a) I have RA, which means I am on immune suppressing drugs and b) the slight sinus back up has caused me to have conjunctivitis in my left eye.

This must be dealt with right away. It is infectious, it stings and I cannot go to work if I am all puffy-eyed.

So, after Mass I was at Kaiser (had to get my appointment so it would not interfere with the two important parts of Sunday - Mass and Football) and I am off duty per the doctor for 24 hours. I left my message for V and called into the gang at work to tell them not to worry about me being there tonight. E does not have a working computer at home, apparently, but I am going to send an email to both her accounts anyway. Why?

Because it is the right thing to do.

The Niners are rewarding me for taking care of myself properly by being ahead 21 to 3 before the half.

I got to go to Mass celebrated by Father Larry today. I just love this guy - he is such a practical, grandfatherly type of priest. He is the Chaplain for all the hospitals which is probably why he is such a sweetheart. Anyone who can become my 87 year old mother's 'favorite' priest has to have a solid Catholic practicality about him. He understands what it is like to have to cut onions for 10 cents a bucket in order to earn money for school clothes and yet he also tells the story of his granfather saying to him, "Mijo, do you like this work?"

"Oh, it's ok, Poppy".

"Si? You want to do this for the rest of your life?"

"No, Poppy..I don't think so".

"Good, " he told the future-priest. "Remember, a book is lighter to carry than a bucket of onions".

I laughed. It is important to remember from where I came - from people who were willing to tie bandanas around their heads and chop onions or pick apricots in order to have shoes to wear to school. It is also important for me to remember that they were proud to work, but aware that there is a better way of life available to people willing to open a book and learn something.

I am also grateful for the Gospel message of today. The workers hired by the landowner at the end of the day got the same reward as those who started at the crack of dawn. It reminds me that though I got off the path for many years and was walking towards hell in the name of freedom, I can rejoice in being on the right path now. Oh, I still have to watch my step and I have to be very grateful to those who never waivered - they kept the home fires burning for me to be able to find my way Home - but I do not have to feel 'less than' those who have been doing this Catholic Thing without fail. Instead, I can be grateful that the 'Landowner' sees me as just as important as any of His other workers....that the gift of Faith He bestowed upon me is the same quality as that which He gave to the saints of my time. I do not have to think of myself as the stepchild...I am a fully adopted Child of Light. The Eucharist is for me, too.

And, like the grandfather told Father Larry, the burden I carry today is lighter....it is still something that has to be carried, but sin is the heaviest burden in the world - even if a person spends most of their time denying its weight, it still drags them down.

Thank you, to all those who held up the Light for me to see. Without you I would have never found my way home.

GO NINERS!!!!

No comments: