Hail Mary, Bring young Lady today, bless you

Since the tempurature is supposed to hit 1 million degrees today, I decided to ride to the early morning service.

Sometimes you just need Communion, the Eucharist, so bad that you are willing to do anything. And that desire lead to to a life changing event.

I am hot and sweaty as I sit down in the pew but the air conditioning and quiet are a welcome repose. I notice the Father is kneeling in prayer and I smile; I can't remember the last time I saw a Father in prayer before a service. I love this guy. He is warm and funny and snarky.

But my good feelings are destroyed by a women I call the "Babushka Lady." She is dressed in a babushka, has a winter coat on in 100 degree days and has a basket of prayer books and sits DIRECTLY in front of me in an empty church. "Man...are you kidding me? She sits HERE?"

Babushka lady has officially harshed my mellow and am am fuming in this beautiful church.

But as ususal the Sermon speaks directly to me.

LUKE 6:37

MARK 11:25

And I am back in my happy place. How does God do it? How does he know what I need to hear every day?

On the way out I go to join the prayer group saying the Rosary. It is the usual group of ancients. We have the loud old man who for some reason needs to speak louder then any one else. We have the shy woman who wants to be involved but won't take her turn saying the decades and we have the Polish immigrant who doesn't speak English but...oh.well.

But today we have a new participant. She looks to be about 60 with a shaved head and a massive scar in her scalp. She is loudly and proudly speaking the Rosary in a completely incoherent manner but no one corrects her. No one even looks uncomfortable. What we have here is love.

This group of seniors have shown me why I am a Christian, why I am Catholic. Theses people are here every day to love God and be loved by God. They also showed me that my petty little struggles of a job search and self pity are not important in here. In here, there is only love.

Have you been to church lately?