A good weekend, starting with our Mass with the Sick on Saturday morning. Many said that there seemed to be a very special atmosphere in the church, which I sensed too. As the sick came up for anointing, especially two parishioners who have particularly difficult conditions, I was strangely aware that it wasn't just my hand reaching to hold and anoint theirs. Jesus is so strongly present in the sick and suffering, and in our reaching out to them. They show us what Mother Teresa used to call his "distressing face".
Pentecost, and I was at Christ the King for Sunday Masses. I suggested that the Paschal Candle is outed after this day, not because it has disappeared, but because the light is to burn in each of us - we are all paschal candles now. In describing what happens at the Easter Vigil, the thought also came to me that as the darkness slowly disappears with the lighting of our own candles, we get to see the flickering image of one another's faces. Seeing each other in the light of Christ - a nice thought...
Monday and I had a day off, welcoming my sister visiting for the day. It was scorching and so we headed for the Bay. A pizza, a stroll, a coffee, a stroll, an ice-cream, a stroll. Lovely day.
And so to today, and a small ending for me as I chaired my last meeting as chairman of our local Churches Together organization. I've always been committed to local ecumenism. I believe that Vatican II leaves us no choice, in fact! But besides that, it's great to broaden your horizons, and, indeed, fly the flag for the Catholic Church. I must say in our local set-up I've met nothing but a welcome and appreciation for being involved. I'll miss being chair. Well, sort of - it's one less hat to wear, and I sometimes think I end up wearing too many.
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