Random Monday Thoughts

"Heute sterben Sie"

That's German for 'today you die,' which is a thought that struck me during yesterday's Mass.

How cheerful. After having that thought, I started contemplating the question, 'what if this were my last day on earth? What would I not want to be doing/saying/thinking on my last day of life, and what would I want to do on my last day of life?'

Briefly:
1. Pay attention and stop daydreaming during Mass.
2. Guard your eyes.
3. Guard your thoughts.
4. Occupy those times where your brain seems to be in neutral with prayers, like the Hail Mary. Fr. John Hardon once said that prayer is the only activity one can continue after death.

This phrase might make a great theme for Lent, which is a little over two weeks from now.



Here I am, Lord.

With Sunday's(yesterday's) first reading(Isaiah 6:1-8) containing those often-quoted words, 'here I am,' I would guess most of the parishes in the United States had a love fest with that sappy song, Here I Am, Lord. Quite a while ago, I uncovered some new lyrics for that song, and you can see them here.

Since I mention sappy Mass occurrences, I should show a picture of the pig who shows up for Wacky Mass Incidents:

She even has a theme song.

Enjoy.

"Take this raincoat before you go play in the thunderstorm. And don't forget your lightning rod!"

With these words, the governor of Texas mandates that all girls in public school receive the HPV, or Human Papilloma Vaccine. There are several angles to take on this law, but consider the message it sends to the youth. Rather than teaching our children to preserve one of their most precious gifts, we are telling them to go ahead and be used as an object for pleasure.

Vaccines can be made for anything, but a soul is not immune to the ravages of impurity.

Habemus Magnus Vannus

Raulito, who doesn't have a link to me, has a new ve-hi-cle! Read his comments on attendance during the football game yesterday, then marvel at the new van.

Speaking of vans, after driving through storms for most of the recent trip, I propose a motto for the Big Blue Miracle:

Nos Insisto Tempestas

(We Follow the Storm)