Sunday, February 03, 2008

Blessing of throats... Saints are just so cool!


Today at Mass, we had our throats blessed, and all our priests and Mike, a deacon, were there to bless us, along with St Blaise. Fr. Shane told us about this blessing and about St. Blaise's connection to healing of throats, due to blessing a young tot who was choking on a fish bone. I had that happen to me when I was 5, when we lived in Michigan, and it was the scariest thing that I recall happening to me as a kid. I thought I was going to die. But I wonder if maybe St Blaise was there to deliver me from the fish bone stuck in my throat? I wasn't a Catholic kid and knew nothing about Saints, but one must wonder if they're all sent by God to go and perform miracles for everyone...and to be part of that long journey Home to Rome, where all roads lead. Thinking about that experience now kind of makes me really wish we'd have been Catholic all of our lives. I wonder...would I have left the Church for the "happy clappy" fellowships for 26 years? I don't know and shouldn't look back with regrets, as my journey has been a good one, well, at least it's brought me back to Holy Mother Church, but, like my friend, TJ...I do sort of feel 'cheated' to some extent.

HOWEVER, we are never "too late" if we have breath and jump that Tiber and cross that Threshold of St Peter's...never too late if we indeed respond to the grace of God poured out to us as we're searching so diligently for Truth. That's the most wonderful and glorious thing, God is there, Mary is there, our Lord Jesus is THERE, all waiting for us, never accusing or belittling us for taking so long to come Home. Just welcoming us with every ounce of LOVE they have, which is every drop of purest Blood Jesus shed on that cross, and now gives us to drink at Mass every day. I'm almost too overwhelmed to type about it anymore. I need to pause and ponder. ~ PAX

2 comments:

Russ Rentler, M.D. said...

His mercy is new every morning and by His great kindness showed us the way home. Let me see...
LCD projector screen, live band, coffee during the service or The Precious body and blood of Christ?
Took me 31 years to be able to make the decision! We just didn't know what and who we were missing.

Joyful Catholic said...

Amen! So true. We just didn't know. Give me a little Catholic Church in the middle of Nebraska, without an indoor potty anyday, over the LCD Jumbo tron and Starbucks...and 22 piece band! There's actually a quaint and beautiful country Catholic Church about 30 miles from us still w/out indoor plumbing. Yet it remains open for the faithful few. When truth is there, Jesus in the tabernacle. A visit there is a step into heaven, and not one sound needs be heard! I want to go to mass there some Sunday.