Church Thoughts

Today, while at church, I found my mind wandering: Why did Pat move so far into the front of the church? There were two old men sitting nearby that talked loud so that I was not able to totally concentrate on my first prayer, the Our Father, said slowly with an understanding of each word. The old men talked about weather, food and parking. Why an I listening to them? Three rows up, that little girl is a most delightful little imp, her parents must surely enjoy her. The readings (I read them before Mass starts) were short today: Noah and the rainbow, the flood prefigured Baptism, and the Gospel on Jesus being tempted in the desert. The music is slow today because it is Lent, (Pat thinks the music is slow all the time.) The homily focused on how we are all tempted (also covered in the Our Father prayer) just as Jesus was tempted, He prayed to defeat temptation and so must we. The basket is coming around. Today I have my envelope (only write one check a month.) A small girl, with a running bounce, has moved forward to drop something into the Child's collection in the front. Her bounce is even cuter as she returns with a large smile on her face. The woman directly in front is very obese and her fanny widens even more as she kneels resting her bum on the seat. There are two altar boys and one girl, first time in a long time that boys outnumbered the girls. The man behind us is a good singer and I feel he should sing louder. I should sing louder, but I don't. Because of Lent the music has changed and I miss the uplifting, stirring music with which I am familiar. During the singing of the "Our father" I was holding the hand of the man next to me. I wondered if he would squeeze my hand when it was over, he did. The eyes of the Eucharistic Ministers showed recognition as they administered to me. The sip of wine was very good. The recessional music, again, was slow in keeping with Lent. Just before dismissing everyone the Priest told a joke: A man came into a pub and ordered three beers. He drank each one slowly taking a sip alternately from each. Every day he came in and ordered three beers. The bartender told him he would be glad to serve him one at a time so he could have a cold one each time. The patron responded: "My two brothers and I always had a beer together and we made a pact that no matter where we were in the world we would order the beers and have a drink together." One day the man came in and ordered only two beers. The bartender came over to him and said, "I am sorry for your loss, I see you only having two beers." The man replied that his brothers were all right, the reason for only two beers was because he had given up beer for Lent.