Fatherhood, Husbandhood and Silence

I really try to listen to my wife
...most of the time....

My wife regularly attends morning Mass on her way to work.
I, on the other hand, haven't been--for reasons that really are inexcusable--
See, my son and I would attend morning Mass at another church, a little closer to home.  But, since the Nicene Creed had been changed (by the pastor) --we decided that we really ought not go--besides it became a near occasion of sin since I became judgmental.
So we were in a little diaspora.

My wife suggested that we all go with her in the morning.
Well, this means getting up earlier--and a few other arrangements--then driving back home---then driving back to work.
I wasn't in favor of it.

Tissot--Zechariah

Too much driving.  Too much work.  Too much effort.
Yeh--I preach sacrifice and even blog about it---okay okay I get it.

So we went today--and the Gospel was appropriate--the father of John the Baptist, Zechariah is doing his priestly duty when the angel Gabriel appears and announces all the salvation news that an old guy can handle.  Of course Zechariah's doubting upsets Gabriel who reacts with a little God humor and mutes the guy.
I couldn't help but wonder how my not wanting to make a drive for Mass would be interpreted by Gabriel.
I don't want to be stricken mute.
I need to listen to my wife.

So there you have it.
We never 'get' God the way we want.

John the Baptist wasn't born the regular way--while Elizabeth and Zechariah were younger.  Think of how the man filled with the spirit of Elijah was called into the desert to proclaim and make ready and baptize.  The gospel actually describes his appearance--not a usual approach for Luke--so John must have been a sight to see.  I wondered if Zechariah ever told him to get a hair cut or his mother ever worried about what he was eating...

God never, ever comes as expected.  He was making ready the way in the midst in Elizabeth's womb and even in the midst of Zechariah's unbelief.

Don't be silenced--be made ready.

I'm glad I listened to my wife.

Immaculate Conception

Well, we seem to be in the midst of it.
It is dark when you come home from work.
It is dark when you rise in the morning.
We only have about nine hours of light.
And, in our particular neck of the woods--the temperature has been in the 30's and it has been drizzling for one week---cold, damp, dismal.
You get the picture--yep we are in the middle of the darkness.
We are in the middle of the thickness of Advent.

Mary of Tihaljina
 pilgrimage 5/2011

So breaks in our God.

Like into the womb of St. Ann.

Today in the Gospel we hear of Mary's fiat--"Be it done unto me..."

But what of Ann's?

It's all connected, more than our feeble imaginations can allow

Ann and Mary and Jesus and Joachim and Joseph

Into and through humanity our God arrives.

In the midst of darkness there is light.

In the midst of sin there is redemption.

Tired of darkness?

Echo Mary's 'Yes'