Rejoice
Gaudete Sunday could not have come at a better time. Pandemic Weddings should have their very own game shows. If we had guessed that our invitations would arrive in time for the “RSVP By” date printed on them to be relevant we would have been voted off the island. It has been stressful to say the least. So much to do, and now only 95 days to do it in. I constantly over schedule myself, as does Lisa. Then we each feel bad when we don’t have the energy to help the other.
The chorus to O Come Oh Come Emmanuel has been stuck in my head all week.
Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel
Nascetur pro te, Israel
I’ve been going to daily mass (mostly) this advent. The eucharist as “food for the journey” is most welcome. I remember thinking when I was younger that people who needed to go to church every week inorder to not be an a-hole were the worst kind of people. Oh, how enlightened I was. Currently I couldn't imagine trying to make it through the end of year planning, holiday traffic, professional disappointments, AND Christmas shopping without a daily (mostly) dose of God’s grace. I’m still an A-hole though. Just a more repentant one.
Lisa gets mad at me when I say that. She says she would never marry me if it were true. I’m not so sure, but it is a nice thought. I guess I became so used to people referring to me as a jerk for pointing out the glaring discrepancy between their planned action and expected results that I just don’t have the same emotional connection to it as others might. Sort of like if you call a dog a four letter word enough it will eventually come to you wagging its tail when you curse.
It’s not such a bad thing, I tend to show up when things aren’t going well, and I’m not easily offended. However, the customer service agent at the print shop might be a little offended if I call them today about our wedding invitations. They are more than 2 weeks late at this point. You’ll be getting yours soon enough, we promise. Disregard any white out, and Rejoice that it arrived at all.
For now I am just going to try and take Fr. Troy’s advice for at least a few minutes;
This advent; Do less, and Pray More.
Have a Holy Advent, and a Merry Christmas.
