Lent is moving along quickly and who would have guessed that February would be mild and the first two weeks of Lent snowy! I am writing this the day before the blizzard and I must admit to feeling some excitement about the upcoming storm.
Those of you who know me well know that my second choice for a profession would have been that of a meteorologist. So let me combine both and do a theological reflection on snow days. First, I love them. They are pure gift. Here at St. Jerome, no one is in the building, the phone is not ringing. It is usually beautiful outside. There is empty/full time and no pressure.
If I can, I love to walk in the snow, and I do have snow shoes! But best of all, I enjoy sitting in the dining room, looking out the picture window at the birdfeeder and the falling snow. The birdfeeder will be like the control tower at LaGuardia. To sit and look at all that beauty, to be still and sense the presence of God in the midst of it all, is to be at peace and one with the One who is the loving Ground, Horizon, and center of our lives. Part of being Catholic is to realize that God is mediated, that is He comes to us in and through the people, events, and experiences of our lives. Usually we get caught up reacting to life. On snow days, we have the time to make choices about our day. One can be to just sit and be with the Lord, in the beauty of his creation. I plan to do a lot of that tomorrow.
Now on to the practical. I am looking for volunteers to run the slides at each Mass. It is not difficult once you get the hang of it. I am convinced that having the readings, as well as the music, on the screen adds to the involvement and the participation of the Congregation. If you can help at your Mass once or twice a month let me know.
