Many Messages at Homily Time... Bar Nun... um, None

HERS:
This picture is nothing but a tease to get you to read our blog. This nun cutout was at the back of the church this week and well, after seventeen years of Catholic schooling, I couldn't resist. It's total nun-sense. Lol.

Lou was nice enough to read his blog to me earlier today, so I know I don't need to go into the history of the church, the beginning of the mass, a good part of the homily, and well, he didn't leave much for me!

But there was one part of the homily that I want to expand upon. Fr. Matt talked about the five important parts of the church building at the end of his homily. Those important parts of the church building are the five Exit signs. Huh? That's kind of strange. Now why are these important? He touched upon the importance and significance of taking what you learn at mass and bringing it into your everyday life and to those people around you.

How do we do this? Is it telling everyone you meet that you are a Christian? Or is it telling them you are a Catholic? Hell, oh excuse me, I mean, heck no! We can SAY anything. That does not mean a thing. I can say I am Catholic but unless I practice my faith, I am Catholic in name only. I can say I believe in God, but those are only words. Lou reminded me that saying you are a good Catholic because you go to church is like saying you are a car because you are in a garage. Silly, huh? I think Fr. Matt was telling us to walk through the doors at the end of mass and PRACTICE what he preached. Yeah, literally. I can say the Our Father at mass and then get angry in the parking lot when someone cuts me off. So, what have I accomplished. Words without deeds are EMPTY. I will be the first to admit that putting deeds to your faith is hard work. I am learning that the best way to do this is with baby steps. I've always thought (to myself) that I want to be a better person. But saying I wanted to be a better person did absolutely nothing for me. I found I was the same person but I just wanted to be better. I wasn't doing anything to be better. My thought to be better was just that... a thought. But now I have put some actions to my words. They are baby steps, but I see changes happening in my life. I told Lou that I am seeing that when I put myself out there for someone it comes back to me tenfold. It is work. It is hard work. Some days I slip, but some days I push through and I see the rewards. I like this journey. When I exited the church, I made I conscious effort to be a Christian in deed indeed.

After feeding our souls we moved on to La Casa Walsh, a newly renovated hot spot in Vienna, VA, and oh, also the home Lou's sister Joni and our brother-in-law Michael to feed our bodies.  I have the type of comfortable relationship with my sister-in-law that enabled me to invite us to her house earlier in the week.  Lol. We were delighted that our nephew Jacob who was visiting from Memphis, TN to celebrate his 25th Birthday was in attendance, as was our niece Alexandra before she begins her first job in Harrisburg, PA as a Physician's Assistant, and last in birth order but certainly not least,  our youngest niece and my Goddaughter Micaela delighted us with her youthful exuberance before she is confirmed this Thursday. The Walsh Clan is a spirited bunch and we always enjoy our philosophical discussions and playful banter with them. Dinner consisted of tortellini with two kinds of sauce, Italian sausage, shrimp, salad, roasted vegetables and Italian bread. The Walshes have a tradition where the birthday person gets to select the meal they want on their day. Thank you Jacob... good picks!  We ended the evening with a piece of a large birthday cookie and a group Selfie/Soulfie.

Group Soulfie/Selfie... I felt like Ellen at the Academy Awards!

I couldn't have asked for a better evening!

HIS:

Happy Mother’s Day!  This annual holiday designated to recognize our mothers has always been a special day in the church year for a lot of reasons.  Its no mistake that Mother’s Day is in May.  May is also devoted to the Virgin Mary with many churches conducting elaborate May crowning ceremonies to recognize our Blessed Mother.  While not formally a part of the “church calendar” it carries significance because of the importance of our Blessed Virgin Mother.  The Mother of All Mothers if you will.  In a discussion last night about confirmation names (Niece Micaela will be confirmed this Thursday), older sister Alexandra pointed out the importance of her Confirmation name, Mary, to our faith.  Its interesting to note that many of the millennials today seem not to appreciate the significance or know the origins of the name Mary.  My lovely bride Mary has experienced on several occasions being asked, how do you spell that (her name)?  Apparently, acceptable spellings for Mary now include, Merry, Mari, Meri and Marry….My favorite experience is still the time over 20 years ago when we were looking for our first home and we introduced ourselves to the sales agent in the development we were touring.  Me, “Hi, I’m Lou Sitnik”, Mary, “Hi, I’m Mary”, Agent, “Oh you mean as in the virgin?”  Even after all these years I have no response to that.  Happy Mother’s day to my Mom, Mary.

This week we attended mass in the Arlington, VA diocese with the Walsh family.  Last night we got together to celebrate Jacob Walsh’s birthday.  25 years old on Monday!  It seems like only yesterday when he would stall with every excuse in the book when we babysat and it was bedtime.  Happy Birthday Jacob!  Mass was the 5:00 mass at Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) in Vienna. (Virginia, not Austria)  In addition to this Sunday being the 7^th Sunday of Easter, it is also Ascension Sunday.  Today marks the ascension of Jesus into heaven, 39 days after Easter Sunday.

OLGC parish was founded in 1955 in response to the growth of families at St. James parish in nearby Falls Church.  The current church building was constructed in the early 1970s in the modern church design typical of that time period.  The worship space is cavernous.  Cavernous in a different way than St Casmir’s in Baltimore.  Certainly in a less traditional way.  It was packed.  Probably due in part to several youngsters receiving their First Holy Communion.  Mass was celebrated by Father Matt Hillyard, the pastor.  As is no surprise, the readings all dealt with and discussed the Ascension of Jesus into heaven.  Father Matt’s homily was very positive and uplifting.  He spent time recognizing mothers, the first communicants present yesterday as well as the graduates who are moving into the next phase of their lives.  His homily was insightful and open in his discussion of the power of falling in love.  He shared that he once fell in love.  He mused that these are all powerful moments of ascension.  He instructed us, taught us that we should be disciples of Christ and to look forward not down or up.  At the end of mass, the celebrant always says, “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.”  This is not just something that is said to wrap up the mass.  This an instruction to all of us to be God’s messenger.

Dinner this week was at sister Joan’s and brother (in law) Michael’s house (see what I did there.)  😊  As I mentioned earlier, this week was a celebration of Jacob Walsh’s birthday.  It was great getting together with my favorite Walshes.  We manage to have fun and engage in a spirited discussion around a good meal whenever we are together.  Last night was no exception.  Dinner consisted of roasted vegetables, tortellini, shrimp and Italian sausage.  Delish!  The décor was understated and the staff was very attentive.  The food, while yummy and in abundance could have been a little hotter.  I brought it up with management and they said they would do better next time. 😉

Well another Roamin’ week in the books.  Next week will include a celebration of Micaela’s confirmation.  The Catholic Bat Mitzvah!

And it wouldn't be the end of our blog without our Soulfie...