My dear friends,
“Hey, don’t I know you? Where do I know you from?” That was the question as I walked around the Apple Festival. I would pause, point south, and say: “St. Thomas Church.” “Oh, that’s it. Hello Father. I didn’t recognize you without the collar!” I smiled. I was in regular clothes, but I was wearing bold blue suede shoes. I thought would at least be a hint!
I get recognized all the time, but sometimes people don’t know why. You can see the gears turning in their minds. They run through all the indexes of relatives, neighbors, classmates, business associates, and the like. Their eyes pop open a bit wider when the realization strikes. It makes me chuckle all the time. When you remove me from the confines of my little world and put me in a different outfit, it confuses people. Many just don’t expect to find me anywhere but at church. I’m out and about people, so you never know when I’ll appear. Look out! I may be there watching!
We often set confines on people, expecting to encounter them only in certain ways. We’re surprised when we find them outside the box we assign to them. We may not recognize or pay attention to them at all, but they are the same; it’s only the circumstances that changed. We do the same for God.
We look for God when we come to Mass or say our prayers. We look for the Lord in times of trouble, or when we say a thank you when things go well. We put God in one specific context, but the Lord is everywhere. We might be caught off guard by realizing God is with us at work or when we gather with our friends. Try being open to seeing God in all places and situations, and you just might recognize the Lord more often. God is there at the apple festival, or your office, or the halls of the school, or the checkout line at the grocery store. When we stop looking just where we think to look but to see where we actually are, we might be surprised at how present God is to us all the time.
Joyfully yours in Christ, Fr. Joe
October 6, 2019
My dear friends,
The time has come. This weekend, Southington begins another Apple Festival. Crowds will gather downtown. They will come for all sorts of food. (Southington Catholic School will be selling Frito pies again!) People want to get the apple fritters, and the line will wind around the corner for two weeks! There will be music, crafts, and a beer garden. Streets will be lined for the parade. It’s quite the gathering.
I have to ask: what do you think of the Apple Festival? Some people adore it. It’s so much fun! The food is great! It’s exciting to see the crowds and meet friends. Others will not be so thrilled. It ties up traffic for two weeks! It’s so loud. I hate to see people throwing trash on the ground. The same event can elicit very different responses from people at the same time. The interesting thing is both responses are correct. It is great, and it is difficult. It is fun, and it is work. It gathers people together, and some of those people will be thoughtless. We need to keep all of that in mind.
If you’re of the school of thought thinking the Apple Festival is amazing, great; however, be mindful not all things are so wonderful. Ask yourself what you could do to make it better. Could I be considerate of others crossing the street as I drive there? Am I blocking someone’s driveway when I park? If I see trash, maybe I could pick it up instead of waiting for someone else to do it. When we gather in front of the Congregational Church, maybe I could recall that it is a sacred space of prayer for our brothers and sisters and show the proper decorum and respect on their property. By being aware of some of the problems, we will be able to make it better for those who don’t see it with joy
If you’re a person who dreads these weekends, that’s fine; however, think of what it means to others. How can I make things better? Could I not yell at everyone walking through the neighborhood and help promote a friendlier environment? Am I ruining other people’s enjoyment by my complaints, and maybe I should refrain and let them have their fun? If I find it all too much, couldn’t I find someplace else to be and let the crowds enjoy it? When it all happens, maybe I could remember that it’s public space and that means it’s for the public, not just me. By being aware of how much this festival means to others, we will be able to respond better and let them enjoy.
Living with people requires consideration and compromises. As we come to big events or just the daily routines, we ought to be mindful of how this impacts other people. Maybe I love Christmas, but there are people who find it painful and a time of grief and pain. Maybe I hate a song we’re singing in church, but there might be someone in my pew who adores this hymn and finds great comfort in it. I should be proud of my Catholic faith, but I don’t need to insult others for their faith (on lack of faith or connection to organized religion). By being thoughtful and kind, we will overcome differences to find more similarities that we imagined. Let’s try to be mindful of one another, and that ought to increase all our joy.