Abbey-Roads2

It helps to go to confession.

“I turned every way, but there was no one to help me, I looked for one to sustain me, but could find no one.  But then I remembered the mercies of the Lord, his kindness through ages past; For he saves those who take refuge in him, and rescues them from every evil.” - Sirach 51

Anonymous confession is such a mystical experience.  Face to face, one is often too self-conscious; the priest and penitent seem to be focused upon each other in a more natural manner, somehow obscuring the supernatural dimension of the forgiveness of sins.  It has nothing to do with the shame of one’s sins, rather the recollection of who it is we encounter.  Behind a grill and curtain, it seems to me it is easier to focus upon Christ, He whom we come face to face with in the sacrament.

It is simply my personal preference, no matter how one receives the sacrament, the soul immediately and directly encounters Our Lord, nothing, save the Eucharist, can be likened to it.

Go to confession. 

Just when I thought I was losing my sense of humor, and that everything was stupid and boring, I find this wonderful gem of a story: 

Seating will be moved in order for the 500-strong congregation to be able to dance and wave their hands…

“The Pope may have condemned rock music as “anti-religion” but the Church of England has announced it is to use the songs of a global supergroup in an effort to boost congregations.The first “U2-charist” in England, an adapted Holy Communion service that uses the Irish rock group’s best-selling songs in place of hymns, is to be staged at a Lincoln church in May.A live band will play U2 classics such as Mysterious Ways and Beautiful Day as worshippers sing along with lyrics which will appear on screen at St Swithin’s parish church in the town centre.The event will focus on the Millennium Development Goals - targets set for the alleviation of world poverty - and a cause promoted by U2 singer and lyricist Bono with fellow Irish musician Bob Geldof. The atmosphere will be further enhanced by a sophisticated lighting system that will pulse with the beat, and striking visual images of poverty and drought.

The Bishop of Grantham, the Rt Rev Timothy Ellis, said the service would be “completely inclusive” with anyone who wished to come along welcome.

Seating will be moved in order for the 500-strong congregation to be able to dance and wave their hands.

He said: “The Millennium Development Goals are extremely important for the future of the world.

“It is also very important that we continue to try and find ways of worshipping that are surprising, challenging and fun. Rock music can be a vehicle of immense spirituality.”

The idea of a “U2-charist” was first created in the US with the first such service held there in 2005.” -  BREITBART.COM 

I just love that Bishop saying, “It is also very important that we continue to try and find ways of worshipping that are surprising, challenging and fun.”   That is what liturgy is all about now, isn’t it?

I wish I had a KQ soundbite for this post…what would work?

“Anybody can come” - Grandma from ‘Cash Call’.

Or, “All hell’s gonna break lose!” - Cat Lady.

And, “The smoker’s laugh” - Keith Richards.

Finishing with, “G-damnit anaways!” - Grandma Katie.

(At Episcopalians For Global Reconciliation you can get more information, as well as tools, to help produce your own U2-charist.) 

And the Last Judgement 

Last year in February I started blogging on Rome-ing Catholics, in April I added the first Abbey-Roads (my best writing), later I added The Cardinal In The Bushes, a personal blog - now deleted - because of people at work you know.  Currently I have 2 blogs, Abbey-Roads2 and Leaflet Missal Blog.  That’s enough.

Some friends were talking about the Catholic Blog Awards coming up and how people will be submitting their nominations.  Out of curiosity, I did a quick review of my posts, mostly with the intention of re-posting something instead of coming up with anything fresh.

I have to confess, I wasn’t impressed with my writing style.  A style indeed became evident as I reviewed my posts, which I thought rather ordinary.  There are a few posts I’m proud of, such as, “The Low Spark of Low-Rise Pants“ - although most are just so so.

Many of the posts deal with the news of the day, some of it secular, much of it Church related.  It’s a web log, so what is one to expect?  I wondered why I even cared to write about such trivia?  Beyond that, why would some people become so upset with things I wrote?  (A few have gotten their nose out of joint over some of my posts, which is more amusing to me than when I try to be funny.)

What I like best about my stuff is that I am always honest and direct in what I have to say.  To paraphrase Cary Grant,  “The effeminate regard a man’s honesty as cruelty.”  I just wish I was a better writer.

I continue to wonder why I care to write about issues, when before blogging, I rarely felt inclined to discuss such things, content to have kept my opinions to myself?  However, keeping one’s opinions to oneself, may in some instances permit one to have a higher opinion of oneself as well.  It has been a school of humility to hear my opinions contradicted or challenged, and I’ve learned a lot.

However, in the end, we will all be judged on every word we speak.  Every word.

So why worry about what people who comment on my blog write?  For that matter, what the people at work think?  There is a bigger day of reckoning coming…and could be pretty soon.