There is a saying that there are two types of people in terms of what they do when the alarm clock rings. Some get up and say, “Good morning, Lord.” And others sit in the edge of the bed and say, “Good Lord, morning.” I like to think that I am of the first type, but I will admit that there are some days where that attitude does not kick in until I get into the shower. Somehow it just seems that some mornings come earlier than others. The same could be said of the end of summer, though in this case it just seems to come faster and faster each year.
The first thing I try to do each day is to say a little prayer giving the day over to God. Often, then, the activities of the day crowd in on me. What, I ask myself, do I have to do today? The end of summer is a time to ask myself the same question on a larger scale, to think of what is happening in the coming weeks and months. So as things get busier, I would like to reflect on a few different topics today.
This coming Monday, September 4, is Labor Day. For many of us, we honor those who work by not working. Please note that the parish office and the school are closed that day, and that the morning Mass has been pushed back to 9:00 so that the alarm doesn’t have to ring quite as early.
We already have a full week of school in, but now we’re getting over the initial excitement and getting down to the routine. I enjoyed the quiet over the summer (and wasn’t quite ready to have it end), but it is great having the kids around and seeing the life they bring to our building. Please keep them in prayer.
Next Sunday and Monday, September 10 and 11, we have our first CCD classes of the year. It may be a little harder to get that message across with just one session a week, but the children in our Faith Education program are just as important as any others. Please keep the teachers and student in your prayers.
Looking a little further ahead, we are just about a month away from our Parish Festival. This is a great social event and a great opportunity to raise some money for our parish and school. Please plan on coming and enjoying the excellent food and the fun. And to help us prepare, please return your raffle tickets to the parish as soon as you can, if you have not already done so. You will certainly want to be ready for the early-bird drawings. Don’t forget, also, that you get a bonus this year. The total value of the tickets we sent to each family is $40, but if you sell the whole batch, you can give us just $35 and keep the rest to spend at the festival.
And speaking of the Festival, word is that there are special plans being made for festival entertainment. There is an act returning after a hiatus of a few years. There is also a new act, a person who has been seen around the parish and the festival for a few years but who has been learning a new skill that he will exhibit at the festival. Will he be entertaining, or will he fall flat on his face? Either way, it should be worth seeing.
Father H
