REVERANCED

I never attend

Worship Services—-

I conduct them.     .      .

and yet three times this past week

that wasn’t true.     .     .

One was at David Simpson Hospice House–

a 42-bed hospice inpatient facility

that had a Mass

for a Patient

her  husband

her  friend

a volunteer

a Staff Nurse

and me.       .      .

The Priest not only gave a short homily on

“Blessed  are  those  who  Mourn  for  they  shall be  Comforted.     .     .”

but then opened it up to each of us

to be the homily.     .     .

I read from the Lectionary

.     .     .A  reading for the Day:

G O D     I S     L O V E

.          .          .The Priest Led Communion

.       .       .The Volunteer led some singing

.       .       .The Congregation of 6

w     o     r     s     h     i     p     p     e     d.          .          .

r e v e r a n c e d;

The  Second Service was at a Nursing Home

where my dad resides.       .       .

It was Sunday afternoon.        .        .

Erin, my wife and I

joined my dad

shortly after the service had begun.         .           .

I wasn’t focusing on the

slightly off key quartet.       .      .

I wasn’t focusing on the

patients and there family members.       .        .

I wasn’t focused on the message of

“Those  who  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  mount  up  with  wings  like  eagles; they  shall  run  and  not  be weary, they  shall  walk  and  not  be  faint.     .     .     .”

I was focused on my dad.     .     .

I saw him

not as weakened

not as incapacitated

not as he now sees

the brokenness in himself–

I saw him as One

who used to drive us to Church

and now One I’m transferring.     .     .

I saw him as not so much a

m i s s i n g    p i e c e

from some discarded puzzle.       .        .

I saw him as a

s p e c i f i c    P E A C E

that’s about completing me

I     saw     him    and

w     o     r     s     h     i     p     p     e     d.       .        .

r e v e r a n c e d;

The Third Time

I worshipped

was just a few days ago.      .       .

I was visiting a patient

who had made her room

a  sanctuary —

music from a soap opera

played in the background

served as a choir.      .      .

I, a congregation of one,

she, the Celebrant,

Her sermon was not profound.     .     .

Her Communion Offering:

F e a r,

D o u b t,

A n g e r,

.       .       .She led the Litany:

I’m  Afraid

I  responded:

I’m Afraid sometimes, too

I  Doubt  God

I’m doubtful sometimes, too

I’m  mad  as  hell

I’m mad sometimes, too

I’m  just  so  tired

I’m tired sometimes, too

I’m  thankful  for  you

I’m thankful for you, too

I  feel  better,  now

I feel better, too

.          .          .When your  C o m m u n i o n

is   C o m p a s s i o n

it’s hard not to call it

w          o          r          s          h          i          p

r e v e r a n c e d

.           .          .I  don’t attend worship services–

I  conduct  them–

I wonder how many other times

aside  from  these  very  special  three.     .     .

I have already missed

or worse.       .       .

just how many I’ll continue to

miss from now

o    n .    .   .   ?