Category: Religion

A Poem for Willoughby South

A Poem for Willoughby South

Today the First Amendment was abused,
as a cudgel, it has been used.

Used to shut down a high school play,
a student opera to premier today.

Children practiced for weeks, for months,
but plans were dashed all at once.

A letter from lawyers was received,
its contents were not to be believed.

Desist your plans or actions will be taken!
Injunctions will be filed, don’t be mistaken!

Your grievous threat to freedom must be halted.
Church and State separation must be exalted.

Zealots against religion went medieval
upon hearing kids may ponder good and evil.

We can’t tolerate any hint of religiosity.
Freedom of speech for the secular, but not for thee!

The episode that inspired this entry occurred at South High School.

 

A disco dancer’s lament

Some days I feel old
Showed off my disco dance moves
Sore muscles followed

We had an all-day conference at work today.  After lunch the moderator helped the crowd get our energy up by asking us all to break into small groups and bust out some dance moves.

Luckily, when I was in eighth grade the Sisters of Notre Dame taught us how to disco before our class dance.  I’m not as limber as I was when I was thirteen.

If I had a million dollars…

A good friend of mine once called the state-sponsored lottery “the most successful way to tax stupidity” and I am afraid he is correct. I know my odds of winning the lottery are less than <insert absurd example of being struck by lightning or finding a needle in a haystack> but I do from time to time buy a ticket. Am I stupid? Maybe. One of the great paradoxes of life is that if you really are stupid you will never know it.

The best part of buying a lottery ticket is fantasizing about what you would do with the windfall. Would you like to know my latest scheme?

I want to build a church.

Specifically, I want to build a chapel in the Romanesque style which would be be made available to all the firefighters, police, or soldiers (Reservists mostly) and any other Catholic individuals who may find it  difficult to attend Mass at a regularly scheduled time at their usual parish.

My scheme would, of course, need the blessings of the local bishop. However I’d like to create a situation wherein the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass would be available by appointment whenever two or three would gather in His name. One way this might be practically implemented  would be to have some attachment to a monastery.  So I guess I’m also proposing the foundation of a monastery. Remember, I’m also planning on winning the lottery, so the sky is the limit.

Too ambitious? Perhaps. I just think that this would be a wonderful service to those who serve. Which also makes me think I should not wait to win the lottery. Who would like to help me arrange a system that would help these people never miss Mass?

Valentine Flours

Today is St. Valentine’s Day, or as it is more commonly called Valentines Day. Being a Catholic who likes to stay in the loop for feast days I must note that St. Valentine was demoted so this isn’t even his feast day officially. On the liturgical calendar it is now the Feast if Sts. Cyril & Methodious. They were brother priests who, among other accomplishments, are credited with inventing the Cyrillic alphabet. That is pretty impressive.

Back to Valentines Day. As the tradition has outlived the feast day, we are still expected to woo and pamper our romantic partners today. While I rarely succumb to the totally invented Sweetest Day I can’t totally in good conscience let Joyce think I don’t still feel totally head-over-heels in love with her on Valentines Day.  Which means I occasionally buy her a present.

I love Joyce for too many reasons to mention. Sounds like a cop out, right? But it is true. She is a great mom, fantastic wife, terrific baker, dedicated Cleveland sports fan, good cook, has a laugh that is so infectious you find yourself crying along with her at the most stupid things. She’s everything and more I ever could have hoped for in a wife.

She is also frugal. Because she is frugal she thinks baubles and beads and such are not a good use of money. Have you ever noticed that the florist raises the price of flowers in early February? I won’t risk spending too much hard-earned cash because “society tells me” I should buy Joyce flowers. So what is a hopeless romantic like me to do today? I bought Joyce flours.

Valentine Flours

Pretty brilliant, right?

My only concern is that I may not be able to top this gift next year, having set the bar so high.

 

 

 

UPDATE: Through an odd twist, Joyce did get flowers on Valentines Day. From a baseball team.  I’m not making this stuff up. Joyce was selected as one of the Lake County Captains favorite fans.