Friday, November 11, 2011

The World Spins Upside Down - Again

I have to make this quick. I have a date at 8pm - at the Adoration Chapel.  Sister called me this week, thrilled that someone had signed up for some of the hours during which Jesus usually sits alone.  I look forward to it.

Some years ago my oldest went to Penn State for the weekend to visit a friend, who had tickets to the football game against Notre Dame.  "Mom, you should have seen the signs.  Those people are crazy about football. "

Apparently, one sign read: "You have Jesus, we have Joe Pa". Another read: " If God is not a Penn State fan, why is the sky blue and white?"

You might think Joe Paterno was some kind of messiah by the reaction his firing instigated.  Forgotten in the melee were the victims of sexual abuse who lost their innocence all too soon to a pervert posing as nice guy.  The sordid details were eerily reminiscent of the Church abuse scandal.  A bunch of men more interested in protecting an institution than innocent children.  Anyway, I think the college should cancel their game against Nebraska on Saturday.  It won't restore the childhood that was stolen by a sexual predator but it would be the one decent thing that could be done.

On the news, we just saw where retailers are planning to open their doors on Thanksgiving, a holiday traditionally meant for families to observe together.  What does anyone need so badly that they can't wait one more day to buy it?  I saw footage of people nearly trampling each other to death to get through the doors at Wal-Mart at 5am last year on Black Friday.  What does this have to do with the Birth of the Savior, Who was born into abject poverty?  How many of those folks would be willing to stand in line all night to receive Holy Communion at 5am?   How many of  them leave before Mass concludes each week?  How many of them even bother going in the first place?


'Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and woodworm destroy them and thieves can break in and steal.
But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworm destroys them and thieves cannot break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there is your heart also' - St. Matthew Chap. 6

5 comments:

  1. I have a relative that's a student at Penn State right now. I haven't talked to him yet to ask what he's experiencing. I was stunned to find out the students were rioting not for the sake of those poor abused children...but because Joe Pa was fired. Wow. But we have the football god in the south as well, The Florida Gators and the Noles..

    I hope those young victims have all the help they need...Lord knows I'm praying for them.

    Love you Joyce...+

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  2. The only way to explain it is that the entire world has gone insane. I just don't understand it.

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  3. Caroline
    The victims in this type of crime always seem like an after-thought, don't they? And I don't know how the assistant coach saw what he did and didn't throttle the pedophile right on the spot. Unbelievable. Love you too +

    Kathy, yep, and I don't expect it will right itself any time soon.

    God Bless
    Joyce

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  4. I live in the land of the LSU Tigers, and it is madness here! I so often think of the joy God would feel if even half of these people would get this excited about HIM! Many of the priests around here seem afaid to begin their Sunday homilies without at least some reference to Saturday's game. So sad!

    On a happier note, how was your date? : ) I call my Tuesday adoration a date too, and I love believing that Jesus thinks of it that way too! And I won't break that date except for illness or being out of town. Thank you Joyce, for signing up! Only in heaven will we know....

    Many blessings,
    Patricia

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  5. Thank you for asking Patricia, my date was lovely. There was another adorer there with me for a little while which was no problem. The only glitch is that the chapel is in a neighborhood that has restricted parking during sporting events because of its proximity to the stadiums. Apparently there was some event going on last night because a sign warning that those without permits would be towed was posted right where I parked. I put a sign on my windshield saying I was in the Adoration Chapel and I didn't have a problem. Just one of my the many distractions we deal with. You're right - only in Heaven will we know!
    Love and prayers
    Joyce

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