We had a really great day on Saturday with the remainder of the seminars. I hope the attendees were as touched as I was by the Spirit's work in our lives. I had a little bit of trouble getting out of there for Mass at St. H., because there were so many of my former fellow parishioners to say hi to! The weekend masses were also wonderful, although the messages from the three visiting priests were a mixed bag. I am a little disappointed that we never use the vigil readings, because that passage from St. John about rivers of living water flowing from us was such a key part of my weekend.
There was also a couple hours of good work Saturday evening finishing up the proposal that we needed to submit by today. I was pleased with where it ended up.
I was beginning to feel pretty sad, though, by Sunday afternoon. I attributed it to the typical letdown that we often experience when we've seen the Lord work in powerful ways that we had been anticipating and fostering for a while. "Okay, down from the mountaintop now." But it felt like more than that. About mid afternoon, after I'd had a short nap - I had not really had very restful sleep throughout the weekend - when my wife told me that a fellow parishioner had called to tell us about a friend who had passed away in the morning. I'd known him from music ministry, men's group, and our prayer group. He was always enthusiastic, loved the Lord with his whole heart, willing to work on his weaknesses. He felt so uplifted by music, and enjoyed playing guitar and bass. But he'd also been in declining health, really, for as long as I'd known him.
I will miss you, Jerry. I'm confident that you're home now, and for your sake I am glad of it, for your praise is no longer restrained by your suffering - not that you ever let that hold you back very much. I'm sorry I wasn't a better friend for you, as you now know. Please pray for me anyway, my brother.
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