18/365 Stream of Consciousness from Mass Sunday

Here, I've got the door. Ah, there's Yvette. I'll take the program from her so I don't have to engage in conversation with Jim. She bought girl scout cookies last year. I'll have to have Sophia talk to her after mass. I hope my hair isn't too bad. It's been so hard to deal with. I wish my striped cardigan had been clean. Ah well. Three days of Mike out of town and a crazy week.

There are my parents. But I like sitting in the front. I think that's probably fine. Hey. We're sitting up front. I know it's warmer here. Yeah. Nobody up front yet. Third pew sounds better than second. We won't bother Lucien if we're in the third pew. At least not as much. Ah. I don't know this opening song. Hmm.

I don't know her. Why is she sitting next to me? The next pew is empty. So is the one behind me. Can't she see the two kids? Coach bag. Like I care. Why do I look at labels when I'm oblivious to their meaning? I can't help reading words, though. Can't help it. I wish Maeve would stop clinging. Good. She's lying on the pew. That's fine. I'll just let her until children's liturgy begins.

Opening song. I can hear my own voice better here than usual. Leo. So cute. I wonder if I'm bothering the woman next to me. I wonder if she is a regular here and I'm too focused on people I already know and so I don't know her and it will be awkward to introduce myself later and find out she's been in the parish 32 years or something. I don't think so, though. The sign looks better over there. I don't like it behind the ambo where it was earlier. I wish there were a way around the sign.

The green. The deacon matches, almost. Maybe all the way. Is it the same green? I think there's more of a woven pattern on Miguel's. The poinsettias are fine. I can toss them out or I guess bring one home later this week. Maybe tomorrow since we're off school. I don't know. I know this gloria. Do we sing the gloria during Advent? It seems like it was a while. We sing it during Christmas though. Gloria. Brian's smiling at Leo. So cute.

Maeve is asleep. Asleep. Jeez. Breathing? Yes. She's taking up the whole pew. Yeah, sit by us. That's a great plan. I guess I'll sit in front of us when it's the first reading. She's not going to children's liturgy. Not if she falls asleep in 5 minutes like that.

Yup, watch me. Sitting up in the next pew. Ah well.

Is that Isaiah he just said? I've never heard it said like that.

Ah, Paul has the responsorial. He's gotten so much better with time. What a nice guy.

Becky reads so slowly. I need to slow down when I read. I wonder if I should reiterate to Sr. Hildegard my willingness to be a reader. Many gifts. Is it a reminder in the positive or the negative? Of course I'm in charge of plants. Not one of my gifts, really.

I hope Miguel has the homily today.

Why does John's gospel refer to Mary as "Jesus' mother" instead of by name? Do whatever he tells you to. Wow, that about sums it up. I love that she ignores his response...or maybe she knew he would do something if she asked. But does that mean he'd done things before? How would she know he could help, if not? The apocryphal gospels have all sorts of cockamamie miracles early on. I just can't see him going around doing little favors for the neighbors, though. Honey could you fix this pitcher. Wait, that was Benedict. Or was it Scholastica?

Ok, time to head up here. I wonder what Joel will be like. I should have been going to RCIA all along. I hate picking up midstream. But there are so many obligations. Wow, in these shoes I'm taller than he is. Do I carry the book of the gospels out held up high like for Children's Liturgy? I guess I'm just going to assume I do. I hope I don't look stupid. I'm walking too fast.

And then we headed down to the rectory basement for dismissal catechesis and a nice chat. Good Sunday.