Things I learned in…..

I now know I don’t know it all.

I also know I’m not supposed to know it all.

That it’s taken me sixty years on this plane(t) to know that testifies to God’s sense of humor, and more importantly, His love.

I know that to be Catholic is not easy.

I know acting and behaving as a Christian is not supposed to be easy.

I know St. Francis of Assisi knew all this much better than I ever will.

I know his prayer should be etched on our hearts and sung by each of us upon awakening to each day.

I know his prayer bows in humility to that given us by Christ to offer together to God.

I know that chanting for a human soul is like flying to birds.

I know that singing in harmonies for the human soul is not unlike the movement of celestial bodies in the spaces of the universe.

I know that the Holy Mass dwells upon the fulcrum between heaven and earth.

I know that there is only one Mass, and God gave us senses to savor it in many ways.

I know that the Mass is an exchange of the gift of love between Creator and we, His creatures.

I know we are the sole beneficiaries of that gift, and that God’s will is that we will be enjoined to Him by His grace, which is integral to that gift, and to be treasured and respected to the fullest extent we each can offer.

I know that we are called to lay our lives down for each other, not to lay others down for our own purposes.

I know that I’ve failed.

I know that I cannot ever atone for or alter that reality of my own volition.

I know there is an enemy, and like Pogo, the enemy is often us.

I know there is also an Enemy, and it loves, among other maliciousness, cleverness.

I also know it cowers and flees upon the mere thought and mention of “Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord.”

I know that the fabric that clothes Christians is love, period, love.

I know that to use that clothing in pride tears that fabric apart.

I know that cloth is to be kept by the door, as we are all naked before it and in need.

And I know there is the Real Presence in my heart, and by the door, and in all those I see.

I know there really isn’t anything that is truly, actually “I.”

“I” doesn’t know anything.

AM, on the other hand….