June 13, 2012

Little Things

It's a stressful business, living in a foreign place and with only the beginnings of the language. So it reminds me that it's a very good thing to stay grateful for the little successes one has along the way. Here are two for which I am grateful today:

First, I had my first successful communication with an Italian-speaking tourist. Not that I gave him any useful information, but I understood what he asked me and he accepted my response. On my way home from school the man stopped me and asked where he and his wife could find a good restaurant. I said that I didn't know, because I always eat in the friary. I'm sure he found a place without much trouble, so I don't feel bad.

Second, I gave my first homily in Italian, but not really. I did not anticipate being principal celebrant at the conventual Mass this morning. I expected that if it had to be a foreigner, it would be my fellow Italian student (who is more advanced than me) from the Krakow province. However, he turned out not to be very recollected this morning, I expect because the Poland-Russia soccer game last night. So, finding myself unprepared and not able to speak the language anyway, but having before me an assembly of friars having a right to a homily on a feast day, I tried to use the same shtick I used back when this happened on a Sunday in the parish.

I tried to say something like, 'Forgive me, brothers, but I don't have a homily for you. But St. Anthony, in the sermon in the Office of Readings today, says, may the tongues of fire be lit in us for the profession of the faith, so that, burning and illuminated among the splendor the saints, we might merit to see the God who is one and three. Amen."

4 comments:

Cloister said...

Fair play. I adore the Office of Readings, and would love to pray it in a relaxed environment quietly contemplating each word. That is not the path that God has set out for me. I am a Secondary School teacher. In these days of advanced technology I wake up each day at 5am, download the office of readings to my iPhone and play/pray it in the car on the hour commute to work. Sometimes I drink up every word. Sometimes the roads to London, even around 6am, are full of traffic and much concentration is needed to drive safely. Either which way, I am always grateful to the wise priest who offers a homily at our lunch time mass reminding us of the wisdom I should have found earlier. If he really inspires me, I look it up when I get home :-) xx

-Lou (Louis) said...

Father, may I ask for you to pray for me and my staff at the tomb of our Seraphic Father?

This happened to me (he has since been caught and has confessed). Shot him twice while he was pointing his gun at me. I "knew" he was coming: he had robbed a friends pharmacy 2 days before.

http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-man-shot-trying-to-rob-pharmacy-later-arrested-20120609,0,226177.story?track=rss

Please pray for this man's conversion, too.

-Lou

-Lou (Louis) said...

Father, not sure if this posted, if this is a duplicate, I am sorry.
Could you please pray for my staff and me. We had an attempted robbery. He threatened us with a gun, so I had to shoot him (twice). He survived.

If you could say a prayer for us (and the robber's conversion-he belongs to the Crips gang) at the tomb of our Seraphic Father Francis, I would truly appreciate it. Only if it is not too much trouble, obviously. The police said that the gangs do not usually retaliate, but I would still appreciate prayers.

http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-man-shot-trying-to-rob-pharmacy-later-arrested-20120609,0,226177.story?track=rss

-Lou

-Lou (Louis) said...

Father?