Today found me at a Tridentine Latin Mass at St. Therese Parish. It had been a while, some eighteen months or more, since I had attended Mass there. With the first notes of the organ swelling, I was filled with a deep sense of peace. Looking into the Face of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament moments before, I had many questions and supplications, and the whole Mass was His answer of reassurance.
After Mass, I was introduced to the celebrant, a wonderful Claretian priest with a beautiful singing voice. I also met several other "regulars" of that Mass and we all went out for "linner" (contraction of lunch and dinner). That was a rambunctious time, indeed. These folks were from varying walks of life and had differing temperaments, but they shared a time-honored friendship based around the Traditional Mass - which was the main topic of conversation, of course.
There was a fellow from Ireland with his Chinese wife, talking about a Catholic Answers dinner they had attended the previous night. The gentleman mentioned meeting a priest there who had an Italian surname but a thick Irish brogue like his - who'd have thought? Our quiet companion shared his grief and we prayed with him for the soul of his dearly departed. The religious Brother wowed us with his conversational knowledge of phrases in many languages, both Eastern and Western - he knew which waitresses came from different countries and spoke to them in their own tongues! The film executive regaled us with tales of the shooting process and providential moments, while everyone enjoyed the meal.
At the end of the day, I was stuffed and exhausted, but also refreshed by good company and a beautiful Mass. I hadn't realized just how much I missed it. I'll have to go more often!
After all, life is too short to die.
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