Fortune Cookie Wisdom

Late this morning I completed several home blessings for parishioners who had recently moved into their new homes in the expanding southern section of The Villages. I relish this small aspect of my ministry because these new retirees are so happy to find themselves here in the great state of Florida, far away from the cold, bleak, too woke north. I’m overjoyed that so many want these new homes blessed. Today I not only blessed their homes, but I also blessed their dogs, their cars, and their golf carts. 

The Villages is an extremely friendly and beautiful community in which many enjoy their senior years. It’s one of those rare places where a family need brings out the best in neighbors who want to do whatever they can to help. The Villages is also a remarkably religious community, where worshippers fill the pews of dozens of churches. It’s truly remarkable how The Villages has grown over the years. When Diane and I moved into our home in early 2004, there was nothing but farmland to the south of us. Now it can take me a half-hour to drive to these new homes. As the locals might describe it: “The Villages has spread like the plague.” Of course, it’s a relatively benevolent plague, one that has led to a blossoming of the local economy. But that’s a subject for another time.

When I returned from my “blessing drive” dear Diane informed me that she had a demanding craving for Cashew Chicken from our favorite Chinese food establishment. The Chinese-American family that owns and runs the restaurant — China Gourmet III — are parishioners at our parish and prepare wonderful take-out meals at reasonable prices. If you live in or near The Villages, give them a try. You won’t regret it. Anyway, Diane’s meal included two fortune cookies, so as she ate her lunch, I decided I deserved one of the cookies and ate it. Then I read the fortune: “One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine who have only interest.” I almost fell out of my chair since earlier this morning I had completed a Bible Study Guide on the prophet Elijah that covered chapter 18 of 1 Kings. The very last words I wrote this morning extolled the faith and prayer of Elijah, and how the faith of this one man  restored the faith of the people who had displayed mere interest in the living God because of their partial apostasy with the false god Baal. Here are the final words of my 11-page Study Guide:

“At the prophet’s word, God sends rain, a gift from heaven itself that brings fruitfulness to the earth. But the rain falls in superabundance, just like the faith of Elijah, who believes for more than himself, but for all of Israel, for all twelve tribes. The faith of this one man, then, can bring life to all.”

Perhaps I should pay more attention to the occasional fortune cookie that lands on my plate of pork fried rice.

Should you want to read the entire Study Guide, click here: Study 48: Elijah – Part 2 (1 Kings 18)…or you can spend a few days reading through the other 47 Study Guides here: Catholic-Scripture.com

Aging...Not So Gracefully

In September 1980, Pope John Paul II opened an International Forum on Active Aging with an address to the participants. It was brief address but contained some wonderful insights. Keep in mind, at the time the Holy Father spoke these words, he was only 60 years old, hardly what we would consider very elderly. (Indeed, right now I'm just a couple of years from 80, but back in 1980 I was just a kid in my mid-thirties. As we used to say, time flies when you're having fun, and most of my life has been truly enjoyable.)

Anyway, forgetting all of that, I was struck by one particular comment in Pope John Paul's address:

"To turn our attention to the elderly is to realize how much they are a part of God's plan for the world, with their mission to fulfill, their unique contribution to make, their problems to solve, their burdens to bear" [Active Aging, 2]

Reading these words today, I find them wonderfully supportive. If I had read this address back in 1980, I doubt I would have paid much attention to that sentence. After all, at the time I was still rather young, and wouldn't have considered these words personally applicable. In other words, most young people are more self-focused than other-focused. Okay, that's a generalization, but a reasonable accurate and understandable one. Young people are making their way through what to them is a new and expanding world in which they are growing, testing, discovering, and learning. One would expect them to be more wrapped up in themselves because they're still in the process of becoming fully human, physically, mentally, and spiritually. 

When I was younger, I didn't ignore the past, but most of my attention focused on the present and the future. Today it's just the opposite. I often turn, or return, to the past, especially my personal past, where I encounter an accessible storehouse of knowledge, wisdom, lessons, strategies, tactics, cautions, signs, sound counsel, and, yes, many mistakes. These I can apply to the present as I look forward to an unknown and largely unplanned future. I was fortunate to have worked for and with many intelligent, and occasionally wise, people who willingly shared their thoughts and wisdom with me. I might have rejected some of their ideas and principles, but I didn't forget them, and tucked them away in that same storehouse. I was especially blessed to have worked with my father for many years. When I joined him in his consulting business, he was nearing 70 and over time he taught me more than I could possibly have learned anywhere else. I've also been an avid reader, another habit that has provided me with hundreds of wise and not so wise counselors. These habits, manifested as a kind of healthy prejudice, have helped me separate error from truth and accept the reality of God's wondrous creation. 

As I experience the world my generation has both inherited and molded, I realize we have allowed the unchecked growth of some very evil ideologies. Today, for example, the elderly (a group increasingly hard to define) are considered by many to be similar to the unborn. If, because of physical or mental decline, they have become inconvenient, we’ll then, society should be able to “take care” of them. After all, we old folks consume a lot of taxpayer funds through Social Security, Medicare, and other government programs. Back when these programs were conceived nobody dreamed that average lifespans or associated costs would increase so much. 

Attitudes here in The Villages, a retirement community with well over 100,000 residents, are perhaps a little different. The extensive healthcare community here tends to be far more elderly focused since we make up the vast majority of its patients. The irony, as you might expect, is that many "Villagers" don't seem to realize or accept that they are elderly...until they are confronted with life-threatening injury or illness. At that point our supposed Disney World for seniors suddenly becomes God's vestibule. I've encountered the same awareness in our parish. So often new parishioners tell me they haven't attended Mass in decades, but now believe God is calling them to return. I jokingly call it the "nearer my God to Thee" syndrome, but it's really quite true. As life nears its end, those long-neglected seeds of faith take root and blossom anew.

In his address, Pope John Paul also remarked how the presence of the elderly "enriches the home." And yet how many of us are physically separated from our grown families, often the result of societal changes or personal decisions that have pulled families apart geographically? Those of us residing in retirement communities throughout the country no longer live in multi-generational homes of the sort so common decades ago. My guess is that little enrichment can be experienced via Zoom or FaceTime. 

Just consider my own experience. Although I was born in Connecticut, where most of our close relatives lived, my family moved to the suburbs of New York City when I was only five, a move driven by my father's work. For similar reasons we also lived for a time in northwest Florida and Germany. After I graduated from high school, my parents moved to Cape Cod. I spent the next five years trying to get educated in Washington, DC and Annapolis, MD. Then, as a newly commissioned naval officer, I headed south to Pensacola for flight training and marriage to Diane. As our family grew, we bounced between the coasts until we, too, made our way to Cape Cod, a wonderful place to raise the children but a place far from both of our childhood roots. 

Even at my current age I like to think I have something to offer to those who share the little slice of creation in which God has placed me. I believe, as our saintly Pope John Paul stated, that I still have a mission to fulfill, a unique contribution to make, perhaps a few problems to solve, and many burdens to bear. This is what keeps me going. Too many of my contemporaries, who seem to define themselves and their lives solely by their secular work, consider their retirement a reward that frees them not only from that work, but also from the Church's call to evangelization. 

I'll conclude with another quote from Pope John Paul's address in which he emphasized this call:

"Old age is able to enrich the world through prayer and counsel; its presence enriches the home; its immense capacity for evangelization by word and example, and by activities eminently adapted to the talents of the elderly is a force for the Church of God yet to be thoroughly understood or adequately utilized." [Active Aging, 5]

Now that we have time on our hands, perhaps we should get to work, God's work.

Aging Benchmarks

There comes a point in life when birthdays become somewhat less celebratory, and I think I might have reached that point. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy enough that I’ve lived this long, and will certainly welcome the typical low-key celebration Diane and I enjoy on each other’s birthdays. But with aging comes the realization that perhaps I haven’t used all these years as well as I should have. Yet, as I try to avoid dwelling on the past and it’s many errors, I find myself looking instead to the future, as brief as it might be, wondering how I can best use my remaining years. And then the Lord brings me back to reality as I recall His words:

“And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?…Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day” [Mt 6:27,34].

Yes, indeed, today, and every other today, bring enough, both good and ill, to keep me busy. 

As you have probably guessed, today is my birthday, specifically, my 77th. Having survived for so long might seem like quite a milestone, unless like me you live in The Villages, the world’s largest retirement community. The homes in our neighborhood, our particular village, for example, were built in early 2004 and Diane and I were among the youngest of those first settlers. As one of our friends said to me the other day, “77? You’re just a kid.” Yes, indeed, in The Villages age becomes a relative concept. Where else can someone my age be considered just a youngster? 

I suppose these thoughts will bounce around in my tired brain for a day or so until they are overwhelmed by what seem to be more pressing needs. In the meantime I’ll meet today with two of our Bible Study groups to celebrate God’s Word in our lives. And then this evening Diane and I will join another deacon and his wife at a local Greek/Italian restaurant where together we will thank God for allowing me to enjoy this gift of life for another year.

Pandemics and Politics

Life has been strange here in The Villages, certainly not what most folks expected when they moved to "Florida's Friendliest Hometown." But thanks to our governor, things are changing. For weeks Villagers were tucked away in their home, unable to do all those things "active seniors" enjoy. No movies, no concerts, no club  meetings. No pickle ball, no card games, no mahjong, no bingo or bunco. The pools were closed, as were all the recreation centers. OK, they could play some golf.. But what about all that free live evening entertainment at The Villages' three town squares, and the "happy hour" prices? Canceled too. Kaput! Gonzo!

Gone, too, were the frequent dinners at our restaurants and country clubs. Apparently many Villagers can afford to dine out daily. I know this because I've heard the complaints, over and over again. How did they cope with the withdrawal? Did they take advantage of take-out meals offered by some restaurants, or did they resort to frozen dinners from Publix or Winn-Dixie? Maybe a few actually renewed their culinary skills and cooked a few meals at home. But I suspect it just ain't the same as Olive Garden or Red Lobster. The bars, too, were closed and predictably sales at liquor stores went off the charts. Yes, indeed, it's been so hard for so many.

Of course, church attendance has been non-existent, and for us Catholics, the sacraments have been withdrawn. It's almost as if we've been placed under an ecclesial interdict. How did the fathers of the Second Vatican Council describe the Eucharist? "...the source and summit of the Christian life" [Lumen Gentium, 11]. And yet the faithful found themsevles deprived of this life-sustaining gift. Fortunately, the faithful are indeed faithful, and are an example to all of us, even the clergy. So many, thirsting for Word and Eucharist, have taken advantage of recorded and live-streamed Masses -- a sure sign of hope -- as they wait for a return of the sacraments.

Most people I speak with view this crisis rather narrowly, focusing solely on how it has affected them or their families. And this is certaily understandable, especially since most of us are physically separated from children and grandchildren. But there are really two demographic groups that deserve our attention: aging residents of what are euphemistically called "nursing homes" and working families with school-age children.

Of those who have died from COVID-19, the vast majority have been the elderly, particularly residents of nursing homes or other assisted living facilities. We've all heard of the tragic decisions by the authorities in New York, Pennsylvania, and other states to send hospitalized infected seniors back to their assisted living facilities rather than isolating them. City and state authorities in NY certainly had the capability to isolate since President Trump had sent the hospital ship, USNS Comfort, to New York City and also had the U. S. Army turn the huge Javits Center into a hospital. Both were rarely used, despite the seemingly panicked pleas by the governor and mayor for more facilities. Instead, the authorities demanded that when hospitals released infected elderly patients, the nursing homes must re-admit them. The result? Thousands died.

Let's look now at the data -- nationwide data direct from the Center for Disease Control. It covers the three-month period, February 1 through May 2:

• 80% of those whose deaths were directly related to COVID-19 were over the age of 65 (50,819 of 63,469 total deaths).

• Of these 63,469 deaths, only 13 deaths were of children under the age of 15. In fact, during that same period, and in that same age group, 107 children died from pneumonia and 85 from influenza.

• For young people of high school and collage age (15 to 24), 66 died from COVID-19 related illness, again out of 63,469 total deaths. During that same period 143 died from pneumonia and 41 from influenza.

Just think about these numbers. It would seem that all along our emphasis should have focused largely on the elderly. I don't say this because I am in this age group. No, from the very beginning we were told the elderly would be the most vulnerable. And guess what? They are. But apparently some governors consider us old folks expendable. Instead of working to keep us safe, they turned their attention to the economy and proceeded to undermine it. They focused instead on destroying the livelihood of working families by shutting down the businesses that employ them, particularly the smaller businesses that lack political clout. They closed the schools, although children are the least susceptible demographic when it comes to COVID-19. More children and young adults have died from pneumonia and influenza during this same period.

I'm not minimizing the death of a single child, but we've never shut down schools because of pneumonia or influenza, just as we didn't do so because of polio when I was a child. Am I wrong about this? I don't know. Perhaps. But what I do know is that too often we nod with unthinking acceptance at the decisions made by politicians, who are driven largely by political considerations and the opinions of well-chosen "experts." But what is an expert but someone with expertise in a narrow field of knowledge? For example, what does an epidemiologist, especially one employed by a government bureaucracy, know about the economy and employment and the cost of doing business? Not much! And yet we seem to accept their wide-ranging recommendations almost blindly, without considering the long-term effects on our nation as a whole. Only now have we begun to question what they know about their own field when applied to demographics. Their pandemic "models" have been remarkably and consistently inaccurate, largely because they tend to ignore or discount the human element; that is, the cumulative effect of the micro-decisions made by people like you and me.

Too many experts and politicians simply ignore the impact of their recommendations and decisions on what is probably the most important element of our society: the working family. Forced to leave their jobs, deprived of their income, and forced, too, to home school their children, they are plagued not by the coronavirus but by worry about their family's future. And isn't it strange that these same governors consider education (along with religion) the most non-essential of all activities?

Finally, isn't it interesting that the most "liberal" of governors are also the most authoritarian, and seem to thrive on the elixir of power? I won't beat this drum again here since I did so in a recent post: Power and Precedent. 

That's enough. It's late. I'm tired. Good night.

Ellen Louise Thomas, R.I.P.

Ellen Thomas 1949-2020

Last week Diane and I lost a dear friend. Ellen Thomas, the wife of Deacon Walter Thomas, died suddenly and unexpectedly on January 15. We will miss her dearly.

Walter and I, along with about 20 other men, were in the same deacon formation class of the Diocese of Fall River. We were ordained together on May 24, 1997 by then-Bishop Sean O'Malley, who went on to become Cardinal O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston.

Ellen and Walter, Diane and I, and another diaconate formation classmate, Deacon Joe Mador, and his wife, Ann, all made the move to The Villages in Florida. As it turned out we ended up together, at least for a while, at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Wildwood, Florida.

Today we celebrated a memorial Mass for Ellen at St. Vincent's, and Walter honored me by asking me to preach the homily. The family plans to celebrate Ellen's funeral Mass in Massachusetts within a week or two.

I have included my homily below:

____________________________

Readings: Wisdom 3:1-6,9; Psalm 25; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; John 14:1-6
____________________________

Walter, on behalf of Father Peter, our pastor, and Father John, along with our brother deacons, and the entire St. Vincent de Paul Parish community, I extend our deepest condolences to you, and to Kim and Larry, to Eric and Jessica, and to those beautiful grandchildren that Ellen loved so dearly and was so proud of. 

To Ellen’s friends who have joined us to support this family, thank you; it is good that you are here today. Thank you for your love and your prayers.

Yes, indeed, Walter, it is good, good and fitting that all of us who love Ellen should come together at this difficult time. I know it’s a difficult time…it’s a sad time because one we love is no longer with us as she once was. 

But even though we know she remains with us in spirit, it’s still a time that can generate questions to which we seek answers, answers about life and death.

St. Paul, of course, provides an answer, reminding us that Jesus, through His death and Resurrection, destroyed that final enemy. He destroyed death. But perhaps the best answer is the one we just heard from Jesus:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me” [Jn 14:1].

Remarkable words, really, since Jesus said them the night before He died, knowing what would happen the next day. But is He concerned about Himself? No, He’s concerned about His friends: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

These are good words for us today as well. And knowing Ellen, as we all do, I think we can hear her saying these same words, for she would not want troubled hearts here today.

“You have faith in God,” Jesus added, “have faith also in me.” Even at difficult times such as this, Jesus tells us, it is our faith that allows our hearts to be untroubled. Yes, it’s all about faith, isn’t it? And because Ellen was a woman of deep faith, she would want our hearts to be joyful. It is our faith that calls us to be joyful. As St. Paul reminds us: because of our faith we do “not grieve like the rest, who have no hope” [1 Thes 4:13].

Do you recall the words of our first reading? 

“…they are at peace… their hope full of immortality” [Wis 3:3,4].

Ellen, who for years suffered so very much, is indeed at peace, tasting the immortality we all hope to share. And she would want us, those whom she loved so deeply, to be at peace too. I can say this with confidence because, well, I speak from experience.

Diane and I came to know Ellen and Walter well over 25 years ago, when Walter and I, along with Deacon Joe Mador, whom many of you know – began diaconate formation in the Fall River diocese. That formation certainly didn’t exclude the wives of those deacon candidates.

And these good women, doing the work of the Holy Spirit, rejoiced with us through all the joyful times, and pushed and pulled us through the many challenging times. 

Believe me, during five years of intensive formation you learn a lot about each other. Secrets are shared, hearts are opened, and despite it all we came to love each other.

Ellen, of course, was easy to love. Smart, strongly independent, she was ever full of laughter and fun.
But more importantly, she was a devoted and loving wife and mother. She and Walter were not two, but one: “Joined at the hip,” she would say.

Her familial love was of the best kind: it was a sacrificial love – a love that gave, expecting nothing in return.

She was also a remarkable friend, and it was a friendship that Diane and I cherished deeply – a friendship that began in Massachusetts and continued here in The Villages. You see, 20 years ago, after Diane and I had made an exploratory visit to The Villages, we happened to mention it to Ellen and Walter. The next thing we knew, they had gone south and bought a home here. They beat us to the punch. It would be another three years before Diane and I became Villagers.

How can we forget her Cinco de Mayo birthday celebrations at local Mexican restaurants, always including a margherita or two?

And to be Ellen’s friend, it really helped if you were a Red Sox and Patriots fan. Believe me, she gave new meaning to the word fan, which in her case truly is short for fanatic. You can imagine how difficult this past year was for her.

But Ellen’s fervor for those teams was just symptomatic of the enthusiasm she brought to so many aspects of her life. And along with that enthusiasm came remarkable organizational skills. Whether organizing a cruise for her friends or planning parties or dinners for playoff games or holidays, it was Ellen who pulled it all together. Our lives would have been boring and lackluster without Ellen to draw us out of our shells.

I could go on and on, but I know she’s listening, and it would embarrass her. So, let me just say that we love her dearly. She will remain always in a very special place in our hearts.

To Ellen’s family, I can only encourage you to keep her spirit alive, to tell the stories, the stories that bring laughter and those that bring tears, to pass them on from one generation to the next. Those future generations won’t have known Ellen, but because of you, they will come to appreciate all that she did for this family and will love her as well.

But it’s also important for us to remember that this Mass, although a memorial for Ellen, remains primarily an act of worship, but worship in the form of thanksgiving. You see, today we thank our loving, merciful God for Ellen Louise Thomas. We thank Him for the gift of this woman’s unique, unrepeatable life, a life you and I were privileged not only to witness, but also to share.

But more importantly, as Christians, whenever we gather in prayer, we thank our God for the gift of His Son, Who gave His life for us. For without that gift, we would have no hope…no hope of forgiveness, no hope of mercy, no hope of salvation, no hope of eternal life.

It’s because of this gift that we can gather here today and not be consumed by grief.

It’s because of this gift that we can go on with our own lives secure in the knowledge that Ellen, and you, and I, that we have all been redeemed by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Resting in the embrace of our loving God, Ellen now holds this truth in the very depths of her being.
St. Paul said it best: 

“We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and place us with you in his presence” [2 Cor 4:14].

And who is this Jesus? Well, He told us, didn’t He?

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life” [Jn 14:6].

The Way – nothing less than our Christian faith – the Truth, why that’s the Good News of Jesus Christ, and the life is everlasting life. It’s the understanding that we’re here for a purpose: to do God’s will so that we may spend an eternal life of happiness with Him – that eternal life Ellen is just now beginning to experience. For God has put Ellen’s suffering behind her, and we thank Him for that.

This is what we celebrate here today: the Good News of Jesus Christ.

…the Good News that lies at the very core of our faith

…the Good News that tells us the Father loves us so intensely He sent His only Son to become one of us

…so intensely He allowed His Son to die for our sins, for the sins of those who put Him to death
…so intensely that through His redeeming death and Resurrection He gave us the gift of eternal life.

This is what we celebrate today. We celebrate the reality of the Good News for Ellen and for us.

We’re here to give Ellen to the Father, to thank God for her life, and to ask the Father to grant her a new life, a life far greater than the one she shared with us, an eternal life of happiness.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Bye-Bye Irma (Irma #6)

She's gone...sort of. In the darkness of the early morning hurricane Irma passed right over us here in central Florida. It's now mid-morning and even though a weakened and less organized Irma is already in Georgia, we're still experiencing  tropical storm force winds upwards of 50 mph. We're told these will be with us for most of the day. After yesterday and this morning these gusts are no big deal. She's still a huge storm, though, spreading her rains and winds over hundreds of miles. Here's a radar view, more or less current:

The winds and rains howled and hammered all night, but we seem to have come through with little or no damage. Our trees lost a lot of branches, but from what I can tell, most were very small. I might have to make some repairs to our garage door, but other than that all is well. I stayed up until 3 a, m, and then finally grabbed a few hours of sleep. I think an afternoon nap might be called for.

Millions of Floridians are without electrical power, but here in The Villages, at least in our neighborhood, we seem to have lost nothing. We still have electricity, telephones, internet --  the bounty of the good life promised by modern civilization. The only thing I lost was AT&T cell service, but it's already back, up and running.

Now we're just thankful that we came through this safely. Occasionally God needs to remind us of the power of His creation. The humble recognize this and realize that as inhabitants of this tiny planet we're actually powerless little critters, totally dependent on His mercy. I trust those who mistakenly think they are powerful might come to accept the truth of God's omnipotence.

There is one powerful gift God extends to us: the power of prayer. And Diane and I thank you for your prayers. We also turn to our two patron saints, the martyrs St. Vitus and St. Elmo (Erasmus), and thank them for their intercession.

We pray, too, for those who are still feeling the effects of Irma. We have relatives and friends in northern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina and pray for their safety.

As the hymn reminds us: "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow..." Yes, indeed, God is good.

With that, I'm finished with Irma -- no more updates.

Irma Heads Right For Us (Irma #5)

Well...the highly unpredictable Irma changed course after making landfall in Marco Island, Florida. Instead of heading off to the northwest as most of the tracking models predicted, she decided to charge ahead almost due north. The problem for us is that this new course will cause her to pass directly over us here in Sumter County. Arrgghhh.

The Villages, our massive retirement community of well over 100,000 residents, spans three Florida counties: Lake, Marion, and Sumter. Our home is in Sumter County and is apparently in Irma's crosshairs. According to the seemingly wise meteorologists of Orlando's Channel 9 (WFTV), we will experience some very high winds beginning around midnight and lasting for many hours. We can expect things to settle down around 7 or 8 a.m. tomorrow.

Right now I estimates we're feeling the effects of perhaps 50 mph winds, along with constant torrential rains. It's quite noisy so winds perhaps twice as strong should really keep us awake. No damage yet...well, no damage heard or seen, but it's a very dark night. I'll have to wait until morning to survey the exterior of the house. I'm still a bit concerned about the live oak trees behind the houses on this side of our street. Although I don't expect Irma to uproot these large tress, her strong, shifting winds will probably rip off some large branches. We hope none will damage any homes.

Diane and Maddie are both asleep. (It's now past 11 p.m.) As for me, the storm seems to have awakened me -- some sort of stimulant effect. I also feel a kind of manly sense of responsibility calling me to watch over Dear Diane and our home. I can't imagine going to bed while Irma roars just beyond our thin walls. And someone should stay awake in the event of a tornado warning, so we can all -- Diane, Maddie and I -- retreat to the guest bathroom, our only interior room with no windows. 

We still have electrical power and all the other utilities we've come to rely on. And for this we thank both St. Elmo and St. Vitus. Our diocese -- the Diocese of Orlando -- has placed a prayer on the diocesan website. I invite you to pray:

May God calm the storms of our heart.
Let us pray that God will calm the storms of our heart. May we remember to check on one another as the storms arrive – our coworkers, our neighbors, our friends, our families – to assure each other of our care and concern for our safety and well-being.

May He bring safety to all in the path of the storm

We pray for those in the path of the storm, for all evacuating to safety and for all who will work to serve our communities and protect the dignity of life. May we take care of ourselves, our loved ones and those God puts in our path.

Let us pray for protection

Lord of mercy, watch over and protect all of your children in the path of Hurricane Irma. Please protect us and guide us toward safe harbors as we take shelter in you. Amen.

It Begins (Irma #4)

The rains and wind have arrived in earnest. We're already on the receiving end of tropical storm force winds and the rain is coming down in buckets. It's hard to believe this is just a first taste of Irma's power. She is one very large storm, larger than any I've experienced, well over 500 miles in diameter. The forecast for our area is not encouraging. She will strengthen and hammer us throughout the night and into tomorrow.

A few moments ago I stepped out on the lanai and noticed that water is beginning to pool in the area between the houses. There's pretty good drainage back there but I'm not real confident it can keep up with a storm of this intensity. When hurricane Frances hit us back in 2004 we experienced some significant flooding behind our house, but it eventually drained off and did no damage. Water also seeped in under the front door. Fortunately we managed to sop it up with dozens of towels until the rains stopped. But we've had so much rain this summer that I'm afraid the ground is already waterlogged. We'll see.

Maddie viewing the empty lanai

Adding to the excitement are the tornadoes that accompany Irma. A dozen or so have already popped up in central and eastern Florida with several causing serious damage by uprooting trees and destroying mobile homes. One TV meteorologist commented that well over 10% of Floridians live in mobile and manufactured homes, a fact that explains why they are so often the target of severe weather: there's just a lot of them. The only good thing about hurricane-embedded tornadoes is their size and duration: they tend to be small and they don't last long.

Oh, yes, for those of you concerned about our lizards, on my brief visit to the lanai I noticed that Leo, the largest of our three lizards, apparently decided to come out of hiding. The below photo shows him comfortably waiting out the storm. We are pleased that all three seem to be doing well, and trust they will make it through the "dark and stormy night."  

Leo, the largest of our lizards

We still have electricity, telephone, cable and internet; and this is good. At my age the idea of reverting to a more primitive lifestyle is unappealing. Whether all of these modern conveniences will still function tomorrow morning is anyone's guess, but I'm hoping for the best.

Martyrdom of St. Erasmus (Elmo)

Interestingly, when it comes to things electrical or electronic, Diane always asks St. Elmo to intercede. This all began when I once described the phenomenon known as "St. Elmo's Fire," a form of electrical discharge that sometimes appears on the masts and rigging of ships. Because sailors considered them to be signs of St. Elmo's protective concern, they named the phenomenon after him. The patron saint of sailors (and I suppose that includes me), Elmo is more properly known as St. Erasmus of Formia. I suppose Elmo is just a nickname preferred by sailors. And here's an amazing  coincidence: St. Elmo and St. Vitus (remember him from my first Irma post) were both martyred in the same year, 303 A.D. Isn't that remarkable? Our two patrons -- Elmo, Diane's patron of things electrical, and Vitus, the patron of protection from storms -- returned to the Father at about the same time.

And so I ask that you join with us as we turn to these two saintly martyrs in prayer, asking for their combined intercession for all who are in the path of this devastating storm. 

God's peace.

Hello Irma (Irma #3)

We're still in an awaiting mode, with little to do but watch the easily excitable weather people on TV. They are, of course, in their glory since these significant weather events are relatively rare. But when severe weather does occur, the meteorologists take center stage and all other news fades into the background. I'm always amazed by their ability to come up with new things to say. After all, hurricanes are really just a lot of very strong winds and torrential rains, but these TV weather people dazzle us with graphs and charts and tracks and millibars and cones and all sorts of wonderful stuff to keep us watching. I especially enjoy the weather reporters in the field who stand in knee-deep water while they lean into 50-knot winds and tell us things we can't understand because the sound of the wind drowns out their words. Then they remind us to stay indoors because these storms are dangerous.

And yet I continue to watch.

Earlier this morning, after joining Maddie on her morning walk through the neighborhood, I took holy water in hand and blessed the house and the surrounding trees, asking God to keep us safe. Two of our three resident lizards watched me intently as I sprinkled the lanai and them. As you can see clearly in the below photos, both showed real interest. Lizzie, the smallest, clung to one of the screens, while Leonard watched from his favorite ledge. Leo, the big guy, was nowhere to be seen, but I suspect he's hiding under the grill, his usual place of retreat whenever I enter the lanai.

Lizzie on the screen

Leonard on the ledge

I hope that all three make it through the storm. Dear Diane suggested inviting them into the house, but I nixed the idea assuming Maddie might not accept them. She has never bothered, or even taken an interest in, our lanai lizards but asking her to share the house with them might be expecting too much.  

As you can tell, I seem to have far too much time on my hands today. There's nothing much to do except wait and pray and occasionally raid the cookie jar. Although this morning we've experienced a few passing squalls with some wind and rain, so far all is relatively calm. We're told this will change this evening. The worst will be with us throughout the night, so I expect I'll get little sleep. I hope Diane and Maddie sleep well, but someone has to stay up and keep an eye on Irma as she passes through.

As you can see by this fairly recent map of Irma's track (above), the experts still anticipate that she'll follow the Gulf coast as she heads north. If that actually happens, we will be just outside the eyewall and be subjected to some very strong winds. Should be a fun night.

Again, keep us in your prayers, and don't forget St. Vitus, who has a special way with storms.

Peace...

Irma Update (Irma #2)

With hurricane Irma less than 24 hours away, Dear Diane and I have been trying to prepare for her arrival. Our first task? Empty the lanai of all furniture, so it doesn't get blown through the glass French doors that open to the living room.

The task is complete, but I didn't expect the reaction of the three little lizards that have been living in our lanai for several months. I named them a few weeks ago, from smallest to largest: Lizzie, Leonard and Leo. It just seemed like the proper thing to do since they had become permanent residents. Anyway, I think they're upset about all the unexpected activity. Every time I moved a chair or table, they ran for cover, seemingly very concerned about these sudden changes. Now, with the lanai completely empty, they have no place to hide. They have been sitting together on a ledge and staring down at the large void that was once their adopted home. Sad, but I suspect they'll recover once the storm passes...assuming they survive.

I feel confident that we've prepared as well as two old folks can. We have gallons of fresh water, enough batteries, weather radios, ice for the coolers, flashlights, candles, two full gas tanks for the grill, ice cream, cookies, and the most important item, good neighbors. I also have a little Irish whiskey for myself in the event of an emergency.

Here's Irma's current location and anticipated track:

We're still hoping that Irma -- now moving rather slowly along the north shore of Cuba -- will continue on her westward course for a while before making that anticipated turn toward the north. If she skirts Florida's gulf coast we will receive some very high winds here in Sumter County, so I'd prefer her farther out to sea.

The latest forecast for our area calls for hurricane force winds upwards of 100+ mph for a rather extended period: 5 pm Sunday through 2 pm Monday. That's a long time to be battered by so much wind. The forecast also predicted 8 to 15 inches of rain. To emphasize the seriousness of all this, the forecaster told us to expect power outages, flooding, and tornadoes. All very encouraging.

And so we continue to ask St. Vitus to intercede for us and for all who find themselves in the path of this huge storm. And I ask you, my tiny but holy remnant of readers, to keep us in your prayers. Praise God!

Here Comes Irma (Irma #1)

I can think of no better place to live than Florida...except during a hurricane.

Irma, apparently a hurricane of historic proportions, has set her sights on Florida. Dear Diane and I happen to live smack dab in the middle of this great state, something which causes me more than a little concern. The latest predictions by the weather-guessers show the storm smashing into South Florida and then moving north, right up the spine of the Florida peninsula. If these forecasts are accurate, Irma, still packing hurricane force winds, should reach us sometime early Monday.

Because we live in Central Florida, between Orlando and Ocala, we will be spared the destruction caused by the storm surge that affects coastal areas. But the high winds and heavy rains could still take their toll. So much depends on the path Irma ultimately follows. If she makes a slight right turn and heads north along the east coast, the damage here will be lessened but the people of coastal Georgia and the Carolinas could find themselves facing an even stronger storm. She could instead take a left turn into the Gulf and run up Florida's west coast. This, too, would be better for us, but might hammer the folks who live along the Gulf Coast and in the panhandle. There's really no good scenario, so the best we can do is pray that God will be merciful and keep us all safe.

We have not received an evacuation order -- at least, not yet -- but if we do, it might be a challenge to convince Dear Diane to leave. Where would we go? she asks. Drive north to stay with relatives in Georgia or friends in South Carolina? From the forecasts it seems the storm will simply follow us. She intends to stay put and assumes that our central location will limit the damage that a weakened Irma could inflict. I pray she is correct.

In truth, The Villages tends to weather bad storms fairly well. We can only hope the community will withstand Irma's fury when she arrives. Back in 2004, shortly after we moved here, three hurricanes -- Charley, Frances and Jeanne -- visited The Villages, one after another, and caused some damage; but our well-constructed house survived all three storms. The large live-oak trees behind our house were not so fortunate, but despite all the lost limbs, the trees survived. Because all the utilities -- cable, telephone and electricity -- are underground here in The Villages, we didn't suffer any outages back in 2004. (Actually, as I recall, we lost cable TV for about 30 minutes, but that was the extent of it.)

My biggest concern is the potential flooding that could result from 10 to 20 inches of rainfall. We have excellent drainage here but I can't imagine any drainage system coping effectively with such high levels of predicted rainfall. We'll see.

But because I always want to be prepared, I stopped by the local Publix supermarket this morning and loaded up on the essentials: ice cream and cookies. I also bought  40 pounds of ice and stashed it in the freezer. I own an "enhanced" ice chest that will keep ice nice and icy for five days. I also have two full tanks of gas for the barbecue grill in the event we cannot use the kitchen range. And if we must leave, the car's gas tank is also full. I think I'm ready for whatever Irma throws at us.

Patron: Protection from Storms

Anyway, we ask that all you folks who live up in snow country keep us in your prayers. And pray, too, for those in the Caribbean who have already suffered so much devastation from this storm.

We thank God for all that happens, knowing He turns everything to good for those who believe in Him.

And, lest I forget, the patron saint of protection from storms is St. Vitus, a martyr of the early fourth century. And so we pray too for his intercession.

God's peace.

Baptism of Amelia Ann

Yesterday I baptized a beautiful little girl whose name is Amelia Ann. I really love baptisms even though I don't get to preside at very many these days. 

The congregation of our previous parish on Cape Cod included many young families, so baptisms were fairly common. But here in The Villages, certainly Florida's largest retirement community and perhaps the largest in the world, baptisms are understandably rather rare. Fortunately, this large community of seniors (well over 100,000 residents) demands services of every sort. This very practical need has attracted an increasing number of young people, including families with children, who have settled in the communities surrounding The Villages. And so we are seeing a gradual increase in the number of baptisms, something that makes me happy...very happy.

Back to Amelia Ann...

She is eight months old, very bright, and seemingly quite sure of what she likes and dislikes. I suspect she'll be a handful, but what child isn't? Amelia was also very interested in everything I did as the rite progressed. She was very willing to be anointed with both the Oil of Salvation and Sacred Chrism, and, surprisingly, didn't object to the actual baptism. She displayed only a mild surprise when I poured water over her pretty head three times. But she never once cried or showed any sign of real displeasure. All things considered, Amelia was one of those perfect baptismal babies who actually seem to enjoy what's happening.

For years now, whenever I preside at a baptism, I give the child a little gift. I use the child's birthdate and baptismal date and convert each to a scriptural chapter and verse. For example, Amelia Ann was born on December 6 (12:6) and baptized on August 12 (8:12). Then, using these chapter/verse combinations, I go through the entire Bible and select no more than ten verses that seem particularly appropriate. Once I've chosen the verses I create a PowerPoint slide with a scriptural background and enter the verses. I then print the finished product (8x10) on glossy photo paper, place it in a nice frame, and give it to the family as a gift. The entire process takes only about an hour and it's always very well received. I've included an example below; in fact it's the one I made for Amelia Ann and her parents.

Anyway, it's a neat thing to make for a child. I also made these -- with just birthday verses -- for teenagers when I taught pre-confirmation catechesis in my previous parish. It was my birthday gift to the kids who were in my class. Everyone received one, even those whose birthdays fell during the summer months. I found it to be a fairly effective way to get them to open their Bibles and read. I think it would also be a nice gift from a parent or grandparent.

It's a Dog's World

For almost three years Diane and I have shared our home with a wonderful little dog named Maddie. Now almost nine years old she is a rescued Bichon Frise who has seemingly adapted well to our household. Last evening I took a photo of of her doing what she does best (below). As you can see, she makes herself comfortable wherever she likes, and in this instance has made good use of one of Diane's Christmas pillows and a red throw. The deep dents in the white sofa cushions are the result of her testing out various napping spots. She prefers the extra-soft, down-filled cushions on the living room sofa and chairs...as do I. Fortunately, Bichons don't shed so I need not follow her around with a vacuum cleaner.

Maddie's a very happy little critter and complains only when we leave her alone for more than a few moments. She also smiles a lot which is a common trait among Bichons, a remarkably sociable and friendly breed. Right now she's resting on the bed in the guest bedroom from which she has a commanding view of our front yard. She seems to believe her primary job is to warn us when anyone steps foot on the property. I consider this adequate work for her room and board; but because she also offers us real affection, we provide her with all kinds of tasty treats -- a true symbiotic relationship.

Among her favorite treats are the large sized milk-bones (see photo below), the kind marketed to big dogs. But when given one of these treats Maddie won't eat it, at least not right away. She will walk throughout the house, milk-bone sticking out of her mouth, sometimes for an hour or more. Then she'll usually "bury" it under a throw pillow and retrieve it the next day. Eventually she will eat it but not before completing this ritual of instinctive canine behavior.

Maddie and I walk together for a mile or two every morning and every evening. The Villages is home to many dogs, so we often encounter several as we stroll through the surrounding neighborhoods. Interestingly, Maddie has never barked or growled at or tried to attack another dog, regardless of the other dog's attitude. Based on her reaction to the dogs we encounter, I've concluded that she places dogs in one of three categories. 

First, there are the nasty little -- and some not so little -- dogs. They represent perhaps 20% of the dogs we meet on our walks and include the small yappers and ankle-biters that really care little for other living beings. The category also includes a few -- and only a few -- large dogs that view other dogs as prey. For example, we sometimes encounter a large Akita who growls whenever it sees another human or canine. Maddie senses the nastiness of all these dogs long before they approach and simply encourages me to avoid them.

Maddie seems to lump many other dogs into the second category. These are the indifferent dogs and represent maybe a third of the dogs we meet. Maddie tries to approach them, wagging her tail in friendship, but they simply ignore her and continue on. These rejections of her offered affection always seem to surprise her. but she quickly puts it behind her. 

The final category includes what I call the dogs with good hearts, the dogs that simply enjoy the presence of humans and other dogs. Maddie herself falls in this category, so I suppose it's natural that she would gravitate to others of her kind. When she spots one approaching, she will often just sit down and wait for them to arrive. They then sniff and play and enjoy each other.

As an aside, I've often noticed that the person on the other end of the leash mimics the behavior of the dog (or vice versa): grumpy, indifferent and happy dogs tend to be accompanied by grumpy, indifferent or happy human beings respectively.

Speaking of happy dogs, someone recently sent me a link to a video of a rescued Pit Bull named Brinks who smiles constantly -- certainly among the happiest-looking dogs I've ever seen.  I've included two videos of Brinks, the one my friend sent me and another of Brinks walking through his Brooklyn neighborhood. This is one neat dog who has apparently become a YouTube celebrity.






Actually, the Pit Bull is a wonderful breed, a naturally friendly and protective dog that makes an excellent family pet. Sadly the breed has been often mistreated and misused by far too many people resulting in its rather bad reputation. In fact, one neighborhood dog is part Pit Bull and he and Maddie have become fast friends. He's about four times her size but that doesn't seem to bother her at all. His name happens to be Trump (no relation), a name he was given long before the onset of the recent presidential race. On our twice-daily walks Maddie insists we go out of our way to visit Trump. 

Over the years our family has been blessed by many good dogs, both large and small, but I really think little Maddie is my favorite. 

By the way, according to the Harvard Health blog: “The evidence reviewed by the AHA indicates that dog owners are more likely to exercise, have a better cholesterol profile, have lower blood pressure, be less vulnerable to the physical effects of stress, and be more likely to survive a heart attack.” Sounds like a good reason to bring a dog into your life.

The Weather According to Matthew

The ubiquitous media has truly altered the way we observe and experience weather events. A week or so ago we began to hear about Hurricane Matthew as it formed, strengthened, and moved slowly through the central Caribbean, eventually becoming a dreaded Category 5 storm. Once its movement indicated a potential threat to Florida and the U.S. East Coast, the "weather establishment" shifted into high gear.

As it traveled north the storm caused catastrophic damage to poor Haiti, but this seemed a secondary concern. Yes, we're told that several hundred Haitians lost their lives and thousands more lost their homes and their few possessions, but isn't this to be expected? After all, it's Haiti! They're real poor down there, and backward, and live in shacks; they have poor construction codes, and probably don't even have a national weather service. Anyway, Channel Whatever Eyewitness News doesn't have a news crew down there; and if it's not on TV it mustn't be all that important. After Haiti Matthew scraped the eastern edge of Cuba and then rolled through the Bahamas, but we heard little about its effects in these places. All eyes were focused on Florida.

Hurricane Matthew Approaches Florida

Reporter in the Storm

The media frenzy really peaked yesterday, and hasn't ebbed a bit. At some point every local TV station in Orlando (the ones we are blessed to receive on our cable system) preempted their usual programming and offered round-the-clock hurricane coverage. One station even replaced Thursday Night Football with several meteorologists sharing their thoughts about millibars, storm surge, eye walls, forecast models, digital radar, and other wondrous things. Every station pre-positioned reporters and camera crews wherever they expect disaster to strike. This, of course, led to an interesting contradiction. As some poor, 100-pound, young woman reporter is battered on camera by hurricane force winds and driving horizontal rain, the studio anchors tell their audience not to be foolish by leaving their homes during the storm. Go figure!

As is often the case, the TV meteorologists focus on their worst-case scenarios and discuss other possibilities only in passing. This creates a sense of impending doom, that this storm will be like no other. I suppose such warnings are useful since they probably convince some reluctant people to evacuate threatened areas, but they also cause others to believe the danger was grossly overstated. 

The 24-hour coverage generates another problem: constant repetition. There's only so much to say about a storm. And now -- thanks to the internet, hurricane apps on our smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, instant messaging, and push notifications -- information pours into our homes unceasingly. No doubt this flow of information has saved many lives, lives that would have been lost in the days when hurricanes appeared with far less warning. But an inundation of data and opinion can also confuse and lead folks to turn it all off.

Matthew's Coming!!

The media also provide a venue for our politicians to communicate their advice, concerns, and demands. Indeed, every few hours the governor, surrounded by his emergency management team, a collection of very serious-looking people, appears on screen and gives us an update. The governor and his team have apparently spent our tax dollars well and done an excellent job preparing for Matthew's arrival. Governor Scott, I am told, is a very nice man, but his reports seem so very gloomy. I suppose that's to be expected since he likely feels responsible for the safety of the people of Florida and hopes they will take the storm seriously. Even though the storm has obviously weakened -- it's now a Category 3 storm -- and has drifted slightly seaward, the warnings remain severe. At the same time, however, the meteorologists are almost apologetic because Matthew hasn't fully lived up to their expectations. They truly enjoy storms. It's all very interesting.

Governor Scott Updates the State

Here in The Villages we are on Matthew's western fringe and have experienced only periodic rain and wind -- nothing very substantial. But in anticipation of the storm, most local government offices and many businesses have closed. We even closed the Wildwood Soup Kitchen today. Yesterday Diane and I and our wonderful team of volunteers prepared a tasty meal for our guests, and then prepared an additional double brown-bag meal so no one would go without food today. We all went home tired but satisfied that the hungry would be fed.

As Matthew heads north we pray that it drifts farther out to sea and spares the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina. We also look forward to a little less weather and far less weather news.