My Daily Musing

Bummer

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:55:00 -0700

   We had everything all planned.
   We (Fr. Rick and I) were going to go to lunch this afternoon at Noon in Portage. We met Fr. Brian there for lunch.
   After lunch, we were going to the IMAX Theatre to watch the 3-D IMAX version of Avatar.
   Fr. Rick has never seen it on the big screen before. This was going to be great.
   Uh huh. Sure.
   We turned into the parking lot of the theatre and saw a whole lot of no cars there. There were only a couple of vehicles.
   We walked up to the doors and one of the employees opened the door and said, "Were you coming to watch a movie?" I said, "Yes. Something wrong?"
   Yep. There sure was.
   Apparently someone in the neighborhood ran into the power box on the corner. Three NIPSCO trucks were there to effect repairs. The employee said that it would take at least another hour, but they could not say for sure.
   Sooooooo.....
   Another day, another plan.
   You know, there is an old saying: "If you want to hear God laugh, make plans."
   We don't always get what we want.
   We don't often get what we want.
   Sometimes, we never get what we want.
   But that's okay. In terms of other people and the problems that they have to face, missing a movie is pretty low in importance.
   I just hope, for Fr. Rick's sake, that we will find some time to go see the movie before it leaves the IMAX theatre. He will really enjoy it on the big screen and in 3-D!
   I hope you had better luck with your day today!

We Rest From All Our Labors Today

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:33:00 -0700

   Well, some people did.
   Myself, well, I was up at my usual 4:15 a.m. time in order to get ready for the 6:30 a.m. Mass. After Mass, I went out to breakfast with Deacon Joe and then went back to the office to let in the money counters, who came in on the holiday.
   They did not leave until 11:40 a.m. -- I had to push them out / Hey, I want a little bit of a holiday!
   After they left, Fr. Rick (our associate pastor), Mr. Nordyke (our principal) and I went to lunch at the Texas Corral. That lunchtime chili is still talking to me!
   The rest of the day was spent, somewhat, in leisure. That is, if you do not count the forty minute call to a service rep because this blog database was doing flaky things to me. Got them fixed before 4:00 p.m. today.
   On Labor Day, kindly remember all of those people who do not have jobs due to this poor economy. While we rest from our labors, let us pray that those who are looking for jobs may soon find gainful employment that they may take care of their needs as well as the needs of their loved ones.
   God bless you today.
   And now, I finish the day and rest from my labors...

Wedding Weekend, Part Deux

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:29:00 -0700

   I had the 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 Noon Masses at the parish today.
   Then, immediately after the Noon Mass, I jumped in my car to meet my youngest brother and his wife and oldest son for lunch. They were going to begin their trip back home (they live right outside Memphis. Actually, their son lives in the city.)
   I told them that I would meet them at 1:30 p.m. I got the restaurant about 1:20 p.m., so I parked outside and waited for their car to come in.
   At 1:35 p.m., I gave them a call on their cell phone in case they had trouble finding the restaurant. (We were at Ciao Bella on 41. Unless you know how to get there, it can easily be missed.)
   Well, needless to say, as soon as my brother answered the phone, I started laughing because I recognized the music playing overhead.
   They must have gotten to the restaurant a minute or two before I came in. They were parked behind another car, so I did not recognize the Tennessee plates. They had been inside the restaurant for the fifteen minutes that I was sitting in the parking lot outside the restaurant!
   Lunch was nice. It was a good way to catch up on many things and then see them on the way off. They will be getting back home about 2:00 a.m., so they have a long day ahead of them.
   This weekend a lot of people will be catching up.
   Some family members will see each other after a long time as they gather for the Labor Day weekend.
   Other families will catch sight of their college kids who have only been away for a week or two. For those who are new to college and being away from home, this can be a great weekend for them.
   I hope that, whatever you do today and tomorrow, you have a good, restful weekend.
   Don't worry about anything. It will be waiting for you on Tuesday anyway!

Dine And Dash

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:59:06 -0700

   Ah, me. I just got back home from a wedding reception. I practiced the time-honored tradition of "dine and dash."
   My niece was married today in Chicago (couldn't go because of a funeral at the parish) and the reception was here in Schererville. I picked up my aunt on the way to the hall and we went for dinner. Got there about 5:50 p.m. Left the hall at 8:30 p.m. Full, had a chance to visit with some family, and ready for sleep and Masses tomorrow!
   One of the BIG surprises was the "appetizer and meal entertainment." We had a soloist who accompanied himself on a number stringed instruments. His songs were so mellow and his voice was just wonderful. So many times, I have been to receptions where one could barely hear the conversation of the people at the same table.
   The music and singing tonight was great "cover music" to the dinner conversation.
   I have got to see if I can use him at a parish event some time. He would be well-received.
   Well, that's all you're going to get out of me tonight. I was up early this morning, had Mass and then a funeral and then afternoon confessions and the reception. I'm beat and am going to hit the sack soon. I'll be back tomorrow night!
   And, by the way, congratulations Nicole and Mark! May you have many happy years together!!!

Character? Integrity? This Kid Has Got It!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:57:21 -0700

   Some people would call this fourteen year old the biggest goof ball in the world. Others, hopefully, will look at him and say, "I want to be like him."
   When I read the article earlier today, I was amazed and was also taken back to when I was first ordained.
   After ordination, I was assigned both to a parish as well as to the local Catholic high school. It was there, during my first year, that I had an interesting discussion with my high school freshmen.
   I told them about something that had happened to me the evening before as I was Christmas shopping. I was at Service Merchandise (long gone, now) and I had used their computerized selection process. I entered what I wanted, the quantity, and then went to the area for pick up.
   When I picked up my items, the clerk boxed them up and thanked me for coming.
   Big problem.
   I never paid for them. I needed to do that at the register.
   The clerk insisted that they were already paid for because otherwise they would not have been sent up for me to retrieve.
   I had to insist on paying for the items; whereupon, he called a manager to "settle the dispute."
   My students were incredulous that I would have done that. Some thought that it was good that I told them I hadn't paid. Most, however, agreed that when the employee told me that the items were mine that I should have simply left the store without paying for any of them.
   I told them that was not the kind of person I -- or they -- was called to be. We are supposed to be people of integrity. There is an old saying: Character (or Integrity) is doing the right thing when no one is watching.
   There were no store police around. I knew what the right thing was and I was going to do it.
   So, on line today, I read about Zach Nash, a 14 year old golfer that disqualified himself from an event where he won first place. The reason, afterwards, he found out that he had one to many clubs in his bag. Not that he had never used the one. That didn't matter. The rules were the rules. He could easily have gotten away with keeping the prize, but he was a lad with integrity.
   I hope that the young people of today who read that article -- found here -- think he did the right thing. Sadly, I fear, too many will think the kid messed up, should have kept quiet, and should have kept his award.
   I think this young golfer did a great thing.
   I am proud of our young people who do the right thing, no matter the cost to themselves!

I Invented A New Day Today!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:05:00 -0700

   This morning, I received an email from someone who reads this blog on a regular basis. The email, basically, asked what happened to me? Why did I not leave a message last night?
   Which I thought was really weird, because I did leave a message last night.
   So, I surfed to the blog and, lo and behold, there was no message.
   But I know that I left one.
   So I went into "administration mode" to find out what had happened.
   I zoomed over to "Edit Entries" and found last night's entry.
   Somehow, when I saved the message, it time stamped the message correctly. However, it glitched on the date. It entered August 32, 2010.
   Of course, it would not display because there is no August 32nd.
   But, for some reason, the program must have thought so when it date stamped it that way.
   A quick manual entry of the date and last night's entry appeared.
   How many times in life surprises come our way.
   Sometimes we just say, "that's weird", and be on our way. Sometimes they are very easy to fix.
   Other times, surprises can be befuddling, or frightening. They may not be so easy to fix.
   Here's to innocent surprises. Here's to quick and easy fixes.
   For the stuff that's harder and scarier, do not forget that we have help available to us. The Lord will see us through anything if we just ask for help. Don't forget that. Count on Him!

A Day Off Does One Good

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:47:00 -0700

   Today was really nice. I was able to take my "day off" today.
   In all actuality, in today's world, a priest does not often get his day off. We work hardest, of course, on weekends when many people get time off. Weekdays are not much better on us since there are fewer and fewer priests nowadays.
   That is why days such as this are a real treat.
   In terms of a "day off," this will be my last one for the next couple of weeks. But I will be doing a bit of traveling over the next couple of months on business, so that is a bit of a break for me as well.
   In the meantime, I am going to continue my day off by keeping this short.
   I leave you with the following prayer request: let's ask God to stop this heat and make it cooler!

Another Last Day

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:14:00 -0700

   Well, here it is. The last few hours of the last day of August. Time, once again, has proven how it inexorably flies!
   It just amazes me how fast time can go.
   We have been in school for a week and a half already -- in many ways, it seems as if we have been in session for a month or more. Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not complaining. The school year has begun remarkably well. All is going smoothly.
   This week we are in the midst of "call-outs" for our fall musical, Honk, Jr. It is a really cute musical that has quite a moral to it.
   The weather continues to grind on our teachers and students. I am praying really hard for cooler weather to usher itself in. It looks as if we may get our wish in the next day or two.
   Many people I know tell me that we will be complained about the cold in a couple of months.
   No here!
   I cannot stand hot weather. Cold is always preferable in my books.
   Just keep the ice and snow away. Other than that, it can get cold any time it wants.
   Hmmmm. Wait a minute. Let me retract that statement some. I plan on going to Florida again the first two weeks of January. If Florida is as cold this coming January as it was last January, I will be a bit of an unhappy camper!
   As always, it comes down to this: we take what we get.
   God gives us the day. It is up to us to use it and to give him thanks and praise for it. Is it too hot for our taste? At least we are alive to experience it. Too cold? At least we are alive to experience it? Too "whatever". At least we are alive.....
   Get the picture?
   What was your day like today?
   Did you remember to thank God for it? If not, you have a few hours left before the day is over.
   God bless...

Follow The Yellow Brick Road

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:03:00 -0700

   Today was not a really good day for me. This weather -- the incoming fronts -- has played havoc on my sinuses.
   So this afternoon around 3:00 p.m., I called it quits. That is unusual for me. I'm usually around the office later than that and many times in the evenings as well. But I just had to go to the house and sit back and nurse my headache.
   While I was doing so, I thought I would get lost in a mindless treat.
   The other day I went to the bookstore to use a couple of gift cards that I have received over the past months. Lo and behold, I decided to purchase a Blue-Ray version of the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz. I put that in this afternoon and watched it.
   Wow.
   They really don't make movies like that anymore!
   I enjoyed the movie and got to thinking about some of the implications of it that I certainly would not have thought about when I was young and saw it for the first time. Those include:
The Yellow Brick Road -- we have been hearing the past couple of weekends about how the path to the Kingdom is narrow. We need to remain on the path if we are to have any chance of reaching the Kingdom of God.
The Wizard of Oz -- Many people treat God as if He were some kind of wizard. The great and powerful Oz will give me whatever I want. God is not like the great and powerful Oz. He does not play games with people's lives. He is much too loving for that.
The Wicked Witch -- The devil is just like the wicked witch. He wants, desperately, to keep us from reaching the Kingdom. He will do everything in his power to distract us, to waylay us. Do not let him win.
The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion -- God puts people into our lives to help us on the way to the Kingdom. Sometimes those people are the last people on earth we would ever consider. Sometimes those people look way too weird for us. But God places them in our lives for a reason, a very good reason. We should not be afraid to allow them to aid us.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow -- Don't we all want to go there? God calls us to set our sights higher, to reach for things unseen, to long for Him in ways that will keep us moving toward Him.
   That's about it for the insights I had today. Just remember, God calls us all to His Kingdom. Stay on the path, resist the enemy, accept the help of friends along the way and never lose hope of going home to the Father because "There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home!"

Hey, It's Just A Dance...

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:25:00 -0700

   If you went to Catholic Mass today, you would have celebrated the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time.
   In doing so today, someone lost out on their feast.
   For today, August 29, when it doesn't fall on a Sunday, is the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist.
   This is truly a study in human nature.
   We have a king. A king who is a sinner. Specifically, the king married the wife of his brother. And the king knows that he is a sinner, because he listens to the words of John the Baptist as John sits in the king's prison cell.
   We also have the king's wife, who is incensed that John should have such a sway on her husband. So much of a sway that her husband just might listen to John and get rid of her.
   The king is brought down by lust and pride. He was at a party where his wife's daughter dance greatly aroused the king's interest. He swore to the girl that he would give her anything, up to half of his kingdom. When the girl sought from her mother a suggestion for a gift, the mother immediately requested the head of John the Baptist.
   The king was mortified. He felt John was a great prophet.
   However, the king was also proud. He had made an oath in front of important guests and he felt that he would not be trusted by others if he did not make good his oath.
   Not being able to stand up for what is right, he dispatches his soldiers to behead John the Baptist.
   They don't call them "capital sins" for nothing. Pride, greed, gluttony, lust, sloth, envy, wrath. These sins can be and are the downfall of many people.
   Yet even when we are tempted by those deadly sins, we do not have to succumb to them. No. Jesus gives us the grace that we need to reject the temptation and to do what is right.
   John the Baptist lost his life because the king would not stand up for what was right.
   We can stand back and judge him for his actions, call him a bad man, and never learn from that story.
   Instead, we need to use that as a wake-up call for ourselves. When we feel as if we are trapped in sin, all we need to do is reach out to the Lord and ask for His aid. He is unfailing. And He is stronger than sin. He can -- and will -- help us if we but ask.
   Reach out to Him today!

Me, Me, Me, Me, Me!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:02:00 -0700

Me.

   Isn't that what so many people are absorbed in nowadays? The "World of Me?"
   And yet, as Christians, that is the last thing that we should be interested in.
   Rather, the readings at Masses this weekend remind us that we should be about others.
   God challenges us to give of our gifts to others. To dedicate ourselves to the service of the poor, the needy, the powerless. In short, all of those people who could never, in a million years, pay us back.
   That message goes so contrary to our human nature.
   But as Christians, we realize that we are called daily to rise above our human nature in its basest forms and to do what the Lord asks of us.
   The payback? Yep, there is one. The payback is that if we serve others, God will reward us at the end of our days.
   Fame, fortune, accolades of all sorts? Those may be nice here on earth, but they are fleeting and finite.
   For myself, I'd rather have the reward that is eternal.
   I choose God. I hope you do so as well!

All Hail, The God Of Pigskin

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:30:00 -0700

   Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. There is hardly a sport's bone in my body. And that may be why I do not understand.
   But what if I am right?
   As I was coming back from an appointment this evening, I had the occasion to come down the side streets to the parish. My trek took me near the high school. In the distance ahead, I could see why the traffic was so slow. There was a police car in the middle of the street and the officer was directing foot traffic as people crossed the street from the parking lot to go to the opening football game for the high school.
   If only people would show the same enthusiasm to go to church!
   After all, when was the last time that you saw police directing traffic so that people could pack into church in order to worship.
   But when it comes to the weekend worship that we call sports, traffic jams abound.
   When did we loose sight of all that is truly important?
   I know that sports have their place. They help to build up individuals. They can teach leadership skills. They garner people scholarships so that they can go on to higher education.
   But do so many people have to worship at the field?
   Is God not more important than a football? A baseball? A basketball? A hockey puck?
   I cannot tell you the number of times people come to a Saturday evening Mass and see me in the foyer beforehand and ask me to cut short the homily so that they could go home and catch the game.
   We have to quit cutting God short.
   We have to begin giving God His due.
   Or else we will become so lost that we will no longer care.
   And that, my friends, will lead to dire -- and eternal -- consequences.
   So, to all of you who spend time on the field tonight, may I ask you a favor? Would you spend just a third of the time you spend at the game tonight at a worship service this weekend? Go to Mass. Go to church. Go to synagogue. Go and worship God, who gives us all. Yes, even sport's talent.

Do You Own A GPS? Is It, By Chance, A Garmin?

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:48:00 -0700

   If so, you might want to know this:
   By Matthew Shaer / August 26, 2010
   "Garmin, an electronics manufacturer headquartered in Kansas, announced today that it would recall 1.25 million Nuvi GPS units, 796,000 of which were sold in the US. According to Garmin, the affected Nuvi units use batteries – built by an unspecified third-party manufacturer – that could cause the device to overheat and possibly even catch on fire."
   "Only a select range of Garmin devices are affected. They include Nuvi units bearing the model numbers 200W, 250W, 260W, 7xx and 7xxT – xx in this case being two digits. Garmin has set up a site where you can check whether your Nuvi device fits the bill; US and Canadian customers can also contact Garmin at 866-957-1981."

The Attacks On Family Continue

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:23:00 -0700

   It always saddens me to hear about problems in families.
   Sometimes that problem is abuse. Physical, sexual, emotional. You name it.
   Other times the problems in the family stem from divorce.
   Still other times it is because of substance abuse of a parent or a child.
   Another one was reminded to me this afternoon while I was at the house eating lunch. I had the television on and was watching the news at Noon. A commercial came on regarding Missing and Exploited Children.
   This has been a burning "cause" of mine for many years. I pray often for these kinds of children.
   You may not be aware of this, but every 41 seconds -- that's right, I did not make a mistake, it was not 41 hours or 41 days, it was 41 seconds -- a child "disappears" from his/her family.
   Sometimes it is because the child ran away. Other times it is because the child was abducted by a stranger. Still other times, the child was "abducted" by a family member, often because of a separation or divorce among parents.
   Sometimes that child is living in the same community yet no one can find the child.
   Other times, the child is taken from the country.
   All these children -- runaways or abducted -- end up exploited in one way, shape, or form. Some of them end up being pimped out and sold for sexual favors. Some end up hopelessly addicted to substances. Others have their lives torn apart because they are forced to live away from a parent.
   One in 41 seconds.
   Have you thought about how many seconds it has taken you to read this blog entry?
   In that amount of time, a few to several children have turned up missing.
   Do you want to do something about it? If so, go to Missing Kids.com and find out how you can learn more about this terrible social ill and, perhaps, what you might be able to do about it.

Miscellaneous

nospam@example.com (Rev. Michael J. Yadron) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:59:00 -0700

   I am not sure I have much to offer tonight . . . just a bunch of random thoughts.
   Today was the end of one full week of school already. We began school last Thursday. Can you believe it. Five days of classes have already finished. Before the students (and faculty and staff) know it, we will be on Christmas vacation!
   The weather has been quite nice the past couple of days. Although it's supposed to heat up again by Friday, it is still much better than the weather of the past several weeks. I know that many of you dread winter, but I, for one, am waiting for the cold. As I am so fond of saying: "You can always put more on. You can only take off so much -- before they call the police!" That is why I prefer cold to hot.
   With time flying, the Church has created a new timeline. With the recent approval of the new Mass changes, we (priests, liturgists, musicians) have a little over a year to prepare for the inauguration of the new language. The new Mass texts are set to take place with the First Sunday of Advent 2011. As Cardinal Francis George has stated, "“From that date forward, no other edition of the Roman Missal may be used in the dioceses of the United States of America." It may sound like a lot of time, but that year will go quickly. Perhaps too quickly.
   In order to help our preparation, the priests of the Diocese of Gary will spend their entire convocation in October (17-21) studying the new texts as well as preparing ways to help educate the faithful. I am beginning to pray, already, that (1) all the priests embrace these changes positively and (2) the faithful embrace the changes just as positively. In all seriousness, the new translation "fixes" some terrible translation problems that crept into our present text. If you pray the Mass in other languages, those translations are much more faithful to the original Latin text. Our English translation, on the other hand, often strayed far from the Latin texts.
   It amazes me how our economy is still faltering, jobs are hard to find and keep, and the stock market is as volatile as ever. I sometimes wonder when it is ever going to straighten out. It certainly seems to highlight the old thought and/or fear that there is no "returning to normal."
   I finally got a haircut today. It has been a while since I have been able to get to my barber. When he asked where I've been, I told him that by the time I would be able to go to the barbershop, it would be too late in the day and they were already closed. I told him I got so desperate last week with my hair hanging over my ears that I tried to cut it myself. As he was cutting, I told him that he was kind not to mention how badly I screwed it up. He paused for a brief moment and said, "I figured you already knew. But don't worry, in a few more minutes I'll have it all fixed up again." I may be a Jack of All Trades, as I mentioned the other evening, but I think I may have learned not to attempt to do my own hair anymore!
   Well, that's it for my random thoughts for tonight. Okay, maybe one more: Get well, Virginia!