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  Wednesday – 31 st Week in Ordinary Time Gospel – Luke 14:25-33 What’s Your Plan! Packing Up, Chicago Style I consider myself an expert at pretty much nothing at all.   Packing for a trip definitely falls into that category.   I will just pile things into the suitcase and hope the bag stays closed. So it is rather refreshing to see experts at work!   And I have certainly seen my share of experts over the last few years. On Sunday I focused on de-cluttering our Chicago home. But that was just the first step in our move to Tennessee. There was still the packing up of all that was left!   And that was not something I was looking forward to.   But the movers were so focused, so locked into their specific roles that it was amazing to watch them work.   The simple act of taking each item, wrapping it in heavy duty paper and then carefully placing it into a box was amazing.   And then loading up the dozens of boxes into the truck became a live-...
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  Tuesday – 31 st Week in Ordinary Time Gospel – Luke 14:15-24 Excuses! Setting the Table, TN Home I’m too tired!   I don’t feel well! It’s too far!   It’s too late!   I won’t know anyone!   I have a project I must finish!   My car broke down!   I don’t have a thing to wear!   I lost my keys!   I’m grounded! Excuses!   If we’re honest, we use them a lot and most of the time they have no basis in reality.   We just don’t want to go to that party, that family gathering, that formal dinner!   Maybe it’s laziness or lack of interest!   Maybe we’re upset with the host or we don’t get along with some of the other ‘invitees’!   Whatever the reason, we make a lot of excuses! Today’s Gospel story of the Great Feast should be very familiar; just a couple months ago, we heard Matthew’s version.   Back then we focused on the guests, some who came unprepared and many who refused to attend.   But today let’s turn...
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  Monday– Feast of All Souls Gospel – John 6:37-40 The Other Side Inside The Tomb, Church of Holy Sepulchre   In Ireland, when you talk about emotion, you don’t say “I am sad”.   You say “sadness is on me”.     I love that because there is an implication of not identifying yourself fully with the emotion.   I am NOT sad!   It’s just that sadness is ON ME for a while.   Something else will be on me another time and that’s a good thing to recognize! We have all had ‘sadness upon us’ particularly when we experience the passing on of a family member or friend.   In just the past week, we lost a dear friend, spiritual director and teacher for many diaconal candidates in Chicago, Father Bernard Kennedy OFM.   And it was only early in the month that my family bid a sad farewell to my (uncle) Barry!   As we observe the Solemnity of All Souls today, we can all add names to the list – dear friends, family, cherished uncles and pa...
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