Friday Feb 24: Mass at 0800 with wife and 13-year-old son. He volunteers to be the altar server when we get there. No surprise as he loves doing it. Wife and I sit and enjoy the peaceful bliss of the Sacrifice of the Mass. No other children present or screaming are just a benefit of running out of the house as fast as we could before they woke up lol.
Mass is over and we talk to the Priest about day-to-day stuff. NFP comes up and for the 3rd time in my Catholic career I am told something that goes against the church’s’ teachings and our faith. I have learned to shrug it off, as I know it to be false. It saddens me though that they think they are serving the people by conforming to the popular will instead of standing true to their Faith and upholding the laws and traditions of the Church. I leave Mass disheartened and mad at the same time.
0930: Wife and I discuss the morning’s events. To no surprise, we are confused once again, but not really, because it once again is up to us to do it the right way. A quick read of the Catechism reveal and confirm our belief and I feel better.
1300: Friends pick up Captain and me and we head off to Pendleton Oregon for the NW Catholic Men’s Conference. Great trip, Prayed the Rosary and the Devine Mercy Chaplet on the way, we had great conversations and “fellowship”. ( New word just had to use it.)
1730: Arrive at the convention center and walk through the doors. There are 300 men praying the Rosary out load. Awesome! We sit and join in. Mass follows and it was surreal. A few guest speakers and the Stations of the Cross performed by local parishioners. Amazing! End the night with son and I watching MMA fighting and eating chips and dip. T.V. gets turned off at midnight.
Feb 25, 0500: Reveille and time to get moving. My son is not too happy with this part of the day.
0630: Breakfast at Saint Mary’s.
0730: Convention center and the international Rosary done in 5 different languages. Breathtaking!
0800: Guest Speaker about marriage and love.
0900: Holy Mass, what can be said.
1000: Adoration! This was the highlight to the weekend as odd as that sounds. It was done with absolute reverence and love. So here is the part that was so amazing. They have the host exposed for all to see. Father Clemmons is holding it. Now we can all get up go to kneel in front of the true presence of Christ. Caotain and I get in line. It is dark with the exception of a single spotlight on Christ. There is no talking, no coughing, and no sound except a low volume of beautiful chanting over the sound system. My son who on any given day I want to strangle, run over or kick out is in front of me. He has a love of Christ that I can’t describe but I truly envy. We move closer to the front and I am getting nervous. Am I good enough to be this close? Does Christ want me this close to him or will he push me away. We move closer.. Now I’m trembling and don’t know why. Captain is next. He is becoming a man. 5’10 at 180 pounds and a size 12 feet is no longer my toddler in a power ranger suit. My hands are sweating, and my back burns (this is from kneeling all day and I’m old and fat). Captain now walks forward and kneels. He immediately bows his head in complete reverence. The priest is right in front of him and Christ is inches away from the top of my sons’ head. The spotlight has only the three of them in it and the 450 other men in the room go away. Tears run down my face in a stream of joy and sadness. I’m not crying it is just the tears. I watch him and wish I had his strength and faith. I watch him and pray that he never looses this and will share it with his son some day as he shared it with me this day. You see, I brought him so I could show him. That plan backfired and he in turn showed me. He gets up and I can see his face. It is his game face, I have seen before. He is trying to be so grown up and strong. He is today. It’s my turn now. I move forward and kneel. Shaking through my core I touch the cloth, which surrounds Christ, and I calm and my eyes dry. I am amazed that lightning didn’t push me back. It was ok for me to be there. When I returned to my seat my son wasn’t there. I knew that he was off composing himself. We met up again and sat quietly together for a while the rest of the men went through. I finally looked at him and asked if he knew why this was so cool. He said no and I explained it was because we did it together. We did the traditional son dad fist pound and moved on. The moment over, that is the way it is when your 13. Let’s move on.
The rest of the day was guest speakers and then a closing prayer. We left there feeling great and knew that we had shared this incredible experience and that it would be something for us to hold dear forever. Four hours of driving, we arrive home and tell the rest of the family all about this great thing. 30 minutes later my son is 13 again- going on 5, throwing a fit because he can’t play his xbox and is belittling his younger brother. He gets reprimanded and storms off to bed. I guess it is at this point that our weekend together is over. As fast as it began, it ended. He will never understand the impact that he had on me in the last two days. He will never grasp that his presence with me at this conference, deepens my faith and made me better. He will not comprehend the strength and joy that he gave to me. I have told him in not so many words. But for now I will have to be ok with just wanting to strangle, run over or kick out my 13-year-old son who I love dearly. Like all things, this too shall pass. As far as the conversation we had with the priest that started this weekend. I will pray for him.
Fathers, take control of your house and the spiritual upbringing of your children. You are responsible for their souls. That is Gods gift to you and the joy of your vocation of marriage. Will your children testify to God after your death that you were their example?
May Our Blessed Mother Keep You Ever Safe.
A Normal Dad,
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