Mass And Family

To my son Tommy,

I have often used these letters to express the import of family.  I also use these letters to express the importance of religion and attending Mass.  Our family often, rightfully so, combines these two.  Today we attended Mass knowing your mom's cousin, Uncle Ben to you, was attending. He will soon be deployed in harm's way.  We offered (and will continue to offer) our concerns and well wishes and our prayers.

Even though today was a more somber prayer for safety, we must remember it is a gift and a joy to attend Mass with the family, to lean on one another and to pray together.  That gift and joy was raised exponentially because your mother joined us at Mass today.  Though she started getting a bit weak by the end, most likely due to some of her recent medications, it was such a pleasure to reach over and hold your mom's hand as we prayed.  Of course, after your own initial excitement of mommy coming to church, it was business as usual for you as you headed down to the other end of the pew towards your Great Aunt Lulu to get the requisite proper amount of separation and freedom from your parents and play with your friend one pew back.

Sincerely with love from your dad,
Leo

Song From School

To my son Tommy,

Today, before we head off to church, I bring you just a little prayer song.  You learned this courtesy of St Agnes School and are able to share with others courtesy of your godmother's cell phone.

Sincerely with love from your dad,
Leo

Seen It Before

To my son Tommy,

I have seen it before.  I have seen everyone watching and wondering what the other guy is going to do.  I have seen the posturing and the threats and people being backed in corners with their own words.  I have seen spectators itching for a fight to start so they can jump in or root from the sidelines with blood lust in their heart.  I have seen the over righteous, without knowing all or any of the facts, ready to jump in and protect the little guy by raining down punch after punch.  I have heard all the lies and preemptive excuses of why the fight needed to happen meant to relieve culpability after the first blow.  I have seen bluffs called and all out brawls break out.  I have seen all this before, but it was in a bar with a bunch of drunk idiots.  I didn't expect this from entire nations and really hoped that we as a species had grown up more than some bar flies fighting over who had next game on a pool table.

That is why yesterday, Saturday 7 September 2013, I joined in prayer and fast for peace in Syria.  The Pope had asked everyone to join and I did what I could.  I didn't spend as much time as I planned but when I had time, I went to the church to pray and when I had other responsibilities I just prayed silently when I could.  I fasted from food (though not a full black fast as I had one meal) and social media (though I did have to break this once to look up times that the church opened) and that is why no letter yesterday.  Even as I write to you, nations on all sides prepare for war as battleships and aircraft carriers position themselves for optimal strikes.  Propaganda and threat levels increase world wide.  This could be very bad and prayer was and is the only form of hope for what seems an inevitable outcome.  May God, one day, grant each and every one of us the wisdom that violence is never the solution, and may that day be today!

Sincerely with love from your dad,

Leo