Before I Forget&

· I found happiness the day I forgot myself and began to serve others. 
-St. Therese of Lisieux
· Charity is the form, mover, mother and root of all the virtues.
--St. Thomas Aquinas

     Almost thirty years ago, Richard Selzer, M.D., wrote the book, Mortal Lessons:  Notes on the Art of Surgery.  I was deeply moved as he wrote:  "I stand by the bed where a young woman lies, her face postoperative, her mouth twisted in palsy, clownish.  A tiny twig of the facial nerve, the one to the muscles of her mouth has been severed.  She will be thus from now on.  The surgeon had followed with religious fervor the curve of her flesh; I promise you that.  Nevertheless, to remove the tumor in her cheek, I had to cut the little nerve. "
     "Her young husband is in the room. He stands on the opposite side of the bed and together they seem to dwell in the evening lamplight, isolated from me, private.  Who are they, I ask myself, he and this wry mouth I have made, who gaze at and touch each other so generously, greedily?  The young woman speaks.
     "Will my mouth always be like this?" she asks.
     " Yes," I say,  "it will. It is because the nerve was cut." 
     She nods and is silent.  But the young man smiles.
     "I like it," he says, "It is kind of cute." 
     "All at once I know who he is.  I understand and lower my gaze.  One is not bold in an encounter with a god.   Unmindful, he bends to kiss her crooked mouth and I am so close I can see how he twists his own lips to accommodate to hers, to show her that their kiss still works" pp 45-46
     At different times in our lives we may have felt a special need for God to love us, that God would "twist His lips" in love to accommodate our wounded/broken self, as the husband did for his wife.  Over and over again God forgives us; daily, God offers all of us His love; I am humbled by God's infinite patience with me, with all of us.  God really loves each one of us, wherever we are on the journey to the kingdom& even in our sinfulness and in the messiness of our lives.  At the end of each day, all I can say is "Thank you Lord."  God is extremely gracious to us.  "Thank you, Lord" should be our last words every day, and hopefully the last words we ever say on this earth.
     There are many reasons to give thanks to God each and every day.  This past weekend (Fall Festival) many parishioners who spent hours meeting and organizing our three-day get-together, made it possible for all of us to come together and just celebrate as a faith community.  These folks are as busy as the rest of us, but they took on the responsibility of the Fall Festival.  It not only provides needed income, but a chance to "rub elbows," share a meal,  enjoy some booya, take some "chances," watch the kids have a good time, dance and laugh.  Join me in thanking the following parishioners who chaired the events of the Fall Festival:

Overall Chair:  Donna Shamp
Grand Raffle:  Stephanie Wachter, Mark Waite; Booya:  Ron and Marianne Flor; Beer Garden :  Keith Maile;  Children's games:  Jeanne Breske, Mary Justin Adult games:  Diane Becker;  Set Up:  Doug Shamp;  Entertainment:  Mary Jasicki;  Bingo:  Deacon Joe Kenney, Mary LaVaque;  Publicity:  Linda Grundtner, Gail Balego;  Teen Turf:  Kate Roush, Lisa Boris, Paul Shea, Angela Schutta;  Crafters:  Joyce Vanderwyst;  Farmer's Market:  Bernice Bartz; Golf Tournament:  Dennis and Carol Olson,   Pat and Janet Gray;  Gala Co-chairs: Lisa Nesser,  Stephanie Lubinski;  Gala Committee: Jackie Bilski, Michelle Quade, Theresa Eichhorn, Ann Kirk, Sandy Leon, Pam McDonald, Maureen Pesek, Jan Siwek, Sheryl Szymanski, Jill Taylor, Kathy Werr,  Gina Wesen  Parish Liaison:  Bob Mike