Mass and a half

We drove to Front Royal, VA this morning to attend Mass. At St. John the Baptist Catholic church they have four Sunday Masses and one Vigil Mass. The 12:30 pm Sunday Mass is a Latin Tridentine Mass. We opted for the 10:45 Mass which is half Latin and half English Novus Ordo. Fr. Fasano, the pastor, said Mass facing the altar. The church was filled to standing room only (and many were standing) primarily with families. It is an active parish.
The Latin we are studying with our kids paid off! Ethan, at one point, told me he didn't need the missalette for the Sanctus, as he has already memorized it! :) It was pretty cute. Father Fasano opted to celebrate the Conversion of St. Paul today and his homily was chock full 'o nuts!!! He began with the definition of conversion for any of us who didn't think we needed conversion;) (def: eliminating every person, place or thing from our lives that leads us away or hinders us from growing closer to God). He told us that the holiest one among us can become better and worst among us can be transformed. Fr. led us through a conversion checklist of sorts about how to grow in our spiritual life, because, quoting Padre Pio, "If we are not moving forward in our spiritual lives, we are moving backward." Below are some of the highlights:
* Make a rule of life and decide when and what prayer you are going to add to your life. He emphasized the beginning and end of the day...what Jose Maria Escriva calls the heroic moment...if we cannot get up and go to bed at appropriate, predetermined times, then what we are able to offer to God between these times is lessened.
* Morning offering, grace before and AFTER meals and the Angelus were recommended.
* In order to keep the "fire of divine love" alive inside us, we need to feed this fire. The spiritual logs we must use to keep this fire burning are spiritual reading and meditation. He mentioned the classics: Imitation of Christ, Introduction to the Devout Life, and Soul of the Apostolate. He emphasized that books are always necessary to growth in the spiritual life.
* Of course, Fr. Fasano highly recommended the rosary. He told us that after a short time of praying the Rosary, we wouldn't be able to live without it!
* We were able to receive Our Lord kneeling, as Fr. stood behind the altar rail.
It was a lovely Mass experience...more like spiritual direction than a homily...no generalizations, no abstract theology, but real, down to earth, suggestions and challenges. Straight talk. We all need conversion and here are some ideas. Period.
Praised be Jesus Christ....now and forever.

By the way, did I mention that it was in the 30's, sunny and THERE'S NO SNOW HERE!!! We spent the rest of the day touring the Shenandoah Valley and Northern Va. We had lunch at a restaurant called "Victoria's" (mentioning that for my niece--Hi Tori!). The kids went swimming and Scott eased his aching arthritic joints in the hot tub.

You know, in November-ish, when we see the geese flying in their V formation heading south? Well, I think I know where they end up. There are tons of geese here! There is a pond behind the hotel and it is full of geese, as are all open water spots in this area. The pond also has a fountain in it....and it is working right now...in January!

As we were walking outside tonight, we saw one young woman running for her car shouting to her friend, "I'm freeeezing!" We all chuckled. Most of my family was jacket-less. This is spring weather for us! We are noticing that southerners do not like cold at all. All of the buildings we enter down here, it seems, are too warm for us! We may be chuckling at them now, but I doubt we would be laughing during the summertime here. We would be suffering, I am sure!

Still having a good time. Hoping to visit the National Zoo tomorrow and the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Hopefully I'll have pix to share.