Old Friends are a blessing!

This is a wonderful day in so many ways. Starting with the celebration of Blessed Jordan of Saxony at Office of Readings and morning prayer, through Rosary and Mass everything has been beautiful. Suddenly out of nowhere appears a student from my days at Marist High School in Eugene. Now a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Portland he was on his day off and came by for the grace of the Sacraments without knowing I would be there. It was after the rosary that he made himself known. It was such a wonderful blessing for him to be there! All through Mass I looked forward to discovering what has been happening in his life these last few years. From his studies at Mount Angel through his present intern year in Eugene he had so much to share ... I must admit that we talked for some time, sharing a lunch while we did so. May all of us be blessed with special surprises of such grace in our lives. I look forward to many other such surprises as well. It would be nice to be able to teach some of the children of my former students, but that might not be too easy. Most have just begun families and this friar has no inclination to be a classroom teacher for the next twelve to fifteen years (grin).
Until next time....