I heard this song on the way to church this morning:



And what you don't know is that my older sister put together a live production based on this song when we were in high school. Well, I was in junior high school. But I was allowed to be an extra. I probably died in battle. Martyred. Yeah, that sounds right.

My weekday missal let me down because the readings weren't included. Too many options to choose from. I should have printed out the bishops' site. The Gospel reading actually fits the holiday pretty well (Luke 17:11-19).

Lots of families together this morning. I couldn't get any of my kids to come along. A former classmate of Kenny's was serving. The songs were Table of Plenty, For the Beauty of the Earth, which I know only because of Little Women, Servant Song (note: Buddy Christ Bobble-head across the keys) and I Sing the Mighty Power of God. No Gloria, no Creed. A typical weekday.

The Preface set very well with me, so I searched for it online and found it here, with commentary. Not everyone cares for it:

it is easy to understand how worshipers could mistake the People whom the Lord delivered from bondage (¶2) for the Pilgrims.

Not at all. Maybe I'm just too steeped in Genesis at the moment, but I had no question of the promise to Abraham, that all people would be blessed through him.

The homily flirted with proclaiming the gospel. He touched on the Incarnation as a manifestation of God's love but nothing of Christ's death. With such a possibility of "guests," I think he should have revealed a bit more of the mystery, especially because we didn't profess the Creed.

And the great thing about being Catholic are all the Italian restaurant owners who treat the Church on such occasions: brought home a loaf of Italian bread from Vesuvio's.

So, in general, I felt as if I was wasting my time this morning. But as the day wore on, I found that I was able to enjoy it more than in years past. And the meal turned out very well.