We have, at our local parish, had a double handful of most excellent spiritual leaders, for which we are grateful.

Pitiably, all of them have left, and we are stuck with a man who couldn’t lead a pack of wild dogs to a pile of raw meat. Every sunday I see this nimrod standing at the front of the church, I think, God forgive me for listening to this fool.

Fortunately, we also have an associate pastor. A man of some humility, a man who places himself below his parish and it’s needs. In other words, a man who holds the qualifications of a real spiritual leader.

Today, we had Father Brian, the associate pastor. Instead of standing at the pulpit like everyone else, he stands and walks among the congregation as he speaks. No, he’s not one of those that feels the need to include the parisioners in some revivalist manner, he just walks around, on the same level as “us” and speaks fom the heart.

Today he spoke of the reason for worship, and it rang true: we sacrifice our time, and very little of it, for the Creator. The “official” function of the mass is “is the sacrifice of praise rendered to the Most Holy Trinity” The mass is also for our benefit in this manner: It is the gathering of the faithful to establish and maintain a sense of our greater community, and of course, for the spiritual leader to bring the words of our Savior to life in our daily lives. Nice to start a week this way.