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Recent posts by LarryD: Take one Dad, add two sons, arm everyone with Nerf guns and have a blast playing Boys vs Dad (I packed a pistol in each hand) for about 45 minutes. Non-stop fun! I think the Sons of LarryD took great pride in dispensing Nerf-justice against their dad – especially when they registered a “head shot”. Burned off some energy, no one got hurt, and nothing broke. I foresee round 2 commencing Saturday….
Well. I feel compelled to tell all of you that I’m a non-licensed proctologist now. It’s an honorary degree (hmmm, where’d we hear about that lately?) that is officially conferred upon parents when their children reach teenage years. Just today, I had to perform a cranial anal extraction on my son, explaining to him yet again that doing homework on time is necessary, good grades are expected, and that his priorities are the wrong priorities if they don’t match mine and Mrs LarryD’s priorities. Surgery was a success, and it looks like the patient will enjoy a full recovery. This time. (crossposted at Acts of the Apostasy) The Sons of LarryD are stricken with a disease – it’s not life-threatening, mind you. It’s pandemic, but not contagious. It’s neither debilitating nor incapacitating. It’s just really really frustrating. I’m talking about Liturgical Laryngitis. You can set your clock to when it strikes, and you can guess rather accurately as to when the symptoms disappear. Sure, there are occasions when it fades away during Mass, for a sentence or two – such as “Dad, tell him to stop kicking me!”; or “Is Mass almost over?”; or “Do you have to sing every verse of the recessional?” Other than that, though, their vocal chords remain as silent as Zechariah while waiting for John to be born. Our Father? I think I see the lips move, but it could just be labored breathing. The Creed? Head bobs and half-closed eyes. The Gloria? Forget it, double if it’s being sung. Even the Kiss of Peace comes out as a barely audible “Pb-wi-u”. All this despite the occasional subtle elbow nudge, usually met with a surprised glance and an expression that says “What’d I do??” “I can’t hear you,” I mention quickly during a pause in the Lamb of God. “I’m sayin’ it!” is the defensive response. Yeah, the laryngitis lifted just enough for four syllables. I’ve explained to them that it’s important to respond audibly because we are worshipping as a community, and as such, we ought to participate. I’ve said many times that speaking the words reinforces their meaning, and helps us to better believe and better understand. “Yeah, but God hears us,” they have said. True enough, but he’s put me in charge. And I have the car keys. Talk or walk. Thinly veiled threats aside, it is head-bangingly frustrating to get them to project their voices during the responses and prayers. I’m not pushing the envelope in Click here to continue reading “Hearing Is Believing”A friend of mine emailed this to me today, so I thought I would share it with you guys. Consider it an early Father’s Day reflection.
Father’s Day
As we prepare to celebrate Fathers we should reflect a bit on what a father is. Today I’m afraid that there are a large number of people who can no longer relate to the reality or the concept of a father. This was not always the case as most marriages never suffered from the ravages of divorce. Many individuals today did not have the benefit of a father at home, or even in their life to any extent. 50%+ of marriages, including Catholic marriages, end in divorce. Single parent families are painfully common.
A human being needs both a father and a mother, male and female, to receive the fullness of nurturing, love, and support. One parent can try heroically to fill both roles, and do quite well, but it is never the same as when mom and dad fulfill their respective roles. A father, along with a mother, obviously collaborate with God to bring life into existence. You will never know the eternal joy of Heaven without your father and mother saying yes to life. A father protects and supports his family. If evil in any form threatens his family a father must engage the evil and protect the family. This is true most of all spiritually, but also physically, emotionally, economically, and morally. Dad has to fight many a battle to win the Click here to continue reading “Fr Corapi On Fathers”I have a close friend who is need of prayers – he and his wife are working out some issues right now, and they just discovered this past weekend that they’re unexpectedly pregnant, adding another layer of stress and uncertainty to an already stress-filled situation. There’s no question as to their commitment to life, but they could use prayers for grace, deeper faith and trust in God, and for increased unity to each other. Thank you! As a dad, much of the day to day is leading by example, teaching by words and deeds, and reinforcing virtuous behavior while gently correcting bad behavior (sometimes not so gently, but that has it’s place, too!) From time to time, I wonder if the teaching and leading and reinforcing ever takes hold in their heads and hearts, especially since I seem to repeat myself: “Say thank you”; “Be kind to your brother”; “Forgive your brother”; “STOP PUNCHING YOUR BROTHER!!” Every once in awhile, and quite often unexpectedly, I come across evidence that yes indeed, the lessons are being learned, that the roots are beginning to take hold with fragility. Like a consolation from God, I’m reassured that the hard work is worth it. Which is what happened tonight. I was throwing a load of the boys’ laundry in the washer, and checking their pockets for items that can wreak havoc on a washer – anyone who has found Sharpie’s a rinse and spin cycle too late, raise your hand!! In my younger son’s pockets, I pulled out a collection of folded papers, which I knew were notes passed among him and his friends. Now, I don’t advocate note-passing, and normally I would mention this to him. But not this time. Here’s what the largest of the notes read (verbatim, word for word): “Conner, I am very sorry I joined the club it was the wrong thing to do I quit the club today and the second day the name was changed to fish eggs. I hope you acept my apollage Your Friend Jeff D.” On the opposite side was written in pencil: “To Conner From Jeff” And in pen, just below that, was simply printed: Click here to continue reading “Lessons Taught, Lessons Learned” |
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