My friend Brian just called me and told me that his brother died. It’s been two weeks and he’s finally been able to get in touch with me. Words do not accurately convey the amount of shock that I am in and how awful I feel for Brian and his family. I wish I could be in California sitting there hugging him right now and after I yelled at him for not calling me sooner (which I am allowed to do because I am a mere pipsqeak compared to him), we talked about God stuff. I prayed with him which made me feel like I could do something other than simply be present. Yet, isn’t that what we ask of God — that He simply be present with us in our time of trial? It’s the best gift we can receive from our Heavenly Father and it is the only gift I can give right now. I just pray that it is enough.

While listening to the music for Choral Evensong while trying to fall asleep tonight (which failed miserably — read the entry for April 16 which was up for all of…. 3 hours?), tears started rolling down my face, especially as I was listening to the Randall Thompson Alleluia and the arrangement of Precious Lord Take My Hand. The Gospel Mass that we are doing was also convicting, especially the Credo which is basically repetition of “I believe in the Holy Spirit/And the Holy Catholic Church/I believe in one baptism for the remision of sin and rebirth/ I believe in the resurrection and the communion of saints on this earth/ I believe when my life is over, I’m going home just to live with my God!/ I believe, I believe, I believe in God/ I believe, I believe in God.” I am so thankful that I know that my Redeemer lives and that with my eyes, I will see God when I pass from this world to the next.

Please pray for Brian and his family. Please pray for his brother Kevin.