23 November 2007

Advice for Busy Catholics in London

.
You are in the Victoria area just after 1100. You have a meeting in Whitehall at 1230. You want to go to Confession.

Go to the Cathedral. Join the queue which is several strong at 1110 even though confessions begin at 1130. Join the shuffle which enables you to focus on the Lady Chapel: the "Tota Pulcra Es", which draws you into the "Ave Maria", which draws you into the mosaic of the life of Our Lady.

Wait your turn. Worry about the time.

Tell yourself to stop worrying.

Go to Confession.

Get one Our Father (that's right: ONE OUR FATHER) as your penance.

Say your Our Father. Feel guilty that the good priest seems to have noticed your briefcase and suit and not how much of a wretch you really are.

Say your Our Father again because you were thinking about the above.

Decide a decade of the Rosary would have been a better penance and say it.

Leave the Cathedral at 1205 and arrive in Whitehall early.

Say Deo Gratias.

4 comments:

On the side of the angels said...

naughty boy!!!
You received your penance !
still contaminated with the protestant work ethic !!!
slap legs !

JARay said...

Despite OTSA I know what you mean.
Purgatory exists for you and for me.
Confessions forgive the sin and pennance could have been "Go, and sin no more". Famous words spoken by Our Lord. I am well aware that private revelations are JUST THAT, but St Faustina tells us that when she appeared before Our Lord on one occasion, he told her that she deserved one day in Purgatory but that he was sending her back to suffer more on earth.
I'd love to gain a Plenary Indulgence but..............ME!
I'm not looking forward to Purgatory but I'll be very glad to be there. (spoken in hope)

JARay

JARay said...

And the "Protestant Work Ethic" made some very rich Protestants and Dark Satanic Mills as well!
Well do I remember teaching my sixth formers that there are two ways of looking at work:-
1) The curse of Adam. "By the sweat of thy brow shalt thou labour"
i.e. The Protestant Work Ethic.
2) By our work, we are co-creators with our Almighty Father. God gave us this earth and dominion over all Creation. We are His stewards and He calls on us to continue His work of Creation by giving us dominion over His Creation.
i.e. The Catholic Work Ethic

JARay

Ttony said...

I agree with both comments, John, but OTSOTA has a valid point. Anyway, I had to stand about in the cold drizzle for a quarter of an hour, only to find that the meeting had been cancelled and that we were going to lunch at Champagne Charlie's instead.