ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!
St. Paul in Philippians 2,4
by
Fr. Richard Greene, Pastor
Welcome to my third weekly article!
My second summarized the first for parishioners who missed it, giving everyone a chance “to get on board” with this new bulletin addition: I’ll write weekly personal articles about our lives as Catholics—each ending with a joke because (unfortunately many people don’t believe this but) God has a wonderful sense of humor!
On the day my first article appeared parishioner Tere Thomas (Mac’s much better half!) emailed me under the subject “Wow!” and wrote:
“Hi! I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your ‘Attitude is Everything…Plus a Joke’! It spoke to me in a huge way and it is everything I am working on in my life right now. I agree…it is a mindset. We should think as Jesus thought. AND see people with the eyes of Jesus and hear them with the ears of Jesus. Tough sometimes but it is worth working towards!”
Tere, I couldn’t have said it better!
In her email Tere then switched gears and wrote:
“I hope you read the Letter to the Editor in today's (Sunday’s) newspaper from Julie Rosenzweig. It was entitled Religious liberty issue. Wow! to that one too! It brought tears to my eyes….Julie needs to be commended for that one!”
Julie, consider yourself commended! I had already read your beautiful letter in The Daily Iberian’s 3/4/12 Opinion page 6A—a PERFECT explanation of our Catholic belief in the sacredness of all human life, as well as a your own forceful repudiation of the current administration’s Department of Health and Human Services mandate, which our bishops have themselves adamantly opposed, as violating Catholics’ religious freedom protected under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.
Julie, I couldn’t have said it better! Also, know that the day after your letter appeared I was at Victor’s downtown and some top-notch “world’s problem-solvers at the breakfast table” enthusiastically commended your letter, and said their wives did as well.
Julie, consider yourself doubly commended!
…Plus a Joke
Bishop Jarrell on February 29 opened his welcoming remarks to an auditorium of people from throughout the Diocese for the 8^th Annual Stewardship Leadership Day in Lafayette with something like this:
At an anniversary celebration over fine wine and a candle-light dinner at a favorite upscale restaurant with romantic music softly in the background, the adoring wife was moved to say with tender, affectionate feeling to her beloved husband of many years: “Darling, you have made me so happy! You’re the only man I have ever loved! I am so thankful that I will spend the rest of my life with you!”
Her clumsy husband unfortunately stumbled into the wrong response with: “Honey, is that really you talking to me, or is that the wine talking to me?”
Crushed by his lack of sensitivity, the wife responded acidly: “Neither! That’s me talking to the wine!”
Until next week: How y’all doin’ today?
Good! Me, too! After all, ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!