“God can’t fill what is already full,” Father Jack O’Hara reminded us this morning at the first of nine 5 a.m. Simbang Gabi Masses at my parish.
That’s Father Jack for you. A soft-spoken priest who was our vicar for many years until a transfer in June 2010, his homilies are always short and meaningful. And this morning was no exception.
I haven’t blogged for more than a month. Too busy. I keep putting off a revision that needs to go to my publisher. Too busy. My study of spiritual material has been way spotty. Too busy. Father Jack also questioned the “pro” of procrastination, and that resonated too.
I’ve been going to the Filipino Simbang Gabi Masses at St. Charles Borromeo for several years, and did the full novena for the first time last year. I expected a spectular holy moment then; instead, I was bedraggled and exhausted by the end. All I could do was offer up the sacrifice, not with a lot of joy (or a lot of whining either, for that matter), just offer it up.
Father Jack’s homily is making me think differently about this year’s Simbang Gabi. Getting up that early makes a sensible person slow down and not do as many evening dinners and parties. And when we slow down–it’s easier to accept God’s invitation to take Him along for the ride instead of passing Him with a smile as we speed up and move into the HOV lane.
If thou could`st empty all thyself of self
If thou could`st empty all thyself of self,
Like to a shell dishabited,
Then might He find thee on the ocean shelf,
And say, `This is not dead`,
And fill thee with Himself instead.
But thou art all replete with very thou
And hast such shrewd activity,
That when He comes, He says, `This is enow
Unto itself – `twere better let it be,
It is so small and full, there is no room for me.`
OOPS! Sir Thomas Browne, quoted in one of Madeline L’Engle’s books….I think A Ring of Endless Light
Thanks, Beth! Beautiful. I thought of John the Baptist too… I must decrease so he can increase.
Hi ! But actually the poem quoted above is NOT by Sir Thomas Browne at all but another Brown a 19th century author. Madeleine L’Engle is the source of this erroneous mis-attributation . Recommend you read –
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/false.shtml
on how this error perpetuates itself on the internet, but i can assure you it is NOT by Sir T.B.
Thank you Kevin. Will site appropriately now.