I truly look forward to October with great intensity, especially during those hot relentless summer months. Here we are at the 1st Saturday in this beautiful month as I anticipate good feel outdoors weather, exciting football contests and new ministry opportunities specific to this wonderful time of the year.
This 1st Saturday of October is not quite what I was hoping for. While we indeed to anticipate the first real autumn cold front in the next day or two, this morning will be warm and muggy as a tropical storm lurks to our south in the Gulf of Mexico. T.S. Karen is now monster storm, and for that we are thankful. Furthermore, this late season tropical storm is not only struggling this morning to hang on, she is also forecast to move more to our east. While rain and some wind is expected, this seems to be a simple speed bump on the road to better, cooler weather ahead. Unfortunately, many of our neighbors to our south will experience some water related problems due to tidal surge and coastal flooding. To anyone who goes through these inconveniences we offer our prayerful support. Down here in southeast Louisiana we understand that hurricane season lasts until the end of November but we usually feel like the worst is behind us when we reach October 1st with no storm impacts.
Fall is such a relief for us living down here because summer just drones on and on with excessive heat and humidity. Now all Octobers do not necessarily mean all of a sudden we are enjoying cool weather. We still may experience 90 degree highs. The difference, for us, is the humidity drops, the winds more frequently blow from the north and then all of a sudden, we wake up to mid 50 temps in the morning. That reality is expected as early as Monday. And it could not get here soon enough. In these parts we are enjoying the excitement of fall high school football, parish fairs, the excitement of following LSU and Saints football and, for me, preparing for next weekends special October Kairos retreat at Rayburn Prison. Every October this prison ministry hosts this fall retreat designed to encourage inmates to develop a personal relationship with Jesus and form a prayer community. We will be going in Thursday and the retreat lasts until Sunday afternoon. This truly gives me something to look forward to all week.
Last night I was able to preside at MHT for our 1st Friday devotion to the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction. I love this devotion. I continue to marvel how, despite being an active ministry parish, turnout at Benediction is so poor. Always grateful for those who attend, I glance out at a church not even 10% full. Is this because it is indeed a Friday evening? I hope not. Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament with all day Adoration and Benediction has always been a first Friday thing. We need to continue to work on this as Jesus, in the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar, deserves worship by His community. For the rest of the weekend, it will be all about work(my secular job) and then assisting Mass at 4 PM today and 11 AM tomorrow. Plenty of time will also be spent preparing for the retreat next weekend. All the while, I will be anticipating with great joy that promised Monday morning cold front. May it be the first of many!
Yep, a tropical storm was not in my plans for this October weekend, but all things considered, it is all OK!!
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