As a vacation comes to a close

This beautiful Sunday marks my final day of this wonderful 10 day vacation!  In just a little less than 24 hours I return to my day job and hit the desk.  I know that waiting to greet me will be a couple of hundred e-mails and a couple of dozen voice mails.  Long standing issues of concerns and problems for my clients will converge upon me in just 1 short day from now.  My vacation must have worked becuase today I feel good about getting back to the bank.  For one, I did miss the wonderful people that I work with and also, the clients who do help me earn my living.  This recent respite from work indeed helped me to realize that my job is a gift, that I should be thankful for work, especially with so many struggling to find full employment, and even work is a major part of my ministry.

Looking back on my vacation I am reminded of all the many ways in which I encountered God and saw Jesus in so many people.  I was amazed at the acts of kindness and simply friendliness from countless waiters, bellman, tour guides, ticket takers.  Seeing the everyday people hustling and bustling to and from work or school in one of America's busiest cities reminded me that millions of Americans put their shoulder to the wheel and persevere day after day.  The visit to the beautiful Holy Name Cathedral in downtown Chicago reminded me that for Catholics, we celebrate the same Mass, literally across the world, every day, and especially on Sundays.  Meeting Cardinal George served as a reminder of my unique relationship with my Bishop as an ordained Permanent Deacon, not to mention I was shaking hands with a man who could, technically, be elected as Pope.  The time spent, just me and her, with my Wendy helped me realize that no matter what, we've been together through 34 years of marriage and we still like each other.  Of course we love each other, but it was fun being with her and I don't think we roughed up each other too much; except maybe when trying to negotiate downtown traffic.  And finally, that awesome amazing encounter with that one simple man, waving at the train, that reminded me clearly, we can see Jesus in all and are called to imitate him in the who we are.

For my last day of vacation it will be relaxing, some football and a chance to assist Mass as Deacon at my old home parish of St. Jane's.  And sometime tonight, after I say evening prayers, I will go to bed, ready for the work week ahead and thankful for the gift of my vacation!