Da Mihi in Disco

+JMJ+

I’m 54. That’s a disco. So… Da Mihi in Disco, honey, better get there about half past eight…

Since my birthday is the liturgical commemoration of the Beheading of John the Baptist, that means, at least liturgically, I share a birthday with King Herod Antipas.  Antipas, short for “Antipater” means “instead of the Father”, ie: junior. King Herod the Great had a son also named Herod who ruled in place of his father. Anyway… His day is my day too! I’m one year older than Herodias when she died. And four years younger than Antipas. I don’t rule a kingdom nor have I married my late brother’s wife. On the other hand, ignoring prophets and moral teachings, running around arrogantly complaining… yup. Got that down pat. Once in a while I taunt Jesus.

It’s edifying to compare, once in a while, oneself the the bad guys.

Mashing up actor’s roles is always fun to me. Although you may not know it, Capt. Von Trapp’s second wife was not Maria…

I’m blessed.

I have an amazing parish, with brothers, sisters and fathers who love me, a good job, friends there who support me. I get to live in the best, dirtiest, most beautiful, most entitled, and expensive city in the country, but the weather pattern is perfect. It’s not much, but it’s home. And I don’t think I’ve properly had a home before here. I get to read, teach, and write, and even sing form time to time. Daily office, Mass, and the Third Order Dominicans, and my favourite Courageous Apostolate. Like any good Protestant, I’ve got a couple of Churches I used to go to. LIke any good Orthodox I’ve got clergy that won’t speak to me any more. Like any good Catholic I’ve got to sail my barque between the Schola of a TLM and the Guitarybdis of a Novus Ordo on Sundays.

My life has got a lot of loose ends that make no sense. And there’s mess of a personal life that I can’t seem to shape up into much of anything at all.

I’ve got a best friend. And a cat. Also I live by myself and I’m debt free in SF. Mike says that’s counts as my first miracle.

What I know is my life is surrounded by love: from the time I get out of bed and manage to get to Mass, chatting with the folks at the coffee shop, talking to the folks on the phone, running into friends all over town, passing folks in the hall at work, listening to my brothers drink gin on my favourite podcast, serving guests in the parish hall, bumping in to high school and college friends on Facebook, welcoming new folks to my company, whatever: I see lots of love.

Now, I think I’ll have some water, take out my teeth, and go to bed.