So I have reconsidered the no-wheat plan and now I am going to try to eat healthy, still trying to avoid all carbs and perhaps throw in a fast day here and there. I never have been a crash/fad diet sort of person, but I thought that the no-wheat plan was going to be a winner. Nope.
In other news, yesterday was Pentecost Sunday, and the church was all dressed up in red and even some of the parishioners were wearing red in honor of the day (including me)! Here is a photo that I took of one of the windows that Charles designed, painted and helped build for the Cathedral:
Our pastor was out of town, so Mass was said by another priest, who started out his homily quite well, talking about the many languages that were spoken by the apostles on Pentecost, and asked us to imagine each of us given one or more of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And then, he took a turn for the worse and started ranting. It was an old fashioned fire-and-brimstone homily. It was awful to watch and to hear. There were so many other themes he could have talked about: the joy of Pentecost, the gifts of the Holy Spirit (he so very briefly touched on this) or the birth of the Church. But instead it was hellfire and damnation for 20 minutes. I wanted to stand up and ask him to stop shouting at us. He hectored and accused and scolded and went on and on and on. I know that his style can be pedantic, but I have actually heard him give bearable (if not good) sermons over the years. This was way over the top.
It was a real shame. Mostly I found myself praying that this would not be an occasion of sin for me (uncharitable thoughts, etc), and cringing because we had so many visitors attending Mass that day (Juneau is a tourist town), and also musing that anyone who speaks to an assembly of the people of God this way can not be a happy man.
So, please pray for him, folks. I think he needs prayers, like we all do.
