The French Connection

I have always found these days after Christmas to be among the most peaceful of the year. I heard it described once as the week where we lose all track of time. I like to continue the celebration of Christmas Day throughout the week. I also like to catch up on some much needed sleep. Unfortunately for me, that rarely happens.

On Christmas Eve, I began my day at 6AM as I do most days with the first recitation of the Angelus. Some mornings I go back to bed for a while but most mornings I putz around, drinking my coffee, saying my prayers, and catching up on the news of the day before beginning any real work. On this day, I didn’t get a chance to be lazy. First it was off to Mass for the Vigil of Christmas, then breakfast, a trip to the cemetery, and some last minute shopping. In fact I wrote about these plans two nights ago. It’s all in the post.

That day ended on the highest of notes. We got to the church at 10 to get a seat for the midnight Mass. We need a new church but in the current climate, the Argentine’s wily ways seem to be putting a damper on those plans. Nonetheless, four hours and fifteen minutes later, we headed home and this dog got to lie down and sleep until…

6:30 Christmas morning: my teenage daughter, who should know better, bounded into my bedroom excitedly saying something about opening presents and blah blah blah. She could have at least brought me some coffee. The fun of the morning and the presents over, my wife and I spent the day doing something we do best and which has always bonded us together. We entertained. We prepared a sit-down dinner for 30. I’d go over the menu but it’s really not important. OK, it was beef tenderloin, crab cakes, mushroom and sherry bisque. Simple fare.

My point in all this is that I did not get to bed that night until 1:30. I need sleep. And I got some, not all, but some of the slumber I desired. I said once long ago that God knows what we want and occasionally, if we let Him, He denies us those things to help us shorten our Purgatory. For me it’s sleep. I really enjoy a good snooze. Since becoming a dad lo these many years ago now I have gotten less and less of it. I understand there’s plenty of time to sleep when I’m dead. As long as I still have coffee, I can win this battle.

This morning – the feast of St. Stephen, Second Day in the Octave of Christmas, I slept a little extra. Praised be Jesus Christ!

And where’s that French connection of which I spoke?

Ah yes! I went to confession this morning at a church I do not usually attend. On my way out I stopped to look at the Stations of the Cross and noticed they were in the lingua Franca. Seems the church was originally staffed by Vincentian Fathers.

Here are some of the pictures I took. Let’s see what fun things the rest of the week brings and until next time, I pray the peace of the Newborn King be with you.