snapshot: eleven two

What's going on?
This week is passing quickly - as most do. I spent Monday (my day off) at home around Franciscan and visiting my family. For the feast day, I had one Mass with the grade school kids and parishioners, and then another one for the high school students. There have been a whole lot of hospital visits as well. I spent today - all of today - doing question and answer sessions with the high school kids.


Any meaningful moments?
I especially enjoyed Mass with the grade school for All Saints. It was actually a mix of the older students and parishioners. My usual method for preaching to the students always involves asking them questions. I find it keeps their attention and seems, at least to me, to get the point across. It was refreshing to do this while also preaching to an "grown up" audience.
After that Mass, I rushed down to the high school and used that experience as part of my homily to those students.
I like when a homily comes to me in an "organic" way like that.


In my free time ...
As you would guess from Monday's post, I'm listening to a lot of Thrice, Coldplay and Switchfoot. Another musical highlight came about in an interesting way: I was in Franciscan's bookstore last monday and heard a catchy song on the in-store music. I wandered around and listened to a few more songs before I decided to buy the CD, which turned out to be JJ Heller's Deeper. It's an album of acoustic versions of songs she's already released. I haven't heard any of her other work, but I love the quiet, intimate sound of this album.


Though for the moment
I'm heading into an extremely busy several days. There's a lot going on in the parish and at the high school and it's very easy to feel overwhelmed. I think the key is taking it one day at a time and remembering why I am doing what I am doing - for Jesus, not myself.