My First Catholic Mass!

Well as most of you know I am in Seattle. Downtown Seattle at Harborview Medical Center. I jokingly said to one of the staff here the first night that this place is like a zoo. She said that is what some people call it Harborzoo! It is amazing to say the least. Well it has snowed like for two days here and there is almost a foot of snow in downtown Seattle. I had planned to go to Christian Faith Center to church tonight but my good friend Lloyd Ball called and he is snowed in, surprise surprise! The only church I have seen around close is St James Cathedral. I mean this thing is huge. I think it is the largest Catholic Church in the Pacific NW. So I decided to check out the service times in the Yellow Pages and sure enough the Sunday evening Mass was at 5:30pm. I told Jerry I was going to go and visit or check it out or something.

I must confess I have never attended an regular service at a Catholic Church before. I have been to quite a few funerals before and maybe a wedding but not a regular mass. I did speak at a service at a Catholic Church in Newark, CA many years ago but I don’t remember much about it. I do remember the priest telling me I had 7 minutes for the homily and I actually went 20 minutes and I really trimmed it down at that. This however was a first for me today.

First let me say the Cathedral is massive. I can’t describe the size in comparison to anything in Soldotna. It is so beautiful it was awesome. I slipped in at the back door, or what was actually the massive main doors at the back. I was going to sit on the very back row but there was a homeless man sleeping on that pew so I move up one. I sat on the end close to the isle. The service had already started and everyone was standing. I won’t take the time to go too elaborate in my description but it was amazing. Marble and gold sculptures and statues and a huge water pool and bowl and I mean you just had to be there to see it. I tried my best to keep up with the service and pay attention to maybe better understand. The homily was very good. I got a very good message from the scripture reading and the message together was neat. More about that maybe later.

About 15  or 20 minutes into the service a gentleman brought what I thought was a flower vase back to the back of the church and sat it on a little end table two rows in front of me. I really did think it was a flower vase. It was very beautiful crystal with a long neck with an angled top on it. I thought they were going to maybe give flowers away or put some in it for the end of the service. It had what appeared to be water in it also. Now I know all my Catholic friends are laughing at me by now but I really didn’t have a clue. After the offering was taken by two ladies they came to the back of the church and took two baskets and prepared to go forward. I saw one of the ladies go over to a man on the other side of the church and whisper something to him and then come back and whisper something to the other lady. I am standing about 6 feet away with my Alaska Parka on with the wolf, wolverine and beaver hood. The lady on my side looked at me and asked me if I would carry the “wine” down to the front of the church with them!!!!!!!!! You know me!!!!!!! Without a moments hesitation I said I would be honored. So sure enough I carried the sacrament wine right down that middle isle in front of those people in my Alaska coat, fur and all just as if I knew what I was doing! I didn’t look at anyone so I don’t know if they were looking at me or not. It wasn’t about me. I was asked to do a job and I did it. I’m not sure what all this means now that I have served sacrament wine in the Catholic church but I did it.

I don’t consider myself religious really. I always thought of myself a a Christian. In our church we have an unwritten liturgy or plan for the service but this one was amazing. Everyone there knew exactly what to do and I was as lost as a goose in a snow storm. I made it through and  left with a great feeling in my heart about Christmas and the Christ child and just how much we humans really do need a Savior.

Thanks to those of you who read my ramblings last night about Margaret and the tragedy we are here for. If you didn’t read it and you have some time I would appreciate your thoughts on it. I thank those of you who left a comment. Perhaps this Blog is just for my own healing on this journey but I am thankful also if someone is helped as well.

Margaret is sleeping tonight and I am sitting up with her. It is 1:37 am here in Seattle. It is snowing outside and all Alaska Airlines flights have been canceled for yesterday and I don’t have a clue what today will bring. It is very quiet here except for Margaret’s breathing and an occasional alarm or two. She is facing a possible major surgery tomorrow. I am praying for her as I know many of you are. I plan to return to Anchorage on Tuesday, if the planes fly. If not, I guess my wife will have another first! She will have her first Christmas Eve Drop In with out me!!!!! That is not a funny thought. There is no humor in that statement at all I promise. However she is a big girl and has a lot of help from her friends in Soldotna.

I will update everyone tomorrow. Thanks again for listening.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night,

Pastor Alan