All Saint's

This morning the 6:30 Mass was "Mass by iPhone App", specifically the Flashlight app.  The storm did little damage out here except for trees falling with the expected power outages.  Weston and Sudbury are heavily treed areas.  We were without power until today.  However, because of the nursing home and assisted living we have a generator that supplied power needs to about 75% of the house. It was amusing to note that the rector's rooms and office had no power whereas the minter's (mine) did.  NStar got the power restored here at about 11:15 AM.  We did have to purge the refrigerator.  Too bad about the ice-cream.

The scenes of devastation are disheartening, particularly in Queens where 80 or so homes burned.  The photos recall post-bombing Dresden.

I will admit to being more than a little perplexed by the decision to run the NYC marathon.  Bloomberg's statements that it will show NY is recovering or boost the morale of the people is ingenuous at best, and actually are closer to stupid.  He seems to be speaking in bumper stickers and sound bites.  I don't think anyone needs 40,000 spandex and nylon clad runners prancing through a devastated city.  The tragedy is ongoing, it ain't over.  The lack of priorities on the part of the marathon organizers is appalling.

Obviously the leaves are off the trees.  This is my favorite time of the year.  It is cold, crisp, aromatic and stark.  I much prefer the woods when the leaves are down.  The skeletal appearance is somehow soothing.

The photos below come from the "left" sacristy at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit here in Campion.  A few weeks ago a friend wrote that he envied my access to "HOW's" (Houses of Worship).  It is unfettered.  And I can get to places that other people can't.  Photos of everyday objects are among my favorites.

The trees are about 100 yards away across the front lawn and Concord Road.

Vestments are fascinating, particularly when the light is hitting them.  Several years ago I took multiple photos of the chasubles at St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, PA.  The first is the funeral vestments that have not been worn in over six months, an astonishingly long time to go without a death.  The other is a detail on one of the vestments.

The next is a reflection in the long mirror.  Note the backwards writing on the white plastic container for wet purificators and used corporals.  One of my favorite jobs here is washing and ironing the linens.  Very meditative.

The final three show the mundane part of a sacristy, scattered objects drying and some currently unused glassware.  One of my big projects come the new year is to organize and clean the sacristies, one of which has way too much stuff stored in it.

+Fr. Jack, SJ, MD