The celebration of the Eucharist at St. Philomena’s was something I planned to attend last night when I retired to bed. This morning at 6:30 I was thinking of excuses not to attend and to stay between the flannel sheets. The spirit moved me out of bed at 6:40 and after an abbreviated yoga routine I got ready to walk the one mile from our home to the church. Once I was out of the house and walking down the hill I was grateful to be up and moving at a time when most of our village is still not quite awake. The air was still, the sky was blue and I was grateful to be up and out. Fifteen minutes later I arrived at St. Philomena R.C. Church. Mass today was in the chapel. There were four other people plus Fr. Marino in attendance. I actually arrived in the middle of the first reading. I love the little chapel. It is such and intimate setting for what is really a celebration of the Lord’s Supper or Passover Seder which took place in a dining room not in a synagogue.
Following Mass I continued my walk down Plymouth Avenue to Main Street and throughout the village for a total of over five miles. Walking can be a contemplative exercise and I like to think that my walks are just that. I’m grateful to be alive and able to walk about and enjoy the sights and sounds of life in a small village and one that has been my home for over thirty-five years.