If you want to make God laugh…

There’s an old saying that goes, “if you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans”.  Old sayings almost always hang around because there is at least a glimmer of truth in them, and sometimes a lot more than a glimmer.

As I was rushing around to get out before Mass this morning I realized my shirt was rather wrinkled.  “No problem”, I said to myself, “I’ll keep my jacket on and nobody will notice, and I don’t have time to iron it.”  I should have heard the chuckling.

We went through our normal Morning Prayer – a new addition just this week (thank you, Father!) – and my plan was going swimmingly.  Then as I sat there collecting myself before Mass Father walked up the aisle looking right at me.  You know that look – the one where their eyes don’t move from you and you feel like you couldn’t possibly hide if you wanted to.  He walked right up to me and asked if I would do the readings for Mass – this is a first in this parish for me.  What was I supposed to say, “Nah, Father, my shirt’s a little wrinkled and my ego won’t allow me to be seen looking like that”?  I did my best to not look completely like a deer in the headlights, but I can virtually guarantee I failed miserably.

At this point the laughter in heaven must have been rattling the pictures.  Suffice it to say that as I proclaimed God’s Word I realized that if anyone was noticing my wrinkly shirt they were missing the point of the matter.  While it wasn’t my intention, I’m glad I had the opportunity to give God a chuckle, and two lessons were learned.  First, everyone has to let God take center stage at Mass, not just the priest.  And second, I need to give myself another five minutes in the morning from now on…