reunions

 Yesterday, I had the surprise pleasure of running into an old acquaintance at a mutual gathering.  He is associated with a family from my first parish assignment at St. George in Tinley Park.  I sit here typing not even 24 hours later, but my brain is still in shock and wonder.

Almost 20 years ago, I was heart-broken by having to bury his "father-in-law," who was a deacon at the parish.  It was actually the first funeral I wept during the Mass.  Right at the end of the homily, my heart simply swelled and pushed out the tears it had been saving for that moment.  I was stationed at the Cathedral at the time and I had just visited the deacon in the hospital.  A day later, after I finished celebrating our afternoon Mass, I received a phone call that the deacon had died.  I was crushed.  He truly was like having another father in my life too.

Last night, the deacon's son-in-law and I reminisced for a while.  Didn't have a lot of time, but it was really cool.