People are funny

Today is the feast of St. Blase....so of course Mass was packed this morning with people who had come to "get the throat blessing." Of course, next week we'll see lots of people show up on Ash Wednesday; not that they show up for Mass during the week even when it's an actual Holy Day of Obligation or anything, but they'll be there on Ash Wednesday to "get their ashes." There is that old joke about people who only come to Mass on Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday -- you can always count on Catholics to show up when you're giving stuff away. ;)

I don't mean to sound like a crank about it. I find it mildly amusing mostly, but also kind of sad when I think about it. People seem to be so unaware of -- or maybe "disconnected from" is the better phrase -- the fact that they can come to Mass on any random Monday morning and receive Christ himself. People fall all over themselves to get the sacramentals, but the Sacrament of all Sacraments seems to leave so many of them cold. That's so sad.

I sometimes think that's what God's view of us, all of us, must be like most of the time -- like He can't quite believe how we can just flat-out fail to see all the gifts He's put right in front of us, all the grace He's poured out right into our laps. I can't fathom how He's not completely exasperated with us at this point. I'm very grateful that He's so patient and merciful, but I can't say I understand it. :)