All Saints - All Souls

 

Yesterday was joyous, the Feast of All Saints, and we were blessed with a baptism at Mission #2. I tell you, it was a cast of mostly young pro rodeo stars with an emphasis on barrel and bronc, what good people. After the Mass I found myself in the church's car park and a stylish young woman asked, "Have you seen a cowboy with a baby?" I thought about this for a second, "Which one?" You get the picture.

A little later, one old veteran reminded me of a long ago ride with my sons at ranch not far from Valley Mills. Quite a thing, not the usual hack about on half-trained beasts but beautifully trained horses in a great arena; they put me on barrel champ Randy, who was valued, I think, at 150k. So off I went, walk, trot, canter, gallop, flat out run, most awesome. What I didn't know at the time was that temperamental Randy had a habit of kicking his riders off.

Behold LSP on Randy with a young riding Buddha

The horse liked me, fortunately, and my post-baptismal pal was still talking about it yesterday, after all these years, "Man," he declared, "Bud and I saw you get on that horse and said 'he's gonna die!' but you didn't, it was all 'tally ho, old chap!'" So it was, what a great ride, and I even had the brazen temerity to run a few barrels. Heh. Kids did well too, naturals on horseback, but of course they were young, fearless, and I'd been training them up all summer.

Yes, that's a thoroughbred grey and crazy with it

Riding reveries over, we fell back to a nearby restaurant for fish and chips, excellent onion rings, white wine, margheritas on the rocks and no end of newly baptized baby love. In fairness, and I say this as an established member of the prestigious King Herod Club (KHC), the baby was adorable and mostly slept. What a lot of fun and a great way to celebrate All Saints.

You see, the child, at her baptism, enters the company or communion of the saints, united to Christ in his death and resurrection and lifted up in him, in the power of the Spirit, to the Father as an adopted child of God. No small thing, and that was yesterday.

Some old blogging fool on a horse in Texas

Today strikes a different tone. The vestments are black and we offer Mass and pray for the departed, All Souls. Do they need our prayers and do we need theirs? I'd say yes on both counts and, remember O man, that thou art dust and to dust thou shall return.

That in mind, may the souls of all the faithful departed, especially those near and dear to us, rest in peace and rise in glory.

God Bless,

LSP