Yesterday was a holy day of obligation, and one of great profundity. Celebrating the last of the great Marian dogmas, the Church focused on the mystery of the Assumption. Besides Masses, I was able to two things good for myself. 1. I went to the gym...because, as I said on Facebook, this body ain't assumed! And 2. I made a good confession.
Steps 4 and 5 of the 12 say we should make a fearless and moral inventory of ourselves, then admit to ourselves, to God, and to another person the exact nature of our wrongs. This can be so freeing psychologically when done on a programmatic level...but this is a true encounter with Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I needed it, and it keeps me going.
The mystery of the Assumption is not so hard to figure out. It's only logical that the sinless Virgin wouldn't see corruption even in death, but it's so hard to translate this logic to us who are sinful. That is, until we look to her Son, who paid the price for our sins. We won't see eternal corruption if we believe in her Son. This is where steps 4 and 5 can not be complete without an actual encounter of Jesus, who takes away our sins.
Today I woke up and said Mass, then got in a car with friends and headed to Spencer Abbey in Spencer, Ma to have a half day retreat. It was great to be still even more with the Lord who loves me and has mercy on me. I walked around the beautiful property for half of my exercise for the day (I swam tonight). It is certainly a magnificent place. 
When at lunch, even though I was tempted to stray, I continued in a new effort since yesterday, an experiment, really. Part religious, part let's see what effects it has...I'm giving up meat for a while. Don't know how long. Don't know if I'll even be able to keep it up. But it's something I'm gonna try. I've stuck to it for two days now. Vamos a ver.
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