Is your life full of change of some sort or another? Does change stress you out or do you easily accept it? Change is one of those things that can cause many of us to put up our defenses at the very word.
Most of the time, change is a good thing, even if we can’t see it at first. But it doesn’t mean it is easy.
Like many of you, my life is full of change. I don’t know about you, but I don’t always handle change well. One thing I have to remind myself of is that God is always in control. When I forget this is when I begin stressing about change too much.
Children
One of the best changes in my life right now is my children. My life is forever changed because of them. I am still frequently overwhelmed and stressed, but I love every bit of it. Who wouldn’t? Just look at these cute faces:
They are 4 months old today. True blessings from God!
My life is also forever changed by the three children we lost between 2008 and 2010. I learned something from each of those children as well and I’m grateful for the little bit of time I had with each of them.
Catalogs
When was the last time you used a card catalog at the library? It’s probably been a while. Now you can see the catalog on your computer at home. Libraries are always changing. I know, I’m a librarian. My main job is to collocate and organize the information that makes up our library catalog. It can be a challenging job at times, especially when there are changes. There are always changes to cataloging rules (updates, revisions, etc.). But nothing like what is about to happen in the library world in another year or so.
We’re talking huge shake-up here. HUGE!
This is one of those changes that I used to stress about. No more. I made a decision some time ago that it was going to happen and there was nothing I could do about it. So why bother? Now this is one of those changes that I am ignoring until I actually need to know about it. When that time comes, I’ll get the training I need and will move forward.
By the way, speaking of libraries … today is the feast day of St. Jerome, patron saint of libraries and librarians.
Construction
If ever there was something that could define change, it is construction. This is tangible, visible change. My church is undergoing lots of construction right now. We are building a new rectory for our priests, a new Perpetual Adoration Chapel, a new Baptistery, and undergoing a drastic renovation of the sanctuary that includes relocating the tabernacle there {happy dance}. Oh, and I think we’re getting a new organ. Last
time I saw our organist he was showing off a drawing of the new pipes.
It’s a lot. It will be a lot of very good change for our parish and our diocese (since we’re also the cathedral), but it is also causing a lot of other changes right now as well. Mass is now being held in the parish hall and, because the hall is smaller than the church, mass times have changed.
Changing mass times has meant adding another mass to the schedule (another responsibility for our priests) and temporarily cancelling the monthly Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast and the occasional coffee and doughnuts after mass.
Work in our sanctuary is supposed to be completed by Thanksgiving so if everything stays on schedule we’ll be able to have mass on Thanksgiving
Day in our newly renovated space.
It is interesting timing: new sanctuary and new translation of the mass.
Mass Changes
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know about the changes that will be happening to the mass on the first Sunday of Advent this year. I can’t even imagine how different it is going to be when we begin having mass with the new translation and in a new, beautiful space. I can’t wait!!
This is going to be a big change for everyone. And I really, really hope people will embrace this change. With the new translation we have
an opportunity!!
It is an opportunity to re-familiarize ourselves with the mass. It is an opportunity to refresh our understanding of what we’re doing and saying
in the mass. And, it is an opportunity to relearn the meaning behind so many of the beautiful prayers and responses of the mass. If the changes to come concern you at all, I say look at it as an opportunity.
Yes, it’s a big change. Change can be hard to deal with. It is a big unknown and can be a little scary. But take comfort in the fact that people much wiser than any of us (unless we have some bishops or cardinals reading this blog) know what they are doing and have the best interests of the Church at heart when they sat down to work out this new translation.
We’ll be more in line with the original Latin text of the mass and we’ll have opportunities to relearn and refresh ourselves with the new words
we’ll soon be learning and incorporating into our vocabularies.
I for one am looking forward to it. I find it an exciting endeavor for our Church!!
How about you? What major changes are happening in your life? Are you giving them over to God or are you stressing about them? How about the upcoming changes to the mass? Are you looking forward to them or are you apprehensive?
Finally: don’t forget about the blog giveaway. You must comment on the giveaway post by TODAY in order to be entered. Good luck to everyone!!