Promptu Impromptu

So cute you really had to laugh about it. Heck, you didn't have much of a choice but to laugh about it; otherwise you'd get so stressed your hair would fall out.

I'm the "point person" every 2nd Saturday of the month at the Center, mainly because it's Mass day, courtesy of Father Steve Tynan, mgl, Aussie, charismatic priest, favorite member of the clergy, etcetera. The history of this "arrangement" is a little complex, but kinda interesting - once upon a time he was the only priest I knew (he heard confessions in my old community), we (me, Kuya, and another bro) wanted a Mass to be celebrated for our joint-birthday party in July 2004, he happened to be free, and tadah...Father Steve + He Cares = a blessed tandem. Rah rah rah! Anyway, so since then, one of my main tasks has been to invite him to celebrate the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and remind him to conduct missionary formation sessions and translate the necessary parts of the Mass into Tagalog and stuff like that. Father Steve is one cool priest and man of God, majorly instrumental in my own conversion, and a good friend in Christ. Ka-chika talaga, and for sure the main celebrant at my wedding, whenever that may be.

Anyway, so next Saturday (the 10th) I knew I wouldn't be around - I would either be out of the country, or out of town. So as early as May the 31st (was supposed to leave on the 1st or 2nd), I sent off all the necessary missalettes, Mass song list and chords, powerpoint presentations, etc. Just so they didn't have to deal with whatever hassle without me on the 10th. Consequently, because of the relatively early time I sent the stuff, I managed to confuse Kuya, Judith, and 4D, who thought that Mass would be celebrated on the 3rd (today) and not the 10th. Eek. I managed to correct all misunderstandings, until of course at 9:45 am today, while I was leisurely preparing for a relaxed volunteers' lunch...

Father Steve appears at the door. My brain does not register; it's as if Vince or Greg or Hugh Jackman suddenly appeared in front of me. "I thought you'd be off?" he asks, and then I notice the Mass kit in his hands. Uh-oh. He did not read the date of the missalette I sent him, and thought that today was the day! Oh well, who are we to restrain the Eucharistic Celebration, even if impromptu, when it's brought right to our doorstep? Thank God talaga for His sense of humor, and for His grace - as Judith aptly observed, I really had to be there (unintentionally or otherwise), for Father Steve's Saturday Mass!

But as always, it was all good. How could it be otherwise?