~ by Father Ron Camarda

22 October 2002 On the Dock – 7 pm

Sun went down, I am here.

Prayed and Played, most of the day

Made an important decision

Step out in faith

Obedient to You, O Lord

You call me, “Beloved” wow!

At Eucharist with my brother priests

I realized that I treat them kind of like my own brothers.

I Love them, but they really don’t

enter into my daily life.

But then I saw Frank

a stroke victim, retired

and somewhat left alone

The way he approached the altar

after I did

He was so filled with emotion

with his cane

The Eucharist overwhelmed him

and then at the altar itself

he drank the Blood of Life

and almost fell over.

I thought to give him my seat too late

And then he sat in a chair

blocking the aisle

awkward for the other priests

to step over him –

he is my brother

he had a stroke

he struggles ever so close

with his own sins

and forces me to face

my own sins of omission

and me?

do I?

I can’t answer

O Lord be merciful, o me a sinner.

Sun down, my batteries worn down

life, love, longing…evening prayer

Love, joy, peace,

Father Ron Moses +

www.tearinthedesert.com

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