Sunday, October 23, 2005

Odd odds

So what are the odds of this happening?
This morning HB and I were headed to 11:00 a.m. Mass at the small parish here in our community. This is not the parish I usually go to because I've played the guitar at another parish since 1992, and even though it's in the city, I usually go back there. But this little parish in our community is quite nice - and there is a real, true sense of community there. It's one of those little churches that has people at the door, smiling and saying hello to you. We know a number of people that go here.
We walked in this morning to find the entry unusually crowded. There were at least eight adults we didn't recognize, and two of the women were holding small babies.
And as I said hello, the light comes on. We had walked into the "surprise! It's a baptism this morning!" mass.
Now don't get me wrong. I love my faith, and I love baptisms. But since we've been walking this walk, I do tend to get emotional at them. Now at my other parish, it's no biggie because I'm with friends, and have the guitar strapped on and can hide my tears behind it, should they come.
But this morning, there we were....two pews behind one of the families. We didn't recognize any of them. The dad hoisted his little boy up onto his shoulder, and that beautiful baby boy promptly locked eyes with me.
I decided then and there that I was not going to cry. I was going to be happy for this family, and I was going to pray for this awesome little boy as he received the sacrament of baptism.
And then the priest said "what name have you chosen for your child" to the parents.
Their last name was the same as ours. We do not have a very common last name, and it's not a name from around here - but there it was. This beautiful baby boy, being baptized in front of us, carried our name, and locked eyes with both my husband and I.
What are the odds of that happening?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow ... so much can be read into that.

Anonymous said...

Ouch. And you still didn't cry?

Maybe it's a sign, a very good sign.:)

Anonymous said...

Signs. I believe in them. Angela is right...so much can be read into what happened.

Anonymous said...

Yep, I would have sobbed like a starving baby.

I probably would have had to excuse myself as well.

You were a trouper.

Donna said...

Wow, life is amazing sometimes, isn't it? I'm glad you were there.

April said...

Wow. That's about all I can say.

I'm awed by your strength.

Thalia said...

Well, you're a better woman than I if you didn't cry at that. Well done for coping. And let's see it as a positive sign.