Saying Goodbyes Hurt

Today, mass was really neat. Our priest is a brand new priest. His (younger) brother is the Vocations Director for the diocese. Today, the two brothers presided over mass together. It was very neat to see/hear two brothers sing the prayers over the Holy Eucharist. My eyes watered a little and thought Wow, what amazing parents they must have had and how pleased their parents must be. The brother, as Vocations Director, was also happy to announce that a young man from our parish was just accepted to the seminary to become a priest and what a joy and excitement that was. He said we should continue to pray for the young man, and pray that there may be another young adult next year.

It's Ascension Sunday. (Although some dioceses celebrated it mid-week this past week). Ours celebrated today. Our pastor was talking about how at the end of Pentecost, Christ ascended in to heaven. He mentioned that we all hate saying goodbyes and that they hurt, but that even the disciples had to say goodbye to Jesus.

This really touched me, especially as I am about to say goodbye, yet again, to my family, some of my best friends, and others in the area. Plus we'll be traveling back to where we use to live, saying goodbye to those friends, and goodbye to my husbands' family. I HATE HATE HATE goodbyes. I'm sure he didn't mean it in this context, but I also thought about how 11 months ago, I said goodbye to my husband. Thankfully, one day, just like the disciples and us did/will see Jesus again, I will get to see my husband again. Of course, I'm hoping it's here on earth that I get to see my husband again. ;-)

Then I also thought about other times he said goodbye. He traveled a lot, probably made friends, and had to say goodbye. Unfortunately, they didn't have email and Facebook, so their goodbyes were not like ours. But that brought a glimmer of hope to my soul as well. It was comforting to know that yet again, something we have to go through, Christ himself went through.

I've also come to realize that while we're called to be humble, I have a lot to learn in that area.

Recently I was in the military passport office applying for ours. The desk lady shared with me that she was recently helping another mother. She was pregnant with her 4th, all under the age of 4. Her husband was already overseas in another country (I believe Germany as well). She had to stay in the states because she had a complicated pregnancy. She was going to eventually have the baby without her husband here (I can relate to that one), then fly with all 4 children alone. I CANNOT imagine that one.

As Catholics, we believe in taking our struggles, and using them as prayers and offering them up for others in similar or more difficult situations. I have tried so hard to remember this stranger in my prayers when I'm struggling, or remember single-moms who won't get the other half of support back in a year. I know there are families out there going through much worse. Yes, every person's cross is their own cross and can be rough, but really, I don't have it that bad and I can take these opportunities to think and pray for others.

But this is where I struggle with humility. I don't always think of others and instead think "Woe is me, poor pitiful me." and whine to someone or to facebook or to my blog. I pray that I can start thinking of others in my struggles.