Eucharistic Procession

I neglected to report on the Eucharistic Procession that I announced last week. In the end it came off rather nicely. The weather wasn't great, but it wasn't miserable, either, and it was a rather moving event for some of us who participated. I was particularly proud to walk beside my son, who is eleven. As goofy as he is when he is playing with his friends, I continue to be impressed by his capacity to be serious and responsible when he needs to be. I'm even more impressed by his capacity to be serious and responsible when he wants to be, and by the frequency with which he wants to be.

For once I'm rather happy to report that at least one of my predictions failed to materialize: there were no hoards of barbarians ridiculing us as we processed down Mill Street from St. Paul's to Christ the King. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the after effects of the Homecoming celebrations of the nighit before, but there were very few bystanders of any kind. We walked past the Lutheran church on the way, and there were a few people standing on the front porch--I wondered what they made of it all. There were a few young men standing on a porch of a rental house, but instead of laughing or gesturing, one of them clapped solemnly as we went by. I suppose it's possible that he was being ironic, acting as though we were just one more float in the Homecoming parade; but I prefer to think that he was applauding the idea of a Eucharistic Procession.

At the end of the Procession we gathered inside Christ the King for Adoration. Attendance was very good, and I confess that I saw some folks in there that I did not expect to see. My bad.

It is unfortunate, in one sense, that such events take place so very rarely these days. But perhaps it is, in another sense, somewhat fortunate, as it helps to bring into higher relief just how special and important such events are, and how special and important is the presence of Christ among us.