Wait Your Turn

Somehow, the desert climate tires a person out, but I had a restful sleep this morning knowing that I did not have to rise for early morning mass. It was just like a lazy Sunday morning when you've gone to Mass on Saturday evening.

I did celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation several times this week, but a memorable experience was when one person said, "This is my first time in four years. I've missed it so much." The expression of relief was just incredible. The other experiences were quite fine, but I appreciated the joy this person expressed in returning to the sacrament. Most times, this is the finest part of being a priest because you get to witness the exchange of grace so freely between the person and God.

In the late morning, a couple of the workers were trying to even out one of those shades that when you try to fix only one side elevates causing a frustrating mess. It took some effort, but they were able to do it fairly easily, but I had to laugh during another event. Jordan is really an outdoor climate and most of the times the windows to the Jesuit Centre are open with screens to keep insects out. Occasionally a bug finds its way into the house. Three of the guys were standing and looking at one of the insects that had flipped onto its back and was barely moving. They were speaking in Arabic so I could not tell what they were saying. Finally, I grabbed a tissue, pick up the bug, and threw it in the covered wastebasket. It was nearly dead. One of the guys protested, "Fr. John, Fr. John. You shouldn't have done that. We are trying to train this one man how to pick him up." Huh?

A few hours later, I made some rice and added packaged salmon flakes to it because it was an American product and the cook did not know what to do with it. It was quite tasty and so easy to make. It was those refrigerated salmon pouches that can be added to rice, pasta, salads, or thrown together with light mayonnaise for a sandwich. I think I am teaching people in the Centre about how to cook and to be adventurous. By the way, the chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache tastes great.

One of the conversations around the Centre was about this person who often wants to help another person out of a sense of Christian charity. It really comes across as a person with a good heart. This is a person with a professional degree and practice and will see someone in need and ask, "Father, do you have ten dinars (dollars)? Give it to that person." At first it strikes you well that this person's heart is moved so fully to take care of the poor until you realize that this person will never give a cent! Around town, this person is known for one's charitable ways, so to speak. 

It takes time to get used to the Jordanian sense of time. People will show up at the Centre and because they are there and they have made the trip, they want you to be present for them immediately. Or they will call you on the phone and expect you to be available. For some, planning doesn't exist. The moment is now. I recall that during the last months I was in Jordan, I bought a seperate phone so that I could have personal contacts on one phone and parish contacts on the other. It was routine for someone to ring me seventeen times in a row to impress upon me that they wanted to speak with me. The time is now. That is what is important to a person who wants to reach you. Even on a Friday morning, which is the Sabbath, someone will call you at 7:30 a.m. so that you know they want to speak with you. Polite people would wait until after 10:00 a.m. This is such a curiosity.

When I went into Mass today, a woman saw me walking from the entrance of the church to the sanctuary, and she shouts out, "Father, I don't have a piece of paper." I said, "I know. I have them with me." She said, "Usually, I get a piece of paper in front of the church, and I don't have one." I said, "I know. The papers are with me. Did you see me just walk in?" Yes. Did you see me hold a bag? Yes. Am I still holding the bag? Yes, Am I still wearing my hat? Yes. Just then, another woman shouts out to her: Wait your turn. Be patient. Give him some time. You'll get your paper. I wanted to nominate that woman for canonization.

Wait your turn. I find myself saying that phrase often.

Mass went very well. I brought twenty-six extra copies of my homily because it was about practicalities around prayer. After mass, every copy was taken, and I ran out. People took my email so they could get a copy of it for their further reflection. I did not know I would hit the mark so well. 

https://predmore.blogspot.com/2022/07/persist-in-prayer-seventeenth-sunday-in.html

I had some very thoughtful conversations with people after mass, and I was delighted to meet again the wide range of people. 

Longtime friends from Jordan/U.S. invited me and Fr. Bimal for dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant. The atmosphere was so good and we sat outdoors because for nine months of the year, the evening are just perfect for outdoor dining. I've met with these friends in the U.S. and they are quite a lovely couple from Jordan. The wife's sisters are visiting and so they joined us. I had a baked bream (fish) wrapped in banana leaves, and it was succulent and cooked to perfection. The chocolate enclosed cinnamon mouse with orange shavings was the perfect way to end with a cappuccino. Two of the sisters split a fish that had been encrusted with Dead Sea Salt and had to be broken open in order to filet it. All the meals were quite lovely, but the best part was the varied conversations about meaningful topics. Somehow in Jordan, we are able to get to substantive issues right away. My heart goes out to so many people here who are trying to do the best with challenging circumstances.

I came home quite contented and rested knowing that there is so much good in the world and believing that goodness will always win out in the end, though it might be bruised and tarnished along the way. Good has to win out. There's so much of it and I just feel fortunate to behold so much of it each day.