Happiness and The Big Celebrant

Does health = happiness? Not necessarily. It helps, but look around. I see a lot of unhealthy people who are very happy. And I see a lot of very fit people who are very depressed. It's not as simple as that.

I was at church this past weekend, and we had a guest celebrant. He was a big man, to say the least. He was visiting from the Philippines, and made of couple of jokes to begin his sermon. "I was asked to come to America on behalf of our church, and I asked 'Why would you send me? I mean, look at me, it doesn't look like I'm malnourished or anything. I don't miss any meals." The congregation laughed, because as I said, he was a big and wide man. But, but as big and wide as his body was, he had a glow and smile about him that were just as big and wide. He talked about his church in the Philippines, he sang with a booming, yet melodic tone, and he came across as a very happy and content person. He took his situation, something that many of us would be very sad about, and made it happy. Man, I admire this man so much, and I wish that more of us would choose to be happy, despite everything else in our lives.

That said, like the man in Vegas, I wanted to talk with him about health as well. I think I will, this time. He was talking about how priests needed help, how he had been alone for a while. So, I think I will pay him a visit and chat. It'll probably do me more good than him.

...

Bummer, I went to morning WEEKDAY mass today (first time in forever) and paid a visit to the Parish Office, and Father Big Man has left. I'll try to track him down.