.
Ideas from Mass

Let me now sing of my friend,
my friend's song concerning his vineyard.
My friend had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside;
he spaded it, cleared it of stones,
and planted the choicest vines;
within it he built a watchtower,
and hewed out a wine press.
Then he looked for the crop of grapes,
but what it yielded was wild grapes.

- From Isaiah Chapter 5, beginning

Besides having me think about having a glass of nice, red wine, this excerpt from the first reading that I heard at Mass Saturday evening had me think about whether or not I am doing what I should be doing with my life. Am I working to make a real difference? Am I doing anything of merit? Am I using my time here in a way that is helpful?

I still feel flummoxed so much of the time.... the confusion always revolving around what I *should* do to try to be a better person... to be a person who *is* helpful and kind. At one level I feel like I do work to help the greater good. But if I peer at myself in a different way I only see my failure in life. I see how horrid I am and how wasteful I am.

It is so challenging to know what to do at times.

PipeTobacco