On Monday I spoke briefly of journaling, a prayerful recollection of day’s events. Yesterday, I spoke of one of Paul’s imprisonments; it was during these imprisonments, especially the later and prolonged ones that he wrote many of his letters, no doubt depending solely on memory of the events themselves. We all know how quickly memory can twist reality; but I’m sure he had his journals.

Journaling is not only my reflection, but it is dialoguing with God. Communication is an absolutely necessary human relationship; without which we are isolated and in confinement deteriorate in our dignity as human beings.

Without personal communication, friendships cannot develop. How did you first get to know your first grade classmates without communication? Likewise we cannot develop a relationship with God without reciprocal communication. Praying the rosary is a wonderful practice which I strongly encourage and practice myself but it is not enough. It is a monologue.

God has chosen to reveal Himself through the prophets, through the Incarnation of His Son, through the Eucharist, His Sacramental presence, through the Scriptures, and even through the ordinary or extraordinary events such as a sunset or a rainbow.

We who participate at Mass every day obviously value the Holy Eucharist. Many feel that their day is not complete if they do not receive communion. Each day we are likewise privileged to be fed from the Table of the Word portions from the Eternal Word. The Eucharist is the Word under the appearances of bread and wine.

We might take this awesome gift for granted. Daily Mass was not always the custom. It was not the custom in the days of St. Monica. Masses were celebrated on the Lord’s Day, and on Saturday in honor of Mary; and on major feasts. On other weekdays only funeral Masses were celebrated.

Daily Mass was therefore not offered in every church and one had to move around to find "Mass for the Day". Well you know what that is like. Several parishes in Taunton have a day when there is no mass, and people travel elsewhere.

Remember that you have automobiles. Monica had to walk to get to Mass every day to plead incessantly for the conversion of her son whose soul was in mortal jeopardy.

Monica stood in awe at the intellectual brilliance of her son; but she also penetrated through the confidence and sophistication to the depths where he suffered spiritual isolation, yearning for eternal truth.