Of old age and sharp tongues

Age is not only catching up - it's hanging here tenaciously!!!!!!! Yesterday at 9.15am Sr Capilla (superior of the Missionaries of Charity) called and said desparately (as only sisters can), "Where are you Father? We're all waiting for you!". So I forgot to go to their convent yesterday!!!! Aiya!!! Rushed over and gave them a short talk on loving your neighbour!!!!!

Then this morning after breakfast, I asked Jean Paul to cut my hair. When finished, I vacuumed my whole room, took a shower and .... panic .... I couldn't find my spectacles (the bifocal one). Cold sweat, wet palms, I felt my asthma coming. I'm practically blind without my bifocals: I will have to carry two different specs all the time; horrid prospect! 45 minutes going through my whole room. No....I checked if I left it on top of my head first! (I know you guys are thinking about that!). Couldn't find it so I wanted to rest on my bed to calm myself. Put my hands on the bed and voila! felt something under the bedcover! It was my specs!!!!! Aiya what to do? It's time to go to the Old Folks' Home. Make way!!!!!!!!!

Big news - 15 Indian pilgrims are missing! Police came over to our place and questioned if we saw them and whether anyone came to take them away. Well apparently these gyus came over to work but couldn't get a visa, so they came as pilgrims and halfway through the tour, they were spirited off by, according to some sources, the local mafia. Terribly sad! Here are 15 guys who desperately want to work, they go through all kinds of stuff just to get here; while some of us are so lucky to have a stable job and good pay, and still we complain.

Which reminds me .... today's Gospel reading has the scribes and Pharisees accusing Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebub because he was exorcising demons. Believe me, guys, no matter how much good you're doing, if people want to find fault with you, they'll come up with all kinds of stuff imaginable and unimaginable to get you. They will always have something to say; something to complain. And worse, sometimes we do it to our ownselves! I think we should practice what Pope Benedict recommended for this Lent - fasting and abstinence from words. Just shut up! If you have nothing good to say, don't open your mouth - no one will accuse you of being a mute. So guys, control your tongue this Lent - it's the same tongue you use to receive Holy Communion!