Knockin' on Heaven's Door

I was driving home late this evening, flipping stations, when I happened upon Axl (yes, that's how you spell it) Rose's cover of "Knockin' On Heaven's Door." There's something very soulful about the Axman at times, especially on this tune, so I stuck it out. Almost instantaneously, the words sent my mind to the Mass. In the past week I've read Matt Swaim's The Eucharist and the Rosary, and I've had the good fortune to spend some time talking with Matt as well - and what is fresh in my mind from those encounters is the insight that Mass is meant to "yank us out of ourselves" - our littleness, our self-preoccupation, and place us in Heaven. A church was just ahead on the right side of the road, so I raised my hand and made a knocking-motion - my own strange little profession of Faith. (I felt alright doing this, because at 10:30 p.m., on a relatively empty street, the chances that the knock would be mistaken for a gang sign were slim to none.) I was almost home and thinking, "Is there enough here to write a blog? Does anyone really want to hear about the hand gestures I make while driving? Do I have enough energy to write a blog?"; but I promptly came to my senses - "no," on all three counts... or so I thought. Because when I got to my room and gave my email the final check for the night, there was a message from a blog I follow, entitled "Knocking on Heaven's Door." I kid you not.

So there you go. If someone out there needs to be reminded that Jesus is present in that church, in that Tabernacle, here it is. If you've been complaining that your parish priest is a lousy speaker and that the choir director has a voice like Axl (again, yes - that's how he spells it!) Rose; drop it. Jesus of Nazareth, the Alpha and the Omega, the Crucified and Risen One, is telling you to get yourself there. If you need to go to Confession, then go; He loves you, what are you waiting for? Knock on Heaven's Door - it's always answered; He's always home...waiting for you and me.

P.S., Check out these words of wisdom from Denise Fath on the subject!