A few days off...

It is not a bad thing to take some time off. Unfortunately for me I never do it during the year. With all the children's classes and RCIA each week there is rarely any week which I am able to take a significant time away from the parish here during the Fall, Winter or Spring. I give Praise and Thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ for last week because I took off two days and they were glorious. Ultimately, I worked my usual 13 hours on Tuesday and a little bit on Friday and then took the rest of the week off.

Last week began with taking my son, 2 1/2 years old, to his first baseball game on Memorial day! What a immense joy to share that with him and his godfather.

At any rate, it was very refreshing to spend some time away. While I was gone, I even had a few more comments! Thank you Dave!

In response to those comments I I want to revisit the question regarding the "chapel veil." The question was: "What is the basis of [wearing the veil]?"

Well, in the Catholic Tradition it is not such that women are to wear the veil constantly at all times. I know that in the Russian Orthodox as well as other Orthodox traditions that is the case. However, it is not the case that women are required at all times to cover their heads, as in certain Muslim traditions. Rather, it has been primarily a liturgical requirement in the past, and arguably still today.

In fact, my beloved spouse and myself were chatting about this last night. She was coming to a conclusion about the differences between couples who practice NFP (Natural Family Planning) and those who utilize artificial means of contraception. She was pointing out that one of the main differences is openness to life in the NFP couple. Though both types of couples wish to postpone pregnancy, it is the NFP couple that will typically be very happy to be blessed with an unplanned child because of their openness to life. In this context, I think we see the wisdom and point of the chapel veil in the Tradition of Holy Mother Church. A woman is under the headship of the Most Holy Trinity first and foremost, but this headship is symbolized by her husband whom she entrusts herself to in love. In the same way, a man must entrust himself to the Most Holy Trinity as well, but it is upon the husband as head of the family to undertake to provide for his family. As the scripture says, "For this reason a man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife." Notice nowhere in scripture does it say a woman leaves her father and mother. This in part helps us see that the man is meant to be the head of his household.

But in what does this headship subsist? Domination, dictatorship, suppression? Certainly not! Rather, it is to be a headship of charity. Precisely as the man enters deeper into his relationship with the living God through a life of prayer should he serve his wife and children with all of his life, strength and body for the sake of Christ. This is precisely what St. Paul is getting at when he speaks about the wife being under the headship of the husband in Ephesians. A husband is to recognize this service of love and this precisely what the Chapel Veil calls us to do. Hence, the idea that this veil is a liturgical vestment for women. It reminds us men that we are entrusted with the care of our wives.

Moreover, women are challenged to remember that they have been entrusted by their true King, Christ our Lord, to their husband. There is a beauty and wisdom in symbolism which can not be argued with, I think. For the young girl and woman it is clear that this symbolism is to remind them that they are actively placing themselves at the service of Christ the Lord. This is the reason at this year's Parent's First Communion Meeting I suggested all should continue this tradition after First Communion with their daughters. For us men we must remember to remove our hats, as it is a sign of respect that we are entrusted or will be entrusted with the care of the Church, domestic or liturgically.

All of this points to the fact that we need to have more awareness of the holy things taking place in our lives and especially at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass - the source and summit of our faith. We can never have enough reminders of the otherworldliness of our lives and of our families, the chapel veil only helps to propagate this when understood.

It seems to me that this is precisely the wisdom of