I am a Confession junky. I don’t go crying to a priest over every little thing I do wrong, however, more often than not the real need arises to take advantage of this God-given sacrament. Such a need surfaced recently and there I found myself laying all of my sins out on the table for Fr. Friendly. He always seems to know how to pull out the real faults in my actions and aids me in making a true confession.

At last the time came for Father to give me absolution, and I was prepared for a few decades of the rosary to be in my very near future, which is usually the case. However, on this particular day Fr. Friendly asked me to further reflect on what was discussed in my confession. Fr. asked me to set time aside that evening to contemplate my many God-given gifts and blessings and truly give thanks to our Lord for all of them. Simple enough, right? Except for the fact that I had promised my lovely wife I would help her decorate the massive amount of cake pops she had baked and was preparing to deliver to her students and fellow co-workers the very next day. My evening was already planned. I was going to be up late sticking candy eyeballs onto cake lions. Would I really have the quality time to reflect on my blessings while trying not to ruin the miniature confectionery masterpieces my amazing wife had spent the last two evening perfecting?

It was no mere accident that many of the Gospel passages we know so well involve food in one form or another. From the multiplication of the loaves and fish to the beautiful Eucharist itself, we are a people who find peace and understanding with one another and with our God by way of the meals we share.

So, it should come as no surprise that I would find very little difficulty of completing my penance by way of cake pop decorating. After all, the majority of my gifts and blessings are under the roof of my home. So, there I was gluing the chocolate chip mane onto the head of a lion that was closer to being eaten then being completely decorated. There I was thanking God out loud in front of my wife for my wife. Thanking my God for our children and our health. Giving thanks for my home and my job which, of course, are also both God given. It felt very good to pray this way, and I’m sure my wife felt good in hearing me proclaim out loud that she is a blessing to me.

Blessings,

Michael

Michael Salinas, M.A., has been Catholic Blogger for the past two years. He is a resident of the Central Valley, and holds a Master’s degree in Pastoral Ministries from Holy Names University in Oakland. He and his beautiful wife, Cyndi, have been married for almost ten years and have to handsome boys under the age of six. Michael and Cyndi have been involved with the Catholic Engaged Encounter ministry for the past eight years, presenting marriage preparation weekends to couples wanting to marry in the Catholic Church. Michael and his gorgeous wife both work in the field of education.

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