Targeted Homilies

There are lots of times when I'm at Mass where I feel like the homily is so specific that it seems as if it's practically targeted at me.  Most of the time it doesn't bother me because the topic is still broad enough that it's not like it has completely zeroed in and locked on me as it's specific target.  And let's be real, no one is writing a homily with me in mind, at least I hope they're not.  I suspect those homilies that seem to really hit home are just the Holy Spirit at work trying to make sure I get the point.  That wouldn't surprise me given how stubborn I can be.

So the point of this is simply that I've noticed this less than awesome trend where I go to confession, which is pretty much every other week for the most part, and a few days or even a week later a homily comes along that is so close to what I was told by the priest in the confessional that I'm left wondering if perhaps Father thought I wasn't really listening to what he said the first time around. (99% of the time I really am listening and spend days afterward reflecting on it.  Putting it into practice, however, is another story.)  But mostly, I find my thoughts drifting towards wondering if the look on my face matches the internal cringing feeling that washes over me.  Even more uncanny is how well the readings for Mass also seem to fall into place with reiterating whatever it was that I was told in the confessional.  Is this all just mere happenstance, or is there something more going on?

Whether it's deliberate or pure coincidence I will say that I certainly drives home the point.    Who knows maybe I'm such a frustrating work in progress that I'm not the only one who thinks I make the most painfully slow spiritual progress.

What I found interesting at Mass this morning was how the homily appeared to be expounding on a couple of points that were mentioned to me on Saturday.  In particular, how using Mass almost as an escape to a bit of peace in my otherwise frenetic day isn't the right way of approaching it, even if it is essentially what keeps me focused and centered on my end goal.  So if nothing else, more clarity was given, which is probably a good thing.