Where you go, I will follow

The first reading in Mass last night was about God's covenant with Abram. I read it to the congregation at Mass, having prepared it in the normal fashion.

Later during Mass, we sang something called "Covenant Hymn," copyrighted in 1993. Very pretty melody and lyrics, although I began to wonder as I sang the identity of the "you" and "I" in the song, thinking initially it was Christ and me. And as I struggled with this, I began to substitute people whom I love for the "you," or maybe even the "I" - my wife Jan at one point, my grandson Noah at another. Very affecting.

And though you should fall, you will find me
When no other friend can you claim
When foes beat you down or betray you
And others desert you in shame
When home and dreams aren't enough,
And you run away from my love,
I'll raise you from where you have fallen, 
Faithful to you is my name.

As I write this, I'm tearing up, ridiculous for a man my age. And as I sang in church last night, I had to stop reading selected passages because they spoke so loudly to me. Jan knows the drill: I mouth the words, but I'm not able to sing them. Eventually, I regain composure, and begin singing again.

Skeptical? Here's more:

Wherever you die, I will be there
To sing you to sleep with a psalm,
To soothe you with tales of our journey,
Your fears and your doubts I will calm.
We'll live when journeys are done
Forever in memory as one.
And we will be buried together,
And waken to greet a new dawn.

And there is hope, in a bright new world absent suffering:

Wherever you go, I will follow,
Behold! The horizon shines clear.
The possible gleams like a city:
Together we've nothing to fear.
So speak with words bold and true
The message my heart speaks to you.
You won't be alone, I have promised,
Wherever you go, I am here.

The magic of Notre Dame

The first day for high school players to commit to colleges and universities is over. And it appears that the Irish did very well.

As a college football fan, you can get geeked about the potential impact of new prospects, envisioning ND gridiron glory with the next Rocket Ismail or Joe Montana.

Over the years of following ND football, I became jaundiced about the ability of successful recruiting to predict successful game day performance. And I think it's because, for some years before Brian Kelly became the coach, players perhaps with oodles of potential weren't realizing their potential - weren't being developed by their college coaches.

It appears that's over, and that four and five-star prospects will help ND improve and ascend again to the highest tier of college football.

Last night, a five-star prospect named Eddie Vanderdoes, a defensive tackle from California, signed with ND. He waited until 8 PM EST, an unusual thing, and he selected ND.

I suppose players select teams for countless reasons - some good, some maybe not so good. But a quote from Vanderdoes published in Irish Illustrated last night resonated with me, having visited the ND campus several times in the last 25 years.

The post went: "Call the Mayor: Eddie Vanderdoes picks Notre Dame. He is profoundly relieved and ecstatic and says 'I love South Bend!'" (Bolding, italics mine).

Amen to that, brother. And as the ushers say in the football stadium as you make your way to your seat, filled with anticipation: "Welcome to Notre Dame!"