Today I was out of the house almost all day, either involved with volunteer work, chatting with neighbors, or running errands. When I returned home in the evening, I found an interesting note in my email inbox with the pleading subject line of HELP!

It was a note from oft-mentioned Father Steve, asking me to lead the Monday Bible study class, as he is scheduled to preside over a funeral at that time.

I read the note. And re-read it. I then checked my eyes to make sure that they weren't bloodshot, and that I wasn't high!

Before I could establish a reply, I called my mom, who was equally stunned and amused.

If you knew me - especially in the fairly recent past, this request would seem beyond ridiculous. But then if you delve further back, as my mom reminded me,  you'd learn that in my day, I won awards for "Knowledge of Religion" in my all-girls Catholic school. Best of all, one summer I garnered 1st prize for scripture knowledge at a PROTESTANT Summer Bible Camp my mom sent me to in the neighborhood when our local parish had zippo set up for kid activities. I got straight A's in Religion/Theology classes (as well as Latin class) from 1st grade through high school.

So my knowledge is basic, but still intact, lying dormant in the recesses of my brain. Granted, all I have to do is FACILITATE discussion. And there is a handy "faith sharing questions" guide, and the good Padre is loaning me his "answer guide" so I don't have to KNOW anything, per se. Rather, I will operate as a scriptural studies project manager, calling on people to read passages and then ask, "Did anyone find anything they'd like to share about what we just read?"

This particular class is all about Acts of the Apostles. On Monday, if for some reason a vision appears of Sts. Peter and Paul angrily shaking their fists at us earthlings, you'll know why.