How I Almost Met Martin Sheen

The cowards over at NBC have cancelled "The West Wing". Once they moved the show to Sunday night you pretty much saw it coming. It's too bad, though. Last night's episode, about a nuclear power plant accident, was excellent. The writing was great, the back-and-forth between the two campaigns about how to handle it was fun. Plus, I love Jimmy Smits so much and I was really hoping to see at least one year of a Santos presidency.

But alas, all good things come to an end. I am in mourning but this too shall pass.

Did I ever tell you about the time I almost met Martin Sheen? It was a Sunday, about 13 years ago. As Mass was starting there was this terrific buzz in the Cathedral but I was sitting in the front and couldn't figure out what was going on. Then came time for the Liturgy of the Word and the reader, who was vested and sitting in the proper place, continued to sit. There was a little movement behind me and this guy goes up to the ambo, puts on a pair of reading glasses and starts to read the Scripture. It was Martin Sheen. He did both the Old and New Testament readings but when he wasn't reading he was sitting behind me. Right behind me.

This was 'way pre-West Wing but I loved the guy and of course, had a lot of respect for him as an activist. Martin Sheen. And he was sitting right behind me.

I could barely focus on the homily because all I could think about was that at the Sign of Peace I'd be shaking his hand. Which would make me one degree of separation from everyone he's ever worked with. I'm was starting to get nervous and hoping that I would remember to say "The peace of Christ" instead of "Loved you in 'Apocolypse Now'" when it hit me. I wouldn't be greeting Martin Sheen because I was the dismissal leader. I'd be leaving Mass right after the homily, going out with all the people preparing to come into the chuch, to lead them in a reflection on the Scriptures.

Now I'm nervous for a completely different reason. Part of the liturgy included me going forward to receive the lectionary from the reader. But Martin Sheen was the reader. He was sitting behind me (had I mentioned that?). Did he know to go get the book? And if he did then at least I'd sorta meet him which would be great but more to the point, what if he didn't know? How was I going to get the book? Should I just go up to the ambo and grab it? Would someone on the altar platform know to bring it to me? Was I going to look like an idiot in front of a thousand people, one of whom was Martin Sheen?

Long before Martin Sheen showed up at Mass and was invited to read there was a designated reader who knew the post-homily drill. As soon as Father started the dismissal blessing she got the lectionary and so I went forward to receive it and calmly led out my little group of catechumens. Of course, they spent most of the time talking about how exciting it was that Martin Sheen had been in our church. And that's how I almost met Martin Sheen, who would someday become president.