Dear friends,
It is now the Second Sunday of Lent, and we have really gotten into this holy season committed to draw closer to God. But some may be struggling. We might have trepidation or fear or anxiety or dread, even apathy, or some other visceral response to this season of Lent. Others of us might find this season as God-sent to renew and refresh our faith journey and might even be filled with anticipation about what God is about to do in our lives or has already begun to do.
Have you ever been interrupted in your life journey? Like, big time? We have several saints whose lives have been interrupted by God. Are you prepared for such holy interruptions?
This weekend we hear from the Book of Genesis (12: 1-4) about God’s promise to Abram: “The LORD said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. . . . Abram went as the Lord directed him.” Abram had no idea what all this God talk meant at that time. But he trusted God and his words and set out to follow his God to the land He was to lead him to. He was filled with anticipation about what God would do to his life. Would we respond the same way? Or would we find it arduous and even be tempted to give up?
St. Paul in his 2nd Letter to Timothy (1: 8) says this to the faint of heart: “Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.” Those who persevere will experience God transforming them, preparing them for a share in the glory of his Resurrection. We get a glimpse of what God offers us in the scene of the Transformation as presented in the Gospel of Matthew (17: 1-9).
“Do not be afraid,” Jesus tells us all the time. He tells us to rise and continue our journey, encouraging us with these words: “I am with you.” Let us therefore not give up but, like Abram, trust God who will aid us in our resolve to walk with him.
I congratulate Ken and Susan Maders, who received the Family of the Month Award for the month of February. We thank them for their love and dedication and for all that they do for our parish community.
I extend my thanks to Christina Tecson for organizing the Cancer Support Panel Discussion on Tuesday. It clearly was very useful, and I am sure those who attended benefited from it. We continue to pray for those who suffer from this frightening and dreadful disease and pray for their caregivers too.
Fr. Tim Daly will be with us this weekend and will present the Lenten Mission from Monday, March 6, through Wednesday, March 8, beginning at 7 p.m. each night. I invite you to take advantage of this significant opportunity to enrich our Lenten Journey. I offer my heartfelt welcome to Fr. Tim.
Please see the bulletin for all the details about the parish’s events for this Lent. Every Tuesday we have something to help us enter more deeply into the season. All the Fridays of Lent are filled with time for prayer.
Have a JOYFUL LENT!
With love,
Fr. John