Cultivating Hope

Our parish began celebrating Mass publicly again on Ash Wednesday. Our roadmap for the months ahead is rolling out. You will see information regarding First Communion and Confirmaation. The other sacraments will also have relevant info soon.

We may feel pretty tentative. There is much we don't know, but signs are appearing that the infectiousness of the virus is being tackled. The Lord Jesus says to us, "I have come to bring life and bring it to the full." This Lent and the coming celebration of Easter while difficult also present opportunities. The Lenten discipline for many of us may be simply to remain charitable in the face of our own feelings of uncertainty. When Our Lord told St. Peter that he was a "rock" I believe He was saying to us that our life together as the People of God in the Church is a solid foundation. As we place our trust in the Lord Jesus, we can also feel at home as members of Christ's body, whatever the circumstances.

When individuals and families face hardship they often do so while most of the society marches forward. This can add to one's sense of alienation and make recovery more difficult. The fact that we are walking together through these challenging times places us in solidarity with people whose sufferings have been invisible to us. It is a literal kind of sharing in the Cross of Christ. O Lord, You are the healer of souls. Help us to bear the present circumstances with patience and even with grace so that we may strengthen one another and join our sufferings to Your healing power.

As the coming months go by we will have the opportunity to work together to ensure that the Good News is more deeply shared. Please pray that our parish, our diocese and the Church-at-large uses the graces of this time to fertilize growth of the faith when we are freer to be with one another again.