Dear Friends,
Seems like Deja Vous with another weekend taste of winter! My skiing and snow mobile friends are finally happy! With Spring soon to “arrive”, it has been enjoyable to see tulip, crocus and daffodil leaves starting to poke through the soil! Little things that bring us great pleasure.
Our Fourth Week of Lent continues to invite us “BECOME… FOREVER CHANGED.” This week John invites us to reflect on the man born blind. He indeed became someone forever changed but not without some strife. His own parents were weak in acknowledging and supporting their son when questioned by their community because of fear. Nonetheless, the man who had his sight restored persevered in what he experienced and received from Jesus.
Again this week, our “Not Your Typical Church Ladies” offer us food for thought and some questions to contemplate. Anne, Karen and Vicky have shared this: “Jesus spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes (the blind man)…and he came back able to see.” Our awesome, threesome, Anne, Karen and Vicky ask us “Is there something you need to heal in you before you can move from darkness to light?” Hmm, as I look forward to the Easter Vigil where we will symbolically move from darkness to light, what must I heal so as to more fully appreciate the promises of Jesus and His resurrection? I have still time to address this and will. You?
Another sharing from our Trio is this: “One thing I do know is that I was blind and now see.” Their question to us is, “How might God be calling you to see in a new way?” Some things are constant in our lives and that can be good and comfortable for us. Yet, everyday we have a new day with new possibilities before us that the Lord hopes we “see” and desires to bring us to a deeper relationship with Him. It is the invitation to daily “BECOME…FOREVER CHANGED.” What will you and I allow Jesus to put on our “eyes” so that we might “see” more clearly the direction He would like us to go in to bring His love into our own world?
As I stated last week, we are near the half- way mark into our Lent. How has it been going for you? Are you in a growing relationship with Jesus? Are you looking forward to, as I am, our Holy Week where we will be invited to engage in His Passover, Passion, and Resurrection?
I hope you will attend the various services we are offering between Saint Catherine of Siena and the Church of the Transfiguration this upcoming Holy Week. Please check the bulletin and the two parish websites for times and where the services will take place.
This Sunday, I will be leaving to preside at my friend, Armand LaSelva’s funeral. Father Jeff Chichester, from Saint John of Rochester, has graciously offered his assistance at the masses. Please give him a warm welcome. He is a fine person and disciple. You will enjoy meeting him if you haven’t already.
My friends, I continue to pray that you are feeling the fruits of this Lent and are being drawn closer to the joys of why you seek to be in relationship with Jesus Christ!
Blessings to all,
Father Rob