In a few short weeks we will begin the Lenten Season. Today’s bulletin and our website (
www.sapwh.org) contain the Ash Wednesday (February 26
th) schedule. Not too early to begin planning your Lenten journey! God’s only wish for us is our joy. (John 17:13). What are the obstacles to joy in your life? Joy is not simply a matter of getting what we want, ease, comfort, or a pain free life, as wonderful as these things can be. Joy goes so much deeper. So deep in fact, that it exists even when pleasure and comfort are missing. Joy is most definitely connected to love. Saint Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians that
"…if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2). Before we can ever love anyone else including ourselves we must first accept God’s love for ourselves. Perhaps this Lent we can each ask ourselves the question, “Do I struggle with believing or accepting that I could ever be loved unconditionally?” St. Paul was not only knocked off his horse (literally) when He discovered Jesus Christ…he was also knocked over that Jesus
still loved him even after all of the evil things Paul had done. Jesus had forgiven him. Once he accepted God’s love for the sinner that he was, he was unstoppable as God’s missionary of love and mercy. I will post some resources and links on the website hopefully sometime this week to aid you on your Lenten journey. Perhaps participating in our Discovering Christ Program (beginning on Thursday February 20
th) will be a way to deepen your relationship with our Lord and discover just how much YOU are loved by him a well. Our Walking with Purpose Program, a Bible study for women, is another wonderful opportunity every Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm in our lower church/parish hall.
Also in the news: Fr. George will be staying with us here at Saint Anthony's through May and perhaps even June! He was originally scheduled to return to Zambia in January/February but thankfully was able to extend his time. For me, as I am sure for all of you, this extra time is a most welcome bonus. In a very short time after my arrival at St. Anthony's I quickly became aware of the extraordinary gift we have in Fr. George. We planned to have a parish party in his honor before he returned home in February. Now that we have more time, we would like to schedule this event for later in the Spring closer to the time of his departure. If you would like to help plan and organize our parish party in gratitude for Fr. George and the gift of his priesthood, please call our parish office or respond through the website to leave your name and number. Let us keep him in prayer as he continues to serve our Lord and the people of God wherever God sends him.
Lastly, I hope you find the following as impactful as I did. It is entitled: "Who Am I" (author unknown). I am sure you would agree that gossip is one of the most devious and destructive of obstacles to the joy God wants us to have and the love He wants us to spread. A consideration for Lent?
My name is Gossip. I have no respect for justice. I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age. The more I am quoted the more I am believed. My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face. To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become. I am nobody’s friend. Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same. I topple governments and wreck marriages. I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartaches and indigestion. I make innocent people cry in their pillows. Even my name hisses. I am called Gossip. I make headlines and headaches. Before you repeat a story, ask yourself: Is it true? Is it harmless? Is it necessary? If it isn’t, don’t repeat it.