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GOT HOPE?

Got Hope

What does it mean TO HAVE HOPE?

The common everyday meaning of hope has to do with a DESIRE for some particular thing to happen for me or for others. For example: “I hope it snows all night so there’s no school!!” Or “I hope the Bills make the playoffs next year.” Or “I hope he calls me for dinner.” Or “I hope this medicine works.”

It’s sort of related to “wishing”. “I wish I could putt (sing, dance, pray. . .) better.” In other words it is my desire for improvement at something. Now to the degree that a certain result lies in my power to achieve, then, it would seem, if I applied myself, “I would have every hope of succeeding”.

But more often we use hope to express our best wishes for ourselves and loved ones, hopes that are by no means certain. I hope you: win the lottery, do well on your SAT’s, get the promotion, meet up with her at the party, find those car keys. And to that, hope a friend would respond, GOOD LUCK. Good luck because “chances are” it might not happen. The New York Lottery is fond of playing on this “hope” of a win. “Play the Lotto because. . . Hey, you never know”.

This is not what Christians mean by hope. Hear the words of the Universal Catechism: “Hope is the virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises – – – not on our strength.” (1817). Scripture says, “hold fast the confession of hope, for he who promised is faithful.” (Heb 10:23).

In fact Christian hope has nothing to do with wishing or chance. Through the merits of Christ’s Passion “this hope (of Eternal Life) does not disappoint.” (Rms 5:5). Hope is the “sure and steadfast anchor of the soul that enters where Jesus has already gone as a forerunner on our behalf.” (Heb 6:19-20).

In other words Christian hope IS A SURE THING. It’s for sure because it is based on a promise by God- – – God who can neither deceive nor be deceived. When Jesus (the Word made flesh) says: “I am the resurrection and the life.” “Whoever puts their faith in me will never suffer eternal death”, “I am going to prepare a place for you and then I will come back and take you with me.” HE MEANS IT. IT’S A SURE THING. He’s not kid- ding around. He’s the way, the TRUTH, and the life.

So hope is based on the Word of God (the promises made through Jesus Christ). It is of course preceded by faith. FAITH gives us the power to believe in the promises. HOPE now desires those promises as real and attainable. And these two give rise to CHARITY which, given the certainty of the promises, frees us from ourselves and our selfishness. We are then able to love God above all things and our neighbor as we love ourselves.

It is this peaceful, confident (based on God, not us) hope of a blessedness which we at Holy Trinity Parish desire to extend to all who are in need. How will we do that? By being people of hope.

Come join us in our mission!
Fr. Tim

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If You Were God

If you were God and you chose to be born a human being how would you have done it? Find a list of choices below and see how your preferences compare with God’s. (Remember, you are God, the whole world is yours.)

1. When would you come to earth? Probably around this time right? At least a time in history with electricity and light and indoor plumbing and TV of course! Wrong!! God came 2000 yrs. ago not long after the Bronze Age. People were just learning farming and writing.

2. Where would you be born? Let’s see . . . Paris? New York? Hawaii? Some exotic and beautiful place probably. Wrong!! God was born in a backward little town called Bethlehem next to the largest desert in the world.

3. Who would be your family? Your blood? Some famous stock of Roman or Greek or Egyptian nobility? Wrong!! Your blood is Jewish, a minor tribal grouping of people who were slaves for most of their history.

4. What would your financial situation be? I mean really . . . God is rich. Right? God, as man, would have the material world at his fingertips. What comfort would not be yours while on earth? Wrong!! He was born in a stable. His parents had to stretch to make the simplest of payments. The bible says he literally had no home.

5. Who would your friends and associates be? The educated, the executives, the cultured and high class, the religious for sure. Wrong!! He hung with the working class. Fishermen, carpenters. He ate with the outcasts: extortionists (tax collectors), prostitutes, lepers.

6. Who would you have close to you? Your wife? Your cabinet? Cleopatra? The Queen of Sheba? The Harvard Board of Directors? Wrong!! You never marry (“What’s wrong with that boy?”). Your Cabinet (The Apostles) prove to be traitors and cowards.

7. What would be your greatest achievement? To be universally acclaimed as King of all the world? To have every people and nation bow to your smallest command? Wrong!! Your greatest achievement will be your death—naked and nailed to a cross— and then your Resurrection.


I think you begin to see how differently God chose to live his life from the way you and I would. That’s because we don’t get it. We think the purpose of life is to enjoy, to be fulfilled, to be happy in the ways this world can deliver. And as lovely as they are, we must be careful. We can get blinded by the shiny, sparkly things and begin to think that having them is why I’m here on earth.

To correct this Jesus came to show us what God the Father had in mind when he made us humans. How we are to be a Light to the World, not a sponge. We are a seed that dies to itself so it can give life a hundred fold. We are a branch united to God’s Vine (Christ) that receives his very life into us. (Read Mt. 5:13 – – The Beatitudes for the new key to happiness.)

And here’s the point . . . if we miss this we miss everything . . . “apart from me you can do nothing.” Jn. 15:5 Like a branch separated from the vine, we wither over time. That’s because we’re living life apart from our source – God.

What wondrous love God is! The small, the humble, the gentle, reveal His infinite power. This power of love has overcome the world. Jn. 16:33

It’s still Easter!!
Fr. Tim

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Dear Friends,

Hi.

I’m sitting here wondering what I can talk to you about that might bring a bit of Holy Trinity to you in these days when we can’t be together.

New York State just announced Phase I (of 4) goes into effect this Friday. It allows necessary construction and manufacturing projects to restart. Looking down the staging it seems haircuts and church worship will begin in Phase 4. Each phase is separated by two weeks.

That would put our gathering for mass at Holy Trinity sometime at the end of June (perhaps the 28th). By my reckoning that means we’re half way with the social distancing – – 6 weeks down, 6 weeks to go. Other things will open before that, retail etc., but Sunday mass is still a ways away


So how are you holding up? Getting tired of same old same old? Need a haircut? We’re all in that boat.

Remember when your parents piled you all in the car and off you went to some distant destination . . . maybe grandma’s or some state park. “Are we there yet?” we’d asked over and over. “How long will it be?” (Dad would be the one to stop the whining. “Just sit back and count the cars. I’ll let you know when we’re close.”) We were in agony in the back seat.

Kinda like now, only this time we’re older and much more mature. Right?


Okay, so here’s what it’s like in the rectory for me and Fr. John. With no real appointment to keep until mass at nine each morning, our rising and starting the day varies. Generally speaking, I’d say we’re both up and getting ready for the day around 7 am (sometimes earlier).

I think Fr. John stays in his room for morning prayer and then heads to the kitchen. I can’t wait. I want a cup of coffee and the paper (and thank you to my friend, who faithfully leaves it right outside the rectory door.)

Eight o’clock finds us reading the paper and making comments on the news, “Hey Tim, it says here there’s five things we need to know about how the Bills will fill the outside linebacker position.” Or “John, did you know now’s the time to plant peas?” Fascinating stuff.

(Are you still reading this?!! Call someone for help.)

Then off we each go to continue the morning (shower, mass, morning prayer, more coffee then down to the office). Kasey Baker, Helen Sleeman and Pam Schultz are there at various times working away.

So time to read emails and respond. Write the bulletin message (you’re reading it now). Look out over the days ahead to be sure I don’t miss anything. Nothing going. By noon Fr. John is watching Governor Cuomo’s press conference. (Say what you want about his other shortcomings, this man knows how to handle a pandemic).

At some point you go over the readings for Sunday and begin to prepare a homily. “Lord, let this be YOUR word to the people, not mine.” (Fr. John and I take this part of our ministry very seriously.) Preparation, reading the scripture background and commentary, takes a good 3 to five hours during the week, along with prayer asking for the Holy Spirit.

Reading for pleasure has been a real gift in these days and each of us find an hour or two to follow our various interests. Fr. John is a voracious reader. He just finished all the Killing Kennedy, Jesus, Patton, Lincoln, etc.

I like to read stuff on anthropology (how humans developed) and biographies (Churchill recently).

Dinner happens around 5:30. We have so many parishioners to thank for bringing meals to the rectory. (I mentioned a few weeks back how we like spaghetti, and we do. But not three nights in a row. Cool it with the spaghetti please!)

After dinner, (still with me?) we catch the evening news in John’s room then it’s off to our own apartment. Reading, prayers, phone calls, music fill this time.

“Cocktails?” you ask. Why yes, I’d love one thank you. This starts at nine and goes to ten. Truly a cocktail HOUR. We watch more news (we’re junkies), some- times switching between MSNBC and Hannity on Fox. They’re on totally different planets. Someday we’ll end the name calling.

Ten o’clock, in our rooms, lights out soon after. “Good night Lord. Thank you.”

I presumed I’ve bored you to death, but now you know what it’s like for Fr. John and me in the rectory. Com- pared to us old guys maybe your life looks a bit brighter now!

Please know we both miss you, pray for you, and can’t wait till we’re all together again. Don’t be afraid.

Fr. Tim

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Momma Mia

This Sunday of course is Mother’s Day.

My mother, Rosemary, has been gone now for eight years (?). (I’ve lost track of the time.) She and my father brought three children into the world. Dad wanted more but mom said, “this is enough”.

I’ve mentioned in the past that mom was a bit different in her “mothering” style. She wasn’t known for her time spent in the kitchen (though when the pressure was on she did quite well). She wasn’t a hand holder or a big kisser, but she was quick to apply the band aid or administer the calamine lotion as needed.

What mother was wonderful at was conversation.
It was fun to talk with her. She’d ask the best questions to start you thinking and then she’d listen carefully to your thoughts. She could read people and know what they were trying to say.

Please don’t be shocked by this but I’m seeing now how, later on, I related to mom more like my “sister”. There’s not this “lean” toward her as “life giver” and “nourisher”. Rather she became a “fellow traveler”, an “observer of life”.

She had a fierce loyalty to her husband Phil. I re- member her tapping my hand as I grabbed for the biggest pork chop on the platter. “That one is for your father.”


And your mother?

Isn’t it wonderful that we all have one? And a father too. It unites us all . . . as children! You and I know what it is to know nothing; to be totally de- pendent on the safety and love and direction provided by our parents.

Women. You have this amazing thing in you. I write this as a man, in an age where it’s discouraged to make “general” statements about any group of per- sons. I don’t care. Women. You have this amazing thing in you. What tenderness, compassion, and undying hope exists in this world – – – comes mostly from two sources – – Jesus and women.

Women have civilized this world. Not only did you give us arms and legs and eyes to see . . . you saw to it that we grew strong; and you loved us into real persons. You worried and prayed about us in ways we’ll never know. You just have (it’s hard to find the words) a gravity to you that keeps us in proper or- bit. You are our home.

Yeah that’s it, you are “home”. And it’s quite a wonderful one (not perfect of course!) until we all meet up in Our Eternal Home.


One other thought about Mary, The Blessed Mother. May is the month we remember her is a special way. Remember Jesus on the cross just before he died? “When Jesus saw his mother and his disciple there (John) he said to his mother ‘woman, behold your son ’ To his disciple he said ‘behold your mother’”. John 19: 26, 27.

Jesus gave us a spiritual mother in Mary. She gave birth to us in the waters of baptism. We became a child of God, with the life of her firstborn, Jesus, poured into our souls.

Each of us is left to “find Mary” in our own way guided by God’s grace. For me I talk to Mary as I would with my mother on our screened in porch so many years ago. It’s a little different with Mary however . . . there’s no cigarette and martini.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Fr. Tim

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The First Time

Thought I’d go back for this one. Back to when we were children and life was always serving up moments that we’d never experienced before. We’ve become quite used to them by now; they hold no special power to ponder and wonder about. Not so when they happened for the first time.

Remember when:

  • You made your first successful ride on a bike? Wonderful!
  • You got sick to your stomach. Where was it? At school? In the car? In the bathroom? “What the heck is happening to me?!”
  • Mom told you it was only a “nightmare”? (What’s a nightmare mom?)
  • You fell and got the wind knocked out of you? Can’t breathe!
  • You bumped your nose and the pain and watery eyes blinded you?
  • You ripped your pants in the back and the whole 3rd grade class roared with laughter?
  • Your first roller coaster ride? (Most people loved it. It terrified me.)
  • You caught the fly ball, sank the basket, got a hit, scored a touchdown? There are many “first times”. Some are very personal and for your memory only. But we all have times that have thrilled us and those that have pained us greatly. (Looking at my list above it seems I mostly remember the pain!)

What did we learn or how did these things shape us in life? May I suggest a couple “life lessons” that these memories can bring?

  • Life is a mystery. The wonder or shock that certain times can bring remind us that we’re not in charge. Life is bigger than us and we must learn to “keep our feet” and “deal with it”.
  • Happy or sad, in the end, most things turn out okay. (I mean look at you . . . you’re here and still standing!)
  • These moments give us tools for dealing with life. Happy events let us know that life is good. Really good. We can hope. Sad or hurtful times can soften our hearts and give us a compassion for others who suffer. “I know how it is brother. I’m here if you need me.”
  • These moments can turn us toward God. Unfortunately, it’s mostly the hard times that bring us to our knees. The happy times . . . well, they’re . . . fun! Remember the 10 lepers Jesus healed? Nine went skipping off home – – – only one returned to give thanks.
  • No really, suffering life’s moments can bring amazing things. It can increase love Jesus told us this, “So now you are in anguish, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy away from you.” John 16:22 Think for a moment. Haven’t the most joyful moments been proceeded by suffering? Mom? After the birth labor? Dad? When you came home to us from Afghanistan?

So here we are with a First Time for all of us . . . Pandemic 2020. What will it bring to the world? How will it change us? “Do not waste this time.” Pope Francis urges us. He points to this moment as a time to renew our turning to God, our resolve to be better people, to realize we are all connected as brothers and sisters.

It’s time to grow. It can be a new day for all of us. But first we need to wear these silly masks.

Don’t be afraid.

Fr. Tim

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God Wants All of You.

God Wants All of You!

I’m thinking of a spiritual lesson I’ve had to learn over and over in my life. It’s the simple fact that God wants all of me.

What do we mean when we say “all of me” (all of you)? Think of our many parts . . . our mind and its reasoning, our memory, our desires, our freedom, our work, talents, relationships etc. All these are gifts from God to be used in a loving “dominion” over this world. But he wants us to do it in partnership with him.

The problem is I don’t want a senior partner, I want to be in charge. After all . . . these habits are mine. I’ve spent a lifetime developing my routine: bedtime, cocktail, personal time, a hobby, etc., all these are mine. I’ll do what I want with them. Again . . . it’s the “I’m the Boss” thing.


So God is patient. He lets us have our way. However it has profound effects in our relationship with Him. I don’t know about you, but every time I take free reign of my life, with no concern for God’s will . . . things get muddy. (Look at the frustration people are beginning to ex- press as we Shelter in Place. We forget the common good and start to see our private lives threatened . . . “What no haircuts?!!” . . . “I gotta wear a mask?!!”, “This is not Freedom!”)

It’s weird. I start out wanting a little “life for myself”. And guess what? I start to discover there’s a growing part of me that doesn’t want God interfering with my habits at all.

Look what’s happened to God. God becomes “the Law”, the cop in my rearview mirror. A kill joy, someone to fear or at least avoid. This, friends, is the effect of original sin in us. God is someone to flee.

Poor God. How we twist things about Him. How we make Him out to be some grumpy boss who loves to order people around. Our vision of life slowly changes. Happiness is something to be grasped by ourselves. God is someone to flee. Adam and Eve hid themselves.

So what went wrong? We did. We failed to give God everything. Call it what you want . . . mistrust, selfishness, pride, arrogance . . . it’s all the same. Quietly God calls to us but we’re not in the mood to listen. We’ve forgotten something very important.


We’ve forgotten that God loves us. We’ve forgotten, that in creating us out of nothing, He knows us better than we know ourselves. And it’s from the love that thought us up, we receive His will. And, get this, God’s will is our true happiness! I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve begged God for a particular outcome to a problem only to discover God’s eventual answer was even better, smarter, cleaner, kinder!

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, prayed this prayer (The Suscipe) for God to have all of him. Praying this is like closing your eyes and falling into the arms of God. See what you think.

O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess, Thou hast given me: I surrender it all to Thee to be disposed of according to Thy will. Give me only Thy love and Thy grace; with these I will be rich enough and will desire nothing more. Amen.

Still working on that “smile” thing. How about you?

Fr. Tim

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God. As He is.

God As He is

Some weeks ago in this space I mentioned a few “misconceptions” we have about God. The first, and probably most misleading, is the subtle way we manipulate God into being what we want him to be.

There’s a good reason why we have this tendency. After all scripture tells us we were “made in the image and likeness of God.” Genesis 2. The apostle John tells us “we are God’s children”. Jesus tells us to call God our “Father”. All these lead us to faith in God who is a “person”.

Yes, we are made in GOD’S image, we’re “like” God. The gifts of intellect, freedom, and will make us into “persons”. He created us “like” him because he wanted to have a relationship with his creation that was personal and capable of love.

Perhaps the most powerful affirmation of God being “like us” is in the very words of Jesus. When asked by Philip, “Lord, show us the Father.” Jesus said, “Philip, when you see me you see the Father. For the Father is in me and I in the Father.” John 14:8 No wonder we start thinking “God is like us”

But, here’s where we make our mistake. God is not made in OUR image. He’s God! But that’s what we so often do… we think of God acting as we would act. And when it doesn’t happen the way we want (when something seems “too late”, or “not enough”, or “my wishful prayers go unanswered”) . . . we start to think God just doesn’t care. God is silent.

This brings us to a very important fork in the road. We can submit to the fact that, as creatures, we are given the privilege of knowing and loving God OR we can declare ourselves The Boss and be our own reason for existence.

Back to Adam and Eve . . . what was their temptation? “You will become like God.” said the serpent. They wanted a God “their way”, not as He truly is.

So what’s the solution to this tension (my way or God’s way)? It’s Jesus Christ. In him, God’s way becomes understandable and fully human. “I am the way, the truth and the life”, Jesus tells us.

My way or Christ’s way? Many walk away at this point. There was a critical moment in Jesus’s ministry when this very thing happened. He had just told the crowds that he is “the bread come down from heaven . . . the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. . . . as a result of this many of his disciples would no longer accompany him.” John Ch. 6 (read it all).

Jesus turns to the apostles and asks, “Do you also want to leave?” What a moment! It’s either go back to fishing and forget this Jesus OR SUBMIT to this man as holding the key to human life. Peter, bless him, answers, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” In other words . . . Lord there’s no words of eternal life.” In other words . . . Lord there’s no one else. YOU are God’s visitation to us.

The stakes are pretty high. This is God’s way for me OR not. This is the one I will follow OR I’ll find my own way. This is the moment of Faith. It’s a moment of surrender to the mystery of God . . . as he is . . . not as I make him to be.

But remember, in the end, this is a surrender to love. Jesus is the love of God. God’s love took on human existence to be our brother, our shepherd, our door to eternal life.

Dear God give us the grace to surrender to you just as you are. Just as we see you revealed in your Son Jesus Christ.

Don’t be afraid.
Fr Tim

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He is Risen

He is Risen

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Has there ever been an Easter Sunday like this in your life? Remember your ashes on Ash Wednesday? Who would have thought this?

But today, amidst the chaos and worry, our faith tells us Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.

I’ve seen Him . . . no really, He’s there . . . in the men and women who put their lives at risk to save others . . . In the good people exhausting themselves to find solutions to the virus chaos. . . . in the hope we hold in our hearts, that by His death and Resurrection, Christ has secured an eternal home for the human race.

Dare we say it? Of course!

Happy Easter!!!
Fr. Tim

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Where’s God?

Well, it finally happened. I have a friend who is seriously ill with the Coronavirus.

Till now it has been a distant menace that I hoped my friends and family could avoid. The pandemic was a map on TV of “virus hot spots” and growing numbers. “Glad I’m not THERE”, I thought as I looked at the big red circle over New York City.

That was yesterday. Today it’s personal. Ted, I’m praying for you.


So dear friend . . . I’m sure you have your own story developing during these tense days. One of the questions many people are asking is “Where is God?”. And “Why would God let this happen?”.

In fact, it brings up a whole big question about the world and suffering and the “Goodness” of God. Or more simply put . . . “What are you doing God?”

Do you find your faith tested in this way? Perhaps it’s time for us to look a bit deeper into some misconceptions we’ve been living with for years.


Some misconceptions:

  1. God should behave the way I think he should. After all, I’m a good guy. I know right from wrong, good from bad. Why doesn’t God do what I would do – – take away the bad things in this world (like this virus)? He certainly has the power. Why won’t he use it now to take this away?
  2. God made us to be “happy”. Everybody wants that in their life. Well, guess what? . . . this is not making me happy. I feel cheated.
  3. Suffering is bad. There should be no suffering. Fix it God.
  4. It seems we’ve been left alone to figure this out all by ourselves. Why doesn’t God give us the antidote? Now!

I think we’ve all encouraged these thoughts about how God should act. Our prayers frequently tell him what he should do. (He NEVER listened to my insisting he let the Cleveland Indians win the World Series.)

So what does real Catholic Faith say about these questions and feelings?

Response to misconceptions 1-4 above:

1. This is a big mistake and sends us in a totally wrong direction. WE are not the measure of how things should go. We are “creatures” called into existence by God. Everything we have (our very existence) comes from Him. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways.” Isaiah 55:8,9. We exist because of his loving will. That will we pray “be done. On Earth, as it is in heaven.” Did God send the virus? No. But God’s “fix” for it is not necessarily what ours would be.

2. Yes, God made us to “know, love and serve Him in this life; and be happy with Him in the next.” Baltimore Catechism. But, this “happiness” (the bible uses “joy” or “glory”) comes in being united with God’s holy will. And what is His holy will? That we image Christ. That’s the happiness the world cannot take away.

3. Yes suffering is bad . . . by itself. Jesus spent his life healing and relieving suffering. But it changes when it is endured for reasons of love. Christ crucified is God’s highest example of this kind of love. “No greater love than this has one that they lay down their life . . .” John 15:13. Share my suffering says Jesus, and you will share my joy.

2. All alone? No we’re not! We have each other. That’s the second part of this creature we are. We belong to each other. God made us that way. That’s why we laugh and cry at the same things. That’s where the miracle of compassion comes from. (Ever choke up seeing a child lost and crying for their mother?) We cry together! We’re all together in this.

Lastly, God made us free. What a wonderful gift. We are free to love (or not), to give (or not), to give thanks (or not). God did not make us puppets. He offers us the joy of working freely with him to bring about His Kingdom.

I hope we can use this time of suffering to open ourselves to the mystery of God’s love for us and His plan for bringing light out of this darkness.

Don’t be afraid.
Fr. Tim

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Lent 2020. One of a Kind.

I look back at my calendar; two weeks ago I watched a little of the CYO basketball tournament in Murphy Hall, I spoke with 40 Confirmation Candidates, I went to dinner with some good friends, and was looking forward to March Madness on TV.

It seems like a year ago now. How about you?

So what to say? It would be silly to think that any one attempt could explain what this moment presents to us. We’re still a bit wobbly on our feet, trying to comprehend all that has happened (and what is yet to come). It’s way too early to say “What The Coronavirus Means To Me”. I mean this thing is still just rolling out.

That said, isn’t there something we can hold onto that can help us keep our feet? Something to steady the ship? How about “Best Practices During a Pandemic”?!

Try these:

  • Keep the hygiene and social gathering rules. They’re meant to protect everyone. My sisters are safer if you keep the rules. Thank you.
  • Make a little game out of being homebound. I don’t know . . . pretend you’re in a spaceship, or you’re on a long flight to a country you’ve never visited. What do we do? Sleep, think, wonder, smile.
  • Time management changes. Two weeks ago we didn’t have enough time to tie our shoes. Now it feels like we’re drowning in time.
  • Your daily schedule is necessarily changed. Embrace it. You have a new job now – – find a way to use your time well. Maybe make a list; what I want to do by noon. What needs to happen before dinner? Etc.
  • Avoid easy escape habits. You know, IPhone, TV, Netflix, internet, Snapchat. These are all legitimate uses of our time, but over the last few years they have come to rule much of our lives.
  • See in this crisis time an opportunity to create new habits. Do outrageous things like . . . read a book! Talk to your spouse (No, REALLY TALK to your spouse. And REALLY LISTEN to them. (Children too of course.)
  • Feed your soul. Let’s face it we let a lot of junk into our brains. Instead of “binging” on what? “Housewives of New York”? OR, “Greatest Golf Rounds Ever Played”? Why not LEARN something?
  • These days contain God’s will. What is God inviting you to do? Is there something pulling at your heart? A relationship that needs mending? A promise you made that you haven’t kept so well? Someone who’s not doing so well in these days? . . So what are you waiting for?
  • Maybe with all this new time on your hands you can give some to the Lord. How about taking Jesus seriously when he says “When you pray, go to your room and close the door. Your Father will see you in secret.”

Really. Go to your room and close the door! Tell God, “I’m here Lord”. Give him a couple things you’re feeling about life. Something like: “It’s been too long Lord. But, here I am. I want to be what you want me to be.” “Lord help me.” The Holy Spirit will, over time, show you the conversation God invites you into.

Okay. So let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There’s a lot more we’ll be learning in the weeks ahead. Please know that the Lord has promised to be with us through it all.

Spring began last Thursday. Yay!!
Fr. Tim

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