Summer starts this Tuesday. At least that’s what the calendar says; I’ve been in summer mode for a couple weeks. How about you?

I thought it might interest you what summer at Holy Trinity will look like. What things need fixing, changing, finishing, etc. On a personal note, to let you know what tentative plans I have for the next couple months.

• The church. We all can see the new interior design that was accomplished this past Lent. Parishioner’s reaction has been mostly positive to the new schema. It’s not perfect (what is?!) but most are finding that it embraces you more each week.
  
  Still to be done this summer will be a new carpet for the sanctuary, finish wood staining the side altars and sanctuary chairs and some possible accent lighting for the church walls. It’s going to be beautiful.
• The Staff. Two members of the staff have recently stepped back from their ministries at HT. Judy Cass, our Confirmation Coordinator, and Pat Bell, out Catechetical Assistant, have completed several years of faithful service. Thank you, Pat and Judy! (We are currently interviewing candidates for a Coordinator of Confirmation and Youth Ministry.)
• Personal time. (I hope you get some yourself.) I plan on traveling to Ohio once or twice this summer to see the sisses. And yes . . . there will be some golf as well. Looking out a bit further I want to make my priest retreat this year. It’s been two years since I’ve been to the monastery I’ve visited for over 30 years. Covid has kept the monks wary of allowing visitors but this year I’m free to stay with them again. Sometime in the fall I’m thinking.
• Books. Fr. John sets a good example here (he’s a voracious reader). Thanks to him I’ve rediscovered the pleasure of reading. I hope to get to several books this summer. Fr. John likes mysteries. I like biographies and social commentary. Do you read? It’s better than TV!

So what are your plans? Travel? Reunions? Sports? Special family time? Whatever you do, I hope that, over all, you see this precious time as a gift. A time to experience the beauty of the world of nature, to use the fine weather as a time to connect with friends, family and neighbors.

Perhaps in those summer conversations you might even drop the name “Holy Trinity” and the fact that it’s a place where you find your spirit renewed. You might even ask them to join you some Sunday. I bet they’ve never been asked that before. Tell’ em they don’t even have to have envelopes!

Bless your Summer days.

Fr. Tim

(This past week was to be my 50th College reunion. Actually it’s been 51 years . . Covid happened. Anyway, I couldn’t go. So, this being the season for school reunions, I thought I’d share my 50th high school reunion once again.)

Archbishop Hoban High School was an all-boys Catholic high school (since become co-ed) taught by the Brothers of the Holy Cross (think Aquinas only a bit smaller). We had 252 graduating seniors. There were about 80 classmates at the reunion with their wives.

I wondered if there would be some big “life lesson” awaiting me that weekend . . . some dramatic news about a former rival, some hugely successful person, a headline story of fortune gained or lost. Nothing like that happened. It was all very simple and real    this was our dinner that night.

** We had gotten older. Some fellows (good friends 50 years ago) I didn’t recognize, others brought immediate memories . . . Wayne Hopp, a little cheery guy, would turn back to me each morning in homeroom to share some class news.

** We all got t-shirts with our class motto (“Who Cares?!”) printed on the sleeve. We were at the beginning of the turbulent ‘60’s and ‘70’s. We thought ourselves oh so clever back then. Many of us had dabbled in Hippiedom and its various excesses. Since then I’d say most of us had in fact learned “to care”. The wives and the children were instrumental in our transformation.

** Someone who cared from the beginning was Mike Kempel. He was a Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class in Viet Nam. He was killed as he carried three fallen soldiers to safe cover and was awarded the Silver Star. Mike and I had made our First Communion together at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. He was a quiet, kindly fellow who never called attention to himself . . . until he died saving his brothers.

** Another classmate, Steven Bligh, had just lost his wife of 45 years. Their 3 children were raised and living far away. Steve was somewhat lost as he wandered the party by himself. Finally, some of our “Who Cares?” classmates grabbed him and sat him down with a beer and some conversation.

** As I said, it used to be a blue collar allboys school. So we weren’t the smoothest guys when it came to girls. Those with their own cars (a very few of us) were fast starters on the dating scene back then. But eventually the boys got their courage up and found their partners in life. The wives seemed genuinely happy to be a part of the evening.

As we filtered out there were no promises to “meet up again”, just handshakes, smiles, and “great to see you’s”.

I’m blessed to have 4 or 5 friends from high school that I still see when I travel back “home”. But I’ll never see most of those people again. That, in itself, is a thought worthy to reflect on.

Terry’s killer smile. John T’s gift of getting us together. Wayne’s excitement over the Cleveland Indians, Steve’s sadness without his wife, Dave’s quiet helping hand, Roland loud with too much beer . . . guys, it’s been quite a ride. I’m privileged to have known you.

Dear God. You made each one of us as a unique expression of your glory. You put us on the earth to share your joy in the beautiful world you created. You call us to be like you in the way you love. You gave us your Son to be one of us and show us the way. Jesus told us we are your children and you are our Father. And we will be with you in the great mystery called heaven.

Thank you so much!!

Fr. Tim

Have you begun to notice how “time” has different speeds? We see “slow time” when we consider the Grand Canyon and the millions of years nature took to carve it. Still growing, the Giant Sequoias are now approaching 2500 yrs. old. Haley’s Comet will cruise by our planet in another 500 years or so. California is moving toward Australia by about 4 inches a year. Nature doesn’t seem to be in a hurry.

“Fast time” is something we humans invented. An hour is still 60 minutes, of course, but fast time changes our experience of those minutes. Aren’t you amazed when dinner with friends is suddenly over? The longawaited vacation has come and gone? You turn 20 or 40 or 60 or 75! “What?! I can’t be that old. Where did the time go?”

“Fast time” has invaded our culture. We have certain expectations that things happen quickly. Waiting is an evil to be avoided. Instant coffee, credit card checkout, microwave dinners, online shopping, create an intolerance for anything that “takes time”.

Technology has been a blessing, of course. It frees us to enjoy our time in ways other than waiting. But it can also keep us from experiencing the part of life that has its own time; things our wishes can’t make any quicker.

Things like:

• Physical maturity.
• Mastering a difficult skill. (It takes 10,000 hours, experts say.)
• Selflessness and generosity. (Marriage and children bring that lesson!)
• Wisdom. (I wish I knew back then what I know now.)
• Character. Virtues like courage, purity, perseverance, need to mature. They need to be “time tested”.

So too, our spiritual life needs time to mature. St. Paul, in a wonderful insight tells us, “When I was a child I thought as a child, acted as a child. When I became an adult, I put away childish things.” 1 Corinthians 13:11

Some of us take longer than others “to put away childish things”. You see this in your own children. Some progress, some “get it” sooner than others.

God knows this too. Think of the patience the Lord has exercised with us. It took the Jews 4,000 years to learn there is but one God and we are his people. It took forty years (two generations) of wandering in the desert to drive home this lesson   and we’re still learning.

In two thousand years of Christianity, many wonderful things have happened to God’s People. The Gospel is practiced in every country in the world. Institutions of charity abound. Democracy grows in many places. Yet still there is racism, hunger, war, ignorance.

Why doesn’t God, (who created time by the way), just put us into some spiritual microwave and set the timer for “well done”? Why can’t the saving message of Jesus Christ overwhelm the minds and hearts of humanity and bring about the completion of the Kingdom of God?

That’s not what love does. God, as is revealed in Jesus, has created us to be in a relationship of love and trust. Essential to this relationship is that we humans be FREE to accept or ignore God’s offer. And as we can see . . . this takes time.

How long? The early Christians asked this same question. Scripture responds: “With the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise. Rather he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:11.

A final thought. The Lord is patient. He can wait for you (or your child or the nation or the world). He’s got all the time in the world. His invitation to join with Christ will never cease, no matter how old we are. Things take time.

Bless you.

Fr. Tim

I remember a long time ago, part of my seminary preparation sent me to a summer chaplain school in a large county hospital in Dallas, Texas. There were 13 in our chaplain class, twelve Southern Baptists/Assembly of God and one Catholic (me).

We would meet daily for intensive meetings about the patients we were working with and then we’d break for lunch. It was during our lunches that we’d learn more about each other and what our personal faith traditions taught. You can imagine the attention the Catholic guy got!

Comments like:, “You Catholics like statues!” Or, “You worship Mary.” Or, “the Pope is as important as Jesus.” Or, “Just go to mass and you go straight to heaven, right?” But the one question that we spent most of our time on was, “Do Catholics accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior?” “Did you accept him, Tim?”

It really made me step out of my Catholic world to see what these Baptist classmates knew in their bones as little children . . . “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” A real, living, present person . . . my friend Jesus. “Yes”, I said, but they made me dig deep inside to realize this friendship.

Many Catholics are a little slow to answer “have I accepted Jesus into my life”? “Do you mean, do I love God? Of course I do. I go to mass. I say my prayers. I try to live right. Does that mean I have a personal relationship with Jesus?”

I would say “yes”. You’ve got the basics covered there .. loving and serving a God we cannot see. However, I think the question goes a bit further than that, asking in a sense, is this relationship with Christ PERSONAL? Does it bear the signs of a friendship? Is there a familiarity with Jesus that one would have with a friend?

Are there times when there is an emotional level to your speaking with God? (For example: “Lord, you know I can’t do this. (I can’t forgive, I’m tired of trying, I don’t want to turn away from some habit. I’m sick and tired of . . .!!!” That’s a personal relationship.)

What if I don’t recognize these feelings in my relationship with Christ? Have I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior? Don’t be too hard on yourself. Remember, you HAVE a relationship with Christ. It’s GIVEN to you in baptism. You are a child of God and you are invited to call God your Father. It’s a gift. Accept it.

The other personal feeling stuff comes naturally to anyone who loves God and tries to do what is good. If my chaplain friends had asked me, “do you always FEEL Christ’s friendship?” I would have to answer “no”. Feelings come and go. There are times when we are filled with affections toward those we love. At other times things feel dry and everyday. There is nothing wrong with that. It’s just how life is.

But there is one infallible way to determine whether we have a personal relationship with Jesus     how do we treat our neighbor in need? Why is this the measure (and not some spiritual feeling)? Because Jesus said so.

“As often as you (fed, clothed, visited, comforted) these little ones, you did it for me.” Matthew 25:31ff.

And,

“Whoever has not loved a brother/sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20.

In other words, Christ takes it PERSONALLY when we care for our neighbor. Kindness to them is kindness TO ME says the Lord.

Loving our neighbor is essential to having a personal relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior.

God bless you and meet you in these spring days.

Fr. Tim

Sometimes it seems religion and science describe two different worlds. (One is observable . . . science, the other is in our imagination . . . religion). Science roots us in our daily lives. Religion, on the other hand, is about a reality called “spirit” that can’t be observed with scientific tools.

Here’s where things can go wrong. The two need to respect the other’s competence. Religion must accept scientific fact as part of God’s wisdom. Science must allow for truth to exist that can’t be physically verified.

In the past, religion has closed its eyes to scientific fact. “What do you mean the earth is round?! And you say ‘the earth travels around the sun?!’ Blasphemy!”

Science, since the Enlightenment (1600’s), has placed “reason”, aided by the scientific method, as the only way of coming to know what is true. You say, “God said let there be light? And that’s how it all started? Prove it.” You say, “Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead? Prove it.”

Some think when we talk about religion we have to put our knowledge of this world on the shelf (eg. our knowledge of astronomy.) Faith tells us Jesus “came down from heaven”, “he suffered death and was buried, and rose again”, then he “ascended into heaven”, and “is seated at the right hand of the Father.”

Science can read these words as indicating a heaven situated a few miles above us, from which he “came down” and then “ascended” back to “sit at the right hand of God the Father.” It’s like a palace in the air with two chairs set side by side. Nice thought, says science, but there is no evidence this is true.

I’m not trying to be a smart aleck here. This is what the words of the bible can cause us to imagine about God and Jesus and heaven. And these imaginings can seem childish next to the hard and sometimes scary facts about the limitless cosmos.

What can we say to help here? I think the first thing to remember is the difference between believing and imagining. “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” This is a statement of faith acknowledging a fact . . . there is one God, and all that is, comes from God.

But then we imagine. “What did making the earth look like?” Michelangelo tried his brilliant best in the Sistine Chapel. Remember that painting of God the Father on the cloud reaching out with his divine finger to touch the finger of the sleeping Adam? Did it really look like that? No. But does it convey a truth? Of course. God created us out of love. How exactly? We don’t know. Science can help here.

So two things are happening here. The WHAT (Faith) and the HOW it happened (science).

The WHAT of Faith . . . God created the heavens and earth in the “seven days” of creation.

The HOW of science . . . nature, over millions of years, progressed in form and complexity to bring about the beings we observe.

The WHAT of Faith . . . God made us from the dust of the earth and blew his spirit into us. (Genesis 2)

The HOW of science . . . evidence suggests an evolutionary force of nature brought about, over millions of years, a physical body capable of holding the human soul. The soul, created directly by God. Nature cannot create a spiritual soul.

The church wants us to know what is true; then artists and poets imagine the visuals. Science offers proven physical knowledge that can help us understand more deeply the brilliance of God, who, by the way, is the very source of reason itself.

Faith and Science . . . both on the same team.

Blessings.

Fr. Tim

The one they had come to see was gone. The tomb was empty. The white burial cloth was folded up and laying on a stone. Scripture says they “did not yet understand that he had to rise from the dead.”

The question is: “where is he? Where did he go? How can I find you, Jesus?”

It’s the same for us two thousand years later.

I remember when my father died in 1988. He had been declining for some months and the night he passed my sister and I sat with him as he breathed his last. (Many of you have had that scary but holy moment.)

It was so weird. I remember thinking about the large person he was. How he loved birds, gardening, Italian spaghetti, his country, and his Catholic Faith. How he hated military parades, foreign cars, squirrels, and the New York Yankees.

I looked at his hands that held a gun in the army, cut my hair as a kid, played catch in the yard, and took my hands in his, the day I became a priest. His deep baritone voice called your name like no one else.

“Dad, where are you?” Don’t we all ask that when someone we love is gone? We feel the space they lived in, the chair, the porch, the work bench. I know his body lies in death . . . but where is the one who lived in that body?

Our Christian faith proclaims something quite extraordinary. Something that science (physics, biology, history and chemistry) cannot verify or prove . . . Jesus Christ is risen from the dead . . . and present to us in the Spirit.

What makes us so sure that he lives? Each of us must look inside with this one. Why do I believe? Is it because the Pope says so? OR, because that’s just what I was taught? OR, it makes for something nice to teach the children? I hope that’s not your answer.

Why do we believe? In the end it’s because we believe in love. (Not the love in romance, not the love of hobby or pastimes, not the love of beauty and art.

We believe in a love God shows to us in the life of Christ. A love never seen or imagined before. Someone who touched the lepers sores. Someone who forgave his murderers from the cross, who emptied himself totally to the will of his Father. That man is God in the flesh. He died on a cross. And his Father raised him from the dead.

We believe that Jesus is alive because countless men, women, and children have dedicated their lives to him in a living friendship of love. And this has changed the world.

Here are some conversations that witness to Faith in the Resurrection:

“What made you able to forgive that person?

• “Jesus forgave his executioners. He asks me to do the same.”
  “How can you go on in hope after that tragedy?”
• “Christ will be with me. He is all I have at this moment.”
  “Look there’s no point; you’re poor, you’re single, you’re pregnant.”
• “God wants this baby. Christ will help us.”
  “How do you know Jesus is risen in glory?”
• “I just know. It just comes to me. I can’t explain it.”

Easter invites us to surrender to the love of God that comes to you in Jesus Christ.

Peace.

Fr. Tim

Risen from the dead? What does this mean? First of all, it’s a fact. Facts create an environment in which we live. One plus one is two. That means two plus two is four and suddenly we have a world so predictable that we can send someone to the moon and back.

Now the Resurrection is not the kind of fact that you can prove with mathematical counting. It’s a fact that can only be known by believing in the testimony brought forward to witness to it. (We do this all the time . . . believe what someone tells us. E.g. the picture on your digital TV comes to you because of a series of 0’s and 1’s. Uh . . . okay. Or, Fr. John has a Grizzly bear paw print in his room . . . these are facts. Really!)

Now the testimony we have about the Resurrection comes to us from the Apostles. “We have seen the Lord! He is truly risen!!” I believe that what they say is true. It becomes for me a fact and I can base my life on it. I live now in a particular way.

But you might ask yourself, “How can I believe this miraculous happening to Jesus?” After all, there are no guarantees. We can’t prove he is risen. We can’t see him walking around Webster! And besides . . . there’s so much trouble in the world, “if Jesus was alive, wouldn’t he take all that away?” In other words, it’s hard to believe in a Christ who doesn’t live up to my expectations!

I think we all have moments when our faith feels weak and Christ is silent or far away. Like the apostles returning to their fishing boats, we slink back to our former lives where “Jesus Risen” seems like a fairy tale, bigger even than the Santa story.

Sooner or later you have to decide to trust the news about Jesus. Surrender your “expectations”. There comes a point when you gotta jump! Life is a matter of trusting the person you love. Remember the time you “jumped” ….. ?

• A young wedding couple can’t foresee all that life will bring to them but they trust that their love and respect for each other will see them through.
• Having a baby is a huge moment of trust for a husband and wife.
• Putting yourself in the hands of a doctor requires you to surrender to their medical skill.
• Flying to Boston puts you at the mercy of your pilot.
• Facing the end of life requires I surrender myself into the hands of God.

Sooner or later . . . you gotta trust somebody. Here’s some good reasons to trust in the Resurrection:

• The teachings of Christ the man are compellingly true. Who can argue with, ”It’s in giving that we receive,” etc.?
• Jesus proved his love by not turning back. He died as a final witness to how serious he was about “drinking his cup of suffering to the last drop.” You’ve got to take someone’s word pretty seriously when they willingly die for it.
• The Apostles were not men of great courage or brilliance by nature, yet each became masters at teaching Christ’s good news and like their master, they paid the last price for their faith (martyrdom).
• Tens of thousands (children included) have followed to this day to pay the ultimate price for their faith.
• The flowers of Christianity are all around . . . hospitals, universities, scientific method, sublime music, modern art, orphanages and outreach to the poor all got their start within a Christian culture.
• What else is there to entrust your life to? Kodak? Social Security? Your 401k? The Buffalo Bills?

Dear Friends 

You have been given Faith (“A certain knowledge of what has yet to be revealed.” Heb. 11:1). Thank God for such a gift and let’s get to work bringing Him to the world that will not know Him without your kindness. Take heart. He is with you.

Easter blessings,

Fr. Tim

For six weeks of Lent the church wore purple. We sang songs of longing and repentance. We walked with Jesus through the days of his trial, crucifixion, and burial. Then . . . we celebrated His glorious Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

But one day is not enough to celebrate. The Easter season goes for seven weeks (!) leading up to the Feast of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit. During this time the Church encourages us to “have fun!” That’s right, we should be doing things that bring joy to ourselves and others.

Sometimes that may conflict with our feelings about “Church”. For many of us church is a place to kneel and tell God we’re sorry for our sins. We ask God to help us with problems and to watch over loved ones. This is good.

But Jesus tells us that he has come “that your joy may be full.” John 15:11. The joy he speaks of comes with living right lives and a part of that is to celebrate. A less spiritual way of looking at “celebration” (but a necessary element too) is to . . . . have fun!

Here are some Easter celebration ideas that may get you thinking for you and your family.

• Have you seen the “Beyond Van Gogh” experience at the Dome Arena? I’ve been twice!! It is wonderful. Van Gogh’s life and painting is displayed in a breathtaking Experience Room. (Sorry to get this to you so late. It ends this Sunday!)
• See a really good movie. Something that speaks to young and old; something that makes you laugh and cry. Seen it before? See it again.
• Food. Glorious food! Have some. Make some. Share some. Throw an Easter dinner.
• Concerts. Music is medicine for the soul.
• Nature. Take a walk. Breath in the air. Life . . . you can smell it!
• Travel somewhere. Create a memory for you and the children/grandchildren.
• Lake Ontario. What a gift it is.
• Take a ride through apple country when the blossoms are out.
• Lilac Festival. Been a while? Go. Get out of Webster. Meet God’s people.
• Buy something for yourself. Something pretty. Some- thing that smells good.
• Anybody you care for who you haven’t talked with lately? Call them. Write them.
• Visit a friend’s grave. Tell them you’re doing ok. Pray for them.
• Come sit in church all by yourself. Talk to God. He’s been waiting for you.

You’ll think of your own Easter Fun. The important thing to remember is why you’re doing it. You’re celebrating the wonderful gift God has given us in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The gift of Eternal Life, the gift of a path to follow that brings Hope.

So when the concert begins, or the curtain goes up, or the oven signals “dinner ready”, or you’re in your car heading for adventure . . . . say a little prayer. “Lord, the joy that awaits, is part of my thanks to you for loving me in Jesus Christ.

Happy Easter. Let the fun begin.

Fr. Tim

The renovation of the church has been going on now for six weeks. We have been in Trinity Hall for weekend masses the past five. It has been a time for everybody to pull together to keep Holy Trinity stable as we move forward.

250 chairs needed moving. The altar, the tabernacle and pulpit all had to migrate to the new location. Ushers and greeters needed to help parishioners find the new Hall and then squeeze them into chairs. Some have had to stand during mass. The choir had to find a new place to sing. We’ve been on a pilgrimage.

It’s been a little uncomfortable, hasn’t it? Sitting so close together after we’d just gotten use to “social distancing” made many uneasy. But all in all, we did quite well I think. Many thanks to all who helped make this journey possible. And to you who have been so patient . . . thank you.

But next week we’ll be home. Home for Easter! What a fitting Sunday to re-enter our newly freshened church and sanctuary.

How symbolic of Lent these weeks have been. Classic signs of penance (prayer, fasting, almsgiving) were there each week. We learned how to pray better with Fr. McKeon. We had to do without the old and familiar ways church feels. We stepped up to send help to the people of Ukraine. (It was the second largest Penny Sun- day in ten years). We (I) fretted about the new church colors.

So how have these weeks been for you? New? A challenge? Enlightening? If so, good for you. Perhaps it’s been nothing special.

Same old, same old. Okay. Maybe you had to tend to other things. Maybe this wasn’t your Lent to grow.

Either way, what matters now is . . . now. What is God offering you to do? He’s always got something on His mind for you. Along with your daily duties, your personal ruminations and thoughts about life, may I suggest a couple things as springtime is about to begin.

• Come to the Holy Week liturgies beginning this Thursday. Each day takes us through the events by which Jesus Christ saves the world from meaninglessness.
• Do something special with friends and family on Easter Sunday, because that day tells us we can hope for Eternal Life. Start with Mass of course!
• This spring, see in the new life of nature, God’s promise to constantly renew the earth for us. Be resolved to love Mother Earth by how you treat her.
• Do something life giving. Something you haven’t done in a while. Take a trip, see something beautiful, cook a special meal for the ones you love.
• Be a friend . . . a really good friend, to someone who needs it.
• Forgive the hurt you’ve been given.
• Ask God to do something new in you.

So here we go. Holy Week. May God give you a special grace to know He is with you.

See you in Church!

Fr. Tim

Back in my high school days our senior class had a motto which we would sometimes chant at school assemblies. . . “Who cares?!” You can imagine the Dean of Discipline’s displeasure.

The motto came from being immature. Thinking we knew it all. All attempts to show us the road ahead were met with “Who Cares?” I’m embarrassed to remember this after all these years.

There is, however, a very helpful and holy variation on “who cares”. It’s called Holy Indifference and it is taught by spiritual masters like Saints Ignatius of Loyola and John of the Cross.

Basically, it’s a willingness to let go of situations over which you have no control. The Serenity Prayer says it best. “Lord give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change . . .” It is not a callous indifference to life. Rather, it is a spiritual surrender to what, in the end, is a trust that God’s will for me is more important than any passing want of mine.

This principle can guide us in simple everyday ways and in life’s challenges. Some examples:

• The weather. Can you make a sunny day? Can you make it rain for your back yard? Of course not. We can hope for these things but then . . . I will accept whatever happens as the way life gives it.
• The Buffalo Bills. Sure we wanted them to win that game (13 seconds left!) but they didn’t. After the initial disappointment, Holy Indifference tells us, “God still loves us. And it was a great season.”
• A young person sits waiting for a phone call from that “special person”. “I’ll call you”, they said. But they didn’t. Holy Indifference says, “They are free to do as they wish. I cannot make them. I accept this as the way it is to be.”
• Sometimes it involves more serious events. Some happy, some sad.
• A college you so wanted to attend says “no” to your application.
• A love relationship you tried so hard to foster has ended.
• You get the promotion you were hoping for.
• Your surgery went perfectly. No more cancer.

But how can we be “indifferent” or detached from the outcomes we so hope for? Are we saying “don’t care”, when in fact we care very much? No, that’s not what we’re saying. Jesus tells us, in fact, to pour out our hearts to the Lord. Tell God how things are and what you feel you need. In fact, keep asking over and over (Read Luke 18:18!)

But then . . . . let go. God knows better than you. Trust that WHATEVER happens, God foresaw it, and will bring good out of it in His own time. That friends, takes Faith. Faith in a God who loves us and wishes to bring us to be with Him in the Kingdom.

Not there yet? Still brooding over disappointments? Still feeling, “It’s not fair!” That’s very human. But Jesus calls us to a deeper awareness of what our life is to be about. “Your heavenly Father knows what you truly need . . Seek first the Kingdom of God and good things will be given to you besides.” Matthew 6:33

What then is Holy Indifference? It’s putting the love of God and neighbor before everything else. It means letting go of anything that keeps me locked up in “my wants”, when love beckons me to get over myself. This is true happiness.

God will help us.

Fr. Tim