Sometimes our Lenten prayer, fasting and almsgiving remind us about the suffering and sacrifices we are encouraged to make as disciples of Jesus. While these activities, within this context, are worthwhile motives, we continue to become more open to deeper significance to Lent. Another sense of prayer, fasting and almsgiving is to remind us about how much more we need to rely upon Jesus. These external sacrifices, though difficult, bring challenge to us; we can will ourselves to bear their burdens for 40 days at a time.

So what's this all about, anyway? In preparing for Lent, which began shortly after Christmas, there are countless resources and ideas to enrich the season. With my new responsibilities as Director of Religious Education, we were looking over activities and ideas for the young people. Needless to say, combining the adult ideas with the youth ideas can be quite overwhelming. There are unique emphases from both perspectives. There are many ways to engage a number of our human senses. There are countless approaches to prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

February eleventh is the annual feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes. The day when our Blessed Mother appeared to Saint Bernadette in France and helped her discover a font of flowing water. From this font, countless people have experienced miraculous cures. In turn, our annual World Day of Prayer for the Sick is held on February eleventh.

Today is the conclusion of Catholic Schools Week 2018. We continue to be very mindful of the presence of Saint Boniface Catholic School; the only Catholic school in our county. We are also mindful of many of us who have been influence by Catholic schools at some point of our life. Often its Catholic school education which helped form a parent, grandparent or influential adult in our lives who, in turn, influenced us to take our role in the life of our Catholic Church. And so we continue to ask the question to ourselves personally and collectively about what we do to support Catholic schools locally and beyond.

For many of us, the passage of Christmas seems so long ago. For many of us, the passage of Christmas seems to just have happened. While all of those memories simmer in our minds, we come to the reality that Lent will quickly be upon us. Further, the celebration of Easter comes to our lives on the first day of April. So, rather than anticipating Easter, we participate in the times among us. We concentrate on these days of Ordinary Time which help us transition to the upcoming observance of Lent.

The more I’m around people, the more it seems there is a common complaint about people just being lesstolerant of each other; more quick to toss the first stones; rapid to criticize and the like. I also hearbroadcasters on heavy metal genre of satellite radio to mention how people, particularly at concerts, need tobe present in the moment rather than experiencing the concert through their mobile device. The saidbroadcaster continues to mention that people ought to be present in the moment with their families andfriends. Generally speaking, in the midst of a culture in which we appear to be digitally connected, we havesomehow allowed that virtual reality to deceive us into thinking that is our new reality; and somehow it’sbetter.

I'm convinced that the sentiments of many are that our celebrations of Christmas were prayerful, reflective, joyous, worthy, etc. The celebrations I'm referring to include our local Masses, but also our personal celebrations with families and friends. "In every heart may we continue to prepare Him room," not just at Christmas, but in every day of our lives. We are blessed to be called by Him from our baptism to follow Him and deepen our relationship with Him each day of our lives!

There are three changes which will occur after 1 January 2018 which are related to each other, though distinct. Amanda Burrow, who was working as our parish cluster Coordinator of Religious Education since the summer of 2016, has resigned from the position effective 31 December 2017. She has taken a full-time job as a Spanish teacher in the Alma Public School. We wish her well in this new chapter of her life here in our area.

A very small number of you are aware that I officiated at a funeral in Ettrick on Monday past. The primary reason being that the Catholic churches in Ettrick and Blair have been without a resident priest for several weeks; that reality is likely to remain for several more weeks… or longer. There was a need to reach this far to find a priest available to cover the funeral on Monday and so, for the good of Catholicism, I was chosen. May Mildred rest in peace!

From the Preschool

While eating lunch at Saint Boniface Catholic School this week, I was asked by a preschool boy about the meaning of Advent. I told him it's about Jesus and Jesus' coming to us. He reminded me that Jesus is already with us, I had to agree. I also reminded him Advent is about us preparing for Jesus to come deeper into our lives. At that point his sandwich became more interesting than our conversation about religion. Hmmm? Do the things of our world typically become more important than our religion? During Advent we are reminded to place more value on the Lord and prepare for His arrival. A lot to think and pray about in that brief exchange with a preschooler.

As each year passes, I hope each of us becomes more aware of our spiritual journey and the invitation to deepen our relationship with Jesus. While the secular world is preparing for the turning of a calendar year, we are about a month ahead of that event. We begin a new liturgical year today. And, with that new beginning we have an opportunity to recommit ourselves to our spiritual journey as we prepare the way of the Lord during these Advent days.