How are your last few days going? As it should be, mine are dictated by my being. As a Permanent Deacon I can plan with the best of them but then the best plans, well you know the rest. I have not been this tired in a long time; probably since I left my old job which simply exhausted me at the end. My new job continues to open new opportunities for me and to grow closer, now after almost 3 months, to my clients and my staff. Maybe with all the excitement of the arrival of #1 grandson at the start of the month, I'm still trying to catch up some sleep from our travels or just unwind from the excitement of being "Pops". Last weekend, like the 16th, I preached at the two busiest Masses and had plenty to cover. On Monday I received a call unlike any other since I was ordained. Dear friends were asking me to meet them at the hospital. Their daughter, and son-in-law, just had lost a child; their 1st, and just about 8 weeks from full term. This is not the calls that can come from a parishioner or the hospital staff; these are dear friends, and the young couple my 1st that I prepared for and then presided at their marriage. It was late at night, near 11 p.m. and I just could not get there soon enough. Out of deep friendship for all of them, a dear sweet family, and their little one, all I will tell you is we talked, we prayed, we did the prayers for the little one and we were present to one another. A few days later, I assisted at the funeral Mass and presided at the graveside services. What an overwhelming turnout of family and friends, what a sincere outpouring of love and grief and togetherness. I told the young couple, what a awesome job their little one did in bringing about such an outpouring of love. My heart remains heavy for them, even though I, like everyone else, knows that the baby rests safely with our God. It was both sad and encouraging to see the demonstrtion of faith and courage by these beautiful parents who still love and miss their son.
If you want to join me in prayer for this family, please just ask God to help with what has been my special intention now for the last week!
Ministry has been so hectic these past few days and I mean that only in the best way possible. I have been involved with evangelization efforts, Bible study, wedding preps(I have 4 going on as we speak) and Baptism prep(2 more of theese). Prison ministry has been awesome here of late as we all are preparing for next weeks visit of our Archbishop to the facility. I can't wait. Tonight, I am going to be with the men and we will celebrate the anticipation. And we will also celebrate the great news that one of our longest serving members of the faith community, yes an inmate of long term, will be paroled. Again privacy prevents me from sharing more but this is a direct result of a life changed, a real metanoia, while in prison. Even in jail, a person can make a decision to be the same or to convert, surrender to Christ, and live for and love the Lord. That is most certainly the case here. Needless to say, I am satisfied in God's unbelievable justice and mercy.
Ministry always takes me where God needs me to be. This does not happen because I'm ordained or hold an ecclesial title. This is true for all of us; you and me. How has your ministry been today, this week, this month? Are you aware when God calls you to be service to others; to be Christ for others? Man did I witness that in all the many ministry opportunities this past week. Man did I witness that in the love and support of our young couple and the determination and effort of so many in prison ministry, not to mention our newest Catholic about to live free on the outside.
Be always willing to go where God needs you!
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