Weird Yet Wonderful

On Ash Wednesday it seemed pretty clear, or so I thought, what the Lord was asking of me for the coming Holy Lent, and I freely agreed in my heart.

Well we all know that IF it is actually our idea and not HIS things can get turned on their head and that certainly has been the past many weeks for me.

I am not complaining. Actually I am smiling for always His Will is gift, gift of pain and struggle often, but always wrapped in joyous grace.

So most of Lent was NOT spent in the solitude of the hermitage, writing this Blog or getting, finally, the revamping of the www.hopeforpriests.com done – in fact as regards the latter since the company which is the hosting webmaster is moving to a new location that project may not be complete until May!

Emails [ I deeply treasure each on you send ] snail mail, articles, hours of silent prayer, reading, everything like cutting down on smoking, sweets, more time praying the Stations of the Cross…..well you get the idea….none of it happened the WAY I expected!

Rather between therapy appoints dealing with recovery from two car accidents, the need for volunteers at the soup kitchen, countless people asking to chat here and there, the need to be present to family as a new one was about to be born – well my Lent seemed rather weird, until listening to my whining about the smashing of MY Lenten plan, a dear friend said: “But Father, you have spent Lent serving! What could be better!”

Indeed!

Which brings me to that gift of grace wrapped in the joy of being there when Lucille and John’s new child, Raymond was born; being able to hold him against my heart and marvel about both the mystery of new life within the sacredness of sacramental love and the mystery of Christ’s own birth!

To look into the face of the newborn is to look into the Face of Christ is to look into the Face of the Father and be filled with the love of the Holy Spirit who recreates us through the lavish river of grace and mercy flowing from the pierced Heart of Jesus.

I will be leaving in a few hours to spend the Tridium with the Staff of the soup kitchen, serving the hungry Christ as He comes to the door, celebrating the gift and mystery of Priesthood and Eucharist; joining many who, from the various Christian communities, will Good Friday morning walk about the inner city for the Stations of the Cross, participate in the Good Friday liturgy, the mysterious silence while Jesus is in the tomb and then, and then!!!!!!

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!