My dear parishioners,

God is always at work. We must never doubt that or tire of waiting for the slow work of God to reveal itself. In time, mountains can be leveled and valleys can be raised. But it may take a lifetime. Our impatience sometimes causes us to doubt that we have been heard, or that God is actually moving or acting. While we often seek instant answers or results, God does the invisible work of preparing the soil for the seed to take root, giving it the proper care and nourishment, and creating the ideal environment for growth and development. This is usually what has to happen before any perceivable fruits can be seen. 

This lesson was driven home to me last week when I celebrated a very rare occasion. I was privileged to bring Ruthie into the Catholic Church. Ruthie has lived an incredible life. She is truly the beloved matriarch of her family. They celebrate her as mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and great-great-grandmother. At ninety-nine and a half, she has a wonderfully adventurous spirit that is very much willing to explore new possibilities in her life. Although religion has been a part of her life, she was not ready to become Catholic until now. God has been moving in her heart and soul in such a way that after much prayer, many questions, and a lot of discernment, she decided that this was the right path for her. Last week she celebrated Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion. With a flood of sacramental grace, she became our newest sister in the faith. And we are happy to welcome her!

Her story reminds us to never forget that God works in mysterious ways. And He is always at work behind the scenes. Even when we cannot detect any progress or movement on the surface, He is working in the depths. And when the time is right, all will be revealed. As St. Theresa of Avila would say, “Patience obtains all things.”

God bless you all,

Fr. Don