We Are a People of Hope

Wow, what an amazing turn of events over the last few months or more.

Pope Francis has called us to pray for the Church in China for this month's intention. Our brothers and sisters there are suffering in silence since virtually nothing gets in or out of the country without the Communist Party's approval (think Great Firewall of China).

We here in the West are essentially shut in with little to no direction on what the future holds.

Many of us have no more income to pay for our rent, mortgage, loans, food, and utilities.

And yet, we are a People of Hope.

We have had, and have, an opportunity to spend time at the foot of the Cross. To truly live our Lent!

We can take this time to be stripped of all distractions, worries, and things while there. To be still and listen to what the Holy Spirit has to say. To take in the desert and all of its hidden beauty.

It is in this silence that we can discover that we are truly valuable to Him Who Loves Us.

Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?

Matthew 6:26

Our Lord goes on to lecture about how God the Father will take care of us no matter what. He finishes with:

… seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.

Matthew 6:33

As a People of Hope, we _believe_ that promise will be fulfilled. We _trust_ Jesus at His Word.

If we don't, then we have work to do to open ourselves up to Him who loves us because He _is_ a Man of His Word. Truly.

Pax,

John Everett

In the Face of Persecution

We have so many stories of men and women who have gone before us giving the ultimate sacrifice: Their lives.

We named one of our sons after such a one: Maximillian Kolbe.

Breviary Wednesday, Week II Morning Prayer quip for Psalm 97:

This psalm foretells a world-wide salvation and that peoples of all nations will believe in Christ (Saint Athanasius).

Then, our reading for this morning:

35 What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
36 As it is written:
“For your sake we are being slain all the day;
we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things,* nor future things, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth,* nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35-39

Today, it seems, we stand on the cusp of history repeating itself. It is said that one ignores one's history at one's own peril and sure enough, today that is very true.

And yet, we know that somehow no matter what happens that our Lord embraces us. He gives us all we need to face any moment with courage and hope.

With the prayers of Our Lady, the Martyrs, and the strength Our Lord gives us we shall triumph. If not in this life, definitely the next!

Our prayers go out to all of our Christian Brothers and Sisters facing the Martyrdom of Blood and/or White Martyrdom in the day to day.

Pax,

John Everett