July
30, 2006
Impossibly
Little
Estelle
Farewell
A few weeks ago, we announced that our long-time Coordinator of Liturgy,
Estelle Peck, was invited to become coordinator for Adult Faith Formation
in the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Luckily Estelle gets some vacation
between now and September when she begins her new position full time.
So we want to take some time then, to remember and celebrate her years
of service here and to bless her as she starts her new ministry. We’re
planning two opportunities -- the first at the 10am Family Mass on Sunday,
September 10th, followed by a reception on St. Brigid’s Green.
The second will be an evening celebration on Wednesday, September 13th.
More details to come in the weeks ahead.
Census
Continues
Of the approximate 6,000 families we usually send mail to, we’ve
received completed Census booklets from over 4,000. So we’ve got
a ways to go.
Is your booklet in?
e-mail Father Ralph:
Past Columns:
July 23: Come away!
July 16: Got a Mission?
July 9:Missing God
July 2: Jesus Interrupted
June 25: One Here, One to
Come
June 18: A Father's Gift
June 11: Charity Begins
At Home
June 4: Turning Silver
May 28: Eight Years •
Eight Months
May 21: If Any
May14: Celebrating Mothers
May 6: Celebrating Priests
April30: Baked Fish
April 23: What we hear
April 16: Out of the Tomb
April 9: Jesus, Our Source
of Peace
April 2: NOW, Can you Hear
Me?
Mar 26: Can You Hear Me
Again?
Mar 19: Can You Hear Me
Now?
Mar 12: Now Take 4Steps
March 5: Take A Step
Feb 26:Coming Home
Feb19: Visiting Heros
Feb 12: Passing Pastor
Feb 4: Annual Appeal
Jan 22: Abandoned Nets
Jan 15: Everlasting Life
Jan 8: I'm not going to
jail..
Jan 1: Happy New Year
Columns
from 2005
Columns
from 2004
Columns from
2003
Columns from 2002
Thousands
of hungry people gathered to hear Jesus off in a deserted place. They
weren’t there to get a meal, for they were more hungry for the truth
of Jesus’ message and the healing he offered them.
Yet he fed them a meal too. Isn’t
that often the way it is with God? We go to God expecting one thing, and
come away with so much more -- often with something we weren’t expecting.
The boy who supplied the “fixings”
for the meal (bread and fish) also didn’t expect what was happening
to him either. He overhears the grownups talking about how to feed all
these thousands and then he hears them talking about the little food he
brought -- and then they take it from him! Sometimes that seems to be
what happens in our lives too -- we feel we have little and even that
little is in jeopardy.
So we come to a crossroads in faith where we have to decide to believe
that God is in charge or not. Can we trust that our hungers will be fed
by Jesus who wants to give us even more than we sought in the first place?
Can we trust that if we give our “little” to Jesus that he
will use it to do marvelous things?
My experience is that it is the
small kindnesses that are remembered by others, long after we’ve
forgotten that we did them. My family recently threw me a 50th birthday
party -- inviting many people from my past -- and these friends recalled
so many treasured moments that I had long forgotten. It turns out that
the thoughtful “bread and fish moments” of our lives go a
long way to feed a lot of people.
So if it appears that we have impossibly
little to give in certain circumstances, let’s not despair, but
turn to Jesus who is our answer and our hope. And this week, let’s
remember the people in our lives who gave little moments of grace to us
-- moments that have fed us and carried us far.
