"We have to build a Christian antenna that can detect those moments of hope and bring them into focus through our day."
Ordinary Time, Extraordinary Hope
January 13th, 2021
This week begins the ordinary season of our liturgical year. We return to the color green, which predominates most of our celebrations throughout the year. It is a return to our “normal“ celebrations. We are no longer in high season or preparatory season.
I wanted to talk a little bit this week about the concept of returning to normal, which I know is something on all of our minds in our daily life. Whether it’s pandemic, politics, financial concerns or social unrest, we long for normal. I’m pretty sure most of us know that we’re not called by God to ever move into the past, so we should be looking for a “new normal.“ I usually stay away from that phrase simply because for most people I think it feels like a diminished compromise from the past.
I hope we can muster, through faith, a new Hope in a better “new normal“ than what we have known before. We’re going to be managing vaccines and safe distancing as we slowly suppress the worst dangers of this virus. We will also be managing tension with friends as politics continue to try to tear us apart. And many of us will be managing the daily in and out of children in school, jobs and family, and all of the “normal stresses” of life.
Have a wonderful Christmas. God bless. Be safe and be well.
~Fr. Pat
The song “A Time Will Come for Singing”, written by Dan Schutte in the late 1970s, takes imagery and words for the 2nd and 35th chapters of Isaiah and asks us to believe that God still holds the future. When we look forward to a world without strife, there is an inherent admission that we are in a world with strife. When we look forward to a world without hatred, we acknowledge that we live in a world that still experiences hatred. Aside from that, I love the simplicity of the melody.
In the weeks ahead it will be very important for people to keep an eye on the bulletin, website and these Touchstones as we start to build our in-person schedule for various sacramental celebrations and creep toward life without COVID dominating our days and thoughts!
God Bless you all in the New Year!
Fr. Pat
.
In this same vein, as an accompanying song I went scavenging through my own archives to find a favorite piece that I used to sing fairly often. Not really a church composition, per se, it is a song by Stephen Schwartz about being open and prepared enough to recognize when something amazing comes along and being ready take a chance, make the change necessary and embrace the unimagined possibilities of a greater, joy-filled life.
I hope you are all continuing to be well and to actively and intentionally hunt the good moments and savor them when you can.
God Bless,
Fr. Pat
No reading this week.
“A Time Will Come for Singing” written by Dan Schutte and performed by Fr. Pat
Faith Direct remains our approved partner so that parishioners can give electronically. You can securely register or update via this link. Thank you MPB for your continued generous support of the parish and our many ministries.
Please share with friends and family.
If you wish to subscribe for news and updates from Most Precious Blood, click here.