I say with a grin, knowing it is still too hot to drink a hot coffee. Well, for me at least. I know that hot coffee, pumpkin pie, seasonal activities, football and sweaters are subjective markers of time. But, here in the South, you can almost set a watch to it. The first week of September- Labor Day Weekend- Mark the beginning of what we call Fall where the leaves rarely change color on time. It is the first day of College Football, it is the New Fall Lineup for Adult Faith Formation. I know you are tired of me saying that nothing is normal and that we are doing things in a new way. I will let you know, I'm not going to get tired of saying it. Even if I don't watch College Football from Sun-up on the East Coast to Sunset on the West Coast, I'm still getting ready to start a new Scriptural study with my Small Faith Sharing Group. I'm Still getting ready to teach the young catechists. I'm still getting ready to hear the Gospel at Mass on Sunday. And I hope that you are joining me.

I listened to a few awesome priests talk about mass attendance this week. Podcasts are a wonderful way to hear what is going on in other Parishes around the country. We're all taking each other's pulses. What they said that they were afraid of is that people wont come back to church. And, that sentence made them sad. To think that even though they had put out the call, put in the hard work of making their churches safe, put in the effort to have formation available in any way they can- people will rather stay home and watch tv.

We're doing this thing that the people of the Exodus and the people from the Letter to the Hebrews wanted to do. To Go Back to a time where they knew what was going on - or better said - they wanted to stop doing the hard work of living the New Way that God had given to them. We are like that in these times. Wishing it was just as easy as showing up on a Sunday at whatever time, or the next one, right?? But it's not as simple now. Like the Hebrews, we are living in this time where God is Asking us to trust in the hard work of hope. Not just hope that things will get better or easier, but Hope in the Message that the effort gives us. If we love, if we work, if we believe - our hope is replaced with trust and joy. But that is the hard part. That is the place where our humanity says -"I'd rather be in control" Surrender your control. Watch Mass online but do it with reverence and gravity of being in the presence of the Savior. Watch mass online but know that your participation in the sacrifice of the Mass is Needed, your worship is part of it. Worship Him with all of the songs, kneeling and saying "peace be with you" to whomever is around. Or come to Mass, joyfully! Come to the church to Be Church. Feel the love of everyone else around you as they are wrapped in the warm embrace of Jesus. Encounter Him in the sacred moments of our Celebration and know that His love cheers you on like a stadium full of fans, or like warm sunshine, or even a comfortable cup of hot coffee.

He waits for you. He expects you. He delights in you - wherever you are. Even if where you are is trying to turn around to go back to a place where you felt more comfortable. But we weren't called to be comfortable.... We were called to be Saints.

Welcome back! We'll save a seat for you.

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