From Our Pastors
Do you recall listening to Old Testament Bible stories as a child? The stories of floods, plagues, fires, and the seemingly never-ending bloody battles can be both fascinating and a little frightening. For many of us, no matter how scary they seemed, we knew they were from long ago and far away. More importantly, we encountered them against the backdrop of a safe home and the security of a somewhat predictable “normal” life.
In the early days of the pandemic, Father Mark’s mother remarked that it reminded her of growing up during the Depression, but most of us have never known such turbulent times. As the months have dragged on, there seems to be a nonstop succession of apocalyptic events. These could be lifted out of the pages of the Bible. Living today can give us insight into the realities endured by our foremothers and forefathers in faith and maybe reading their experiences can give us encouragement to endure our own.
Imprisoned in Rome toward the end of his life, St. Paul was stripped of many of the usual comforts of life, isolated, and facing an uncertain future and an unjust end, yet he finds a surprising peace and beautiful confidence.
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-38
Maybe his words and his path can give us encouragement and guidance.
We encourage you to take this passage, find a quiet place to sit and read it slowly. Let the words sink in.
Close your eyes. Breathe.
Find that still quiet voice of God inside you; find again that place of peace where eternity gently touches you in our time.
Fr. Mark Lane, C.O. and Fr. Michael Callaghan, C.O.
