Dear Parishioners,
In the reading from Ecclesiastes today, we are reminded that “There is…a time for everything under the heavens…a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.” Sad, but true, our ability to embrace during this pandemic has gone by the wayside. I have not embraced my 92-year-old mother since our last re-opening simply because I was now being exposed to the public once again and I could not guarantee that I was not being exposed to COVID. This has become a time of not embracing for many of us because of our exposure, health problems, and weakened immune systems.
Our Church is struggling with embracing the effects of pandemic as well. We have had to adapt to changing our practices during the celebration of sacraments (when we can) and in our inability to gather. Our faith is being attacked by this virus as well. How will we emerge from this? Some feel, we never will. Some surveys have shown that people will not return to mass or the sacraments. We will not really know until we get to that point. For now, we embrace with humility and prayerful hope this time and place.
The journey continues…keeping the faith!
Blessings,
Fr. Mark
