Friends,
What a time for us to be grateful. The Lord is good to us and continues to unfold his gifts in our lives and draw us closer to his son. Even during the difficulties of the last couple years there is so much for us to have gratitude for. I know you will be doing this either with your own circle of friends or family this year or perhaps just in that quiet contemplative space with God, but I will go first…
I am most thankful this year for three things in particular. First of all I’m thankful for being your pastor and having this opportunity to walk with you in faith and fellowship. Thank you for what you do and how you contribute your heart to our wonderful parish family. Second I am thankful for my own family & friends specifically my Mom and my Priest support group. My Mom has been the absolute best Mom a priest could ever ask for. She not only practices her faith but she simply becomes a part of my faith community and parish wherever God calls me too. But this past year she has made an additional sacrifice to do this. She drives all the way from Elgin, Illinois to celebrate her faith with me on a weekly basis. I’m so thankful for having a Mom like this! And my priest support group is amazing. I have been walking in faith with Fr Mario Quejadas, Fr Sunny Castillo and Fr Dindo Billote for over 16 years and their friendship and shared faith journey have been one of the very best things that has happened to me as a priest. And third, I am thankful for the gift of renewal in my own prayer life this year. YES even priests can find that they struggle in their prayers to keep them fresh and alive. This year I have begun practicing contemplative prayer. It is a much more quiet and reflective prayer than I have been used to throughout my life and I find that it brings me so much peace to just rest in the Lord’s presence. It is a big change for me in my normal prayer routine but it has really livened up my own relationship with God which I truly feel right now it is at the strongest that it has ever been.
Ok… So now it is your turn. Think about those things this year that you are grateful for and would like to acknowledge in your own heart. May this be a thanksgiving of fun and food and fellowship… but especially may it be a time of profound gratitude for the ways God has blessed your life.
Happy Thanksgiving & May God Bless You,
Fr Mark
