Perennial Wisdom

Peace and all good!

I am so grateful to all those – staff, volunteers, participants – who made our season of Christmas so great for so many. All of it took planning, as well as days and nights of plain physical labor. As our dear departed elder brother, Father Alex, used to say, “It’s like writing: the easier it looks, the more work you know went into it.”

Thanks as well to all of you who wished the friars well – in conversation, card, and gift. From Thanksgiving, through Advent and through Epiphany – all of it emphasizes again how blessed we are to have each other in this place and in this parish. The Spirit shines forth in your warm and open attitude.

And here’s something else Father Alex wrote 30+ years ago. We’ll call it perennial wisdom:

“I remember when I was in ninth grade. Our Social Studies teacher assigned us an essay with a title like The Famous Historical Character I Would Like To Change Places With. I wrote: I don’t want to be any of them, because if I were a historical character, I’d be dead now. I prefer to be unhistorical me – alive.”

He goes on to say – in typical Alex style: “I still feel the same way. If there’s been a change, I’ve gotten better at choosing my life, instead of waiting for it to happen. Within responsible limits, of course…”

“I give thanks,” he wrote, “and if you’re reading this you can too, because that means that you made it all the way to 1989 (well, in our case, 2022!) You’re alive. So, give thanks. And decide never again to take one minute of life for granted.”

Thanks Father Alex – and thanks to all of you!

Gratefully,

Fr. Dan ofm, Pastor