But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.
–Jeremiah 20:11
When people ask me how to get through those moments where it seems like absolutely everything is going wrong, I recommend taking the time to count recent blessings and thank God for them. But even when things are going well, it is good to take stock of how God has been at work in our lives, blessing us along the way. Taking the time to reflect on that is time well spent and becomes a prayer where we meet the Lord God who is always with us – through thick and thin, “like a mighty champion.”
I want to share some of the blessings I have experienced lately. You’ll notice they are not events, or goings-on that we might find in the parish bulletin. Rather, they are moments where I truly felt God was present and they left me with a profound gratitude for them. Not surprisingly, they moved me to gratitude to God for all of you – my parish family where blessings are born every day. Here’s a few of these blessings:
1. The blessing of the miracle of the Eucharist that takes place every day at Saint Aloysius Church and the many who come to share in that miracle. It is a life-giving experience rooted in Christ’s sacrificial love – for us.
2. The blessing of penitents who walked into the confessional full of fear, anxiety and shame, but who left unafraid, consoled, and forgiven. It is a healing encounter with Christ.
3. The blessing of hearing good news – a good medical report, a job landed, a college admission, a spiritual insight, a splendid trip, a fun party. It is a sign of living life abundantly with God.
4. The blessing of trials and tribulations and having the Church (i.e., a priest, deacon, or Stephen Minister) to walk a sister or brother in Christ through it all. It is a sign of Christ accompanying us in our weakness and worries.
5. Any day – sunny, rainy, snowy, — where there is time to take it all in with “awesome wonder.” It is God’s grandeur.
I pray that you will take the time this summer to count some blessings and experience them in the rest and refreshment that the weeks ahead offer. And remember that God is always with us, and blessing us; sometimes we just don’t notice.
Yours in Christ,
Welcome to the Saint Aloysius! Our parish was founded in 1896 to serve the Catholic families that were settling in the greater New Canaan area.