I'm off today after a very busy 8 days of work, sales, retreats, and the usually challenges that we are all presented in life. It began a week ago with a Super Sale at my store and it was all hands on deck. The challenge was to be picking up my team and putting our best foot forward. The weekend was a tremendous success. It was also a formation weekend for the Diaconate community in this Diocese. Luckily, the weekend was only a half hour away and Terry and I made the commute on Friday and Saturday. It was a great weekend with the focus on Marriage. We also got in a great community night at an Irish Pub in Jackson. Needless to say, we had a great time.
The work load continue and the store is starting to ramp up. We need good weather, and unfortunately we are having snow again today. Not much, but still snowing.
A few days ago I asked Fr. Andrew if I could preach on Sunday morning, he smiled and said yes. He shared that one of the joys was listening and meditating on someone else preaching for a change. Well, usually I preach on the Gospel reading, and today I threw a curve ball to the parishioners and preached on the first reading from Acts on the Conversion of Saul. Last night and into early this morning I was moved by the description used for the early Christians, men and women who belonged to the Way! Wow, there is so much that can be said about just that. I focused on the need for daily conversion and the infinite Mercy of God. We have Saul turning to Paul and we know his story and how much he had turned around, and saw for the first time. His eyes were opened wide.Then we have Ananias who himself had the greater eye opening experience ministering to a man he feared and probably hated. Yet Christ called him to be there and he became astonished as to the what can happen when conversion meets mercy.
Recently, Fr Andrew and I witnessed a man coming back to the Way, opening his heart to conversion through the calling of today's martyrs, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This man came back on Divine Mercy Sunday....what a day to celebrate Mercy. These two men today offer us a witness to examine our own lives and seek conversion and pray for Mercy. As St. Paul tells us ..."Our inmost being must be renewed, and we must put on a new man." Ephesians 4:23-24.
Peace,
Deacon Mitch
The work load continue and the store is starting to ramp up. We need good weather, and unfortunately we are having snow again today. Not much, but still snowing.
A few days ago I asked Fr. Andrew if I could preach on Sunday morning, he smiled and said yes. He shared that one of the joys was listening and meditating on someone else preaching for a change. Well, usually I preach on the Gospel reading, and today I threw a curve ball to the parishioners and preached on the first reading from Acts on the Conversion of Saul. Last night and into early this morning I was moved by the description used for the early Christians, men and women who belonged to the Way! Wow, there is so much that can be said about just that. I focused on the need for daily conversion and the infinite Mercy of God. We have Saul turning to Paul and we know his story and how much he had turned around, and saw for the first time. His eyes were opened wide.Then we have Ananias who himself had the greater eye opening experience ministering to a man he feared and probably hated. Yet Christ called him to be there and he became astonished as to the what can happen when conversion meets mercy.
Recently, Fr Andrew and I witnessed a man coming back to the Way, opening his heart to conversion through the calling of today's martyrs, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This man came back on Divine Mercy Sunday....what a day to celebrate Mercy. These two men today offer us a witness to examine our own lives and seek conversion and pray for Mercy. As St. Paul tells us ..."Our inmost being must be renewed, and we must put on a new man." Ephesians 4:23-24.
Peace,
Deacon Mitch
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