Wow, half way through January already. I am still in Phoenix, coming back later in the week. Thanks Fr. Todd for taking care of everything. On January 17th is the feast of St. Anthony of the desert. He is considered the father of Monasticism in the western church. He is the patron of farmers, basket makers, gravediggers and animals. He went out into the desert to give himself fully to Jesus without distraction. We all need those moments of peace to focus on Jesus.
Prayer is one of the ways to do this. So we continue with day 3 of the Surrender Novena. “How many things I do when the soul in so much spiritual and material need turns to Me, looks at Me and says to Me; “You take care of it, then close its eyes and rests.” In pain you pray for Me to act, but that I act in the way you want. You do not turn to Me; instead, you want Me to adapt to your ideas. You are not sick people who ask the doctor to cure you, but rather sick people who tell the doctor how to. So do not act this way, but pray as I taught you in the Our Father: Hallowed be Thy Name, that is, be glorified in my need. Thy kingdom come, that is, let all that is in us and in the world be in accord with Your kingdom. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, that is, in our need, decide as You see fit for our temporal and eternal life. If you say to Me truly: Thy will be done, which is the same as saying: You take care of it. I will intervene with all My omnipotence, and I will resolve the most difficult situations.” (After that prayer say 10 times) O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything! Looking ahead we will be having our soup and pie sale.
Looking way ahead in June will be the National Eucharistic Congress. June 7th for our diocese will be the handing off of the traveling monstrance. Our deanery is organizing buses for our young people to be attending this amazing event. If you have not heard much about the Eucharistic Congress it is part of the National Eucharistic Revival that has been organized by our bishops for a three year period for us to grow in the love of the Holy Eucharist. There is a website and an app that can help you learn more. I will be talking more about such opportunities in the future. Locally I encourage you to take advantage of our adoration time on Wednesdays and First Fridays. Spending time with our Eucharistic Lord will help us mature and be transformed into the presence of Christ that the world needs here and now.