Dear Friends,

I pray that you are emerging from this unprecedented chill we have been experiencing. I am reminded that some things are unpredictable and out of our control. In the face of such things, we rely on others, trust in God, and might find ourselves quite resourceful. This past Sunday, I decided to go ahead and have church. The heat was out in the nave, the parking lot was covered with ice, and we couldn't seem to get the web streaming of the service going. I was beginning to doubt my decision! Then we had a lovely gathering in the parish hall with a few guests joining us. God was praised. 

I use that phrase often. I especially use it when things don't go as expected. Excellence is a great thing. Even so, your presence will often make a greater impact than getting things perfect. My teacher, Richard Rohr, often says: "The perfect is the enemy of the good." This is helpful wisdom as we live in relationship to God and each other. Loving our neighbor can be messy. We believe that we can forgive and learn and grow in the messiness of it all. 

We may be trudging through some messy slush over the next few days. Think also about the ways we meet various storms and events in life. May we love and serve others knowing that Christ joins us in the messiness of life. 

Peace,

Fr. John Mark