Clarifying Moments

Dear Friends,

Last weekend we had a wonderful Community Sunday, with lots of new members downstairs, milling about, meeting people, and just getting connected to our parish family. Sharing fellowship is one good way to get to know each other. Special thanks to all who made last Sunday possible, especially our staff and the extra special kitchen helpers!

You know, when we gather for worship upstairs, there is little time to share life and stories. Reverent silence is expected so everyone present can pray, free from distractions, and open his or her heart to God. But downstairs in Nolan Hall, there is ample time to share some fellowship and get to know each other better. A parish that knows and loves each other, prays better upstairs in church together. Is there any particular way that I can remember you in my prayers?

Speaking of getting to know each other, this week we are beginning to get ready for Lent. Yes! Lent is just around the corner. A wonderful way to grow during Lent is by joining a small group. Small Groups meet weekly, on campus or in members’ homes. This is where the big parish gets small and where people get to tell their stories and explore how God is moving in their lives. It is not complicated or fancy. It is just people coming together for some prayer and sharing, walking together on the road of discipleship. And it is a great way for members to really get to know each other, share connections and become more immersed in our parish life.

I cannot stress enough how impactful small groups have been in the lives of our people, and in my own life. At youth group, we often held small group discussions; sharing was a key aspect of our evenings. God really came alive for me during that time in my life. He became real, a person, someone who loves me. It is hard to explain. Witnessing God active in the lives of my friends, naming the graces, recognizing the blessings, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit each became real persons in my life. People I recognized. Before that God was a concept or idea: all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing. Coming to see evidence of Him alive in my life and the life of my friends just made Him real for us. If there is one thing that made a difference in my life, it was my small group experience as a teenager.

Over these past weeks, we have been speaking about defining moments - those key moments in our lives - highlights or lowlights that really shape our existence, illuminate a new understanding, give a deep sense of meaning. Moments, outsized in their impact, which have the power to change the trajectory of our lives. Let me share one from my teenage years.

Some friends gathered in a home for the evening. Kids I did not know pulled out a ouija board. They started asking questions. My Mom had told me never to play with a ouija board - and you should not. Although none of the kids playing knew me, the board eerily guessed my name, perfectly, on the first try. Goosebumps. Immediately, I began to pray under my breath: “In the name of Jesus, I bind you and send you to His feet. In the name of Jesus, be gone.” Over and over. All of sudden, the board stopped working. It went dead. The kids playing with the board got frustrated and put it away. I remember that moment as clear as day. I learned three things that day: evil spirits are real; this is not a game; and the power of Jesus’ name. Definitely for me a defining moment on my journey, strongly illuminating the truth that a battle rages for souls just beyond our view. A whole world exists beyond our sight, just as Jesus shows his power over that world by exorcizing a demon in our Gospel today. 

Please take a minute and sign up for a small group for Lent. See the form on page 5. It could change your life.

God bless!
Fr. Joel