I’m thinking of a spiritual lesson I’ve had to learn over and over in my life. It’s the simple fact that God wants all of me.

What do we mean when we say “all of me” (all of you)? Think of our many parts . . . our mind and its reasoning, our memory, our desires, our freedom, our work, talents, relationships etc. All these are gifts from God to be used in a loving “dominion” over this world. But he wants us to do it in partnership with him.

The problem is I don’t want a senior partner, I want to be in charge. After all . . . these habits are mine. I’ve spent a lifetime developing my routine: bedtime, cocktail, personal time, a hobby, etc., all these are mine. I’ll do what I want with them. Again . . . it’s the “I’m the Boss” thing.

So God is patient. He lets us have our way. However it has profound effects in our relationship with Him. I don’t know about you, but every time I take free reign of my life, with no concern for God’s will . . . things get muddy. (Look at the frustration people are beginning to ex- press as we Shelter in Place. We forget the common good and start to see our private lives threatened . . . “What no haircuts?!!” . . . “I gotta wear a mask?!!”, “This is not Freedom!”)

It’s weird. I start out wanting a little “life for myself”. And guess what? I start to discover there’s a growing part of me that doesn’t want God interfering with my habits at all.

Look what’s happened to God. God becomes “the Law”, the cop in my rearview mirror. A kill joy, someone to fear or at least avoid. This, friends, is the effect of original sin in us. God is someone to flee.

Poor God. How we twist things about Him. How we make Him out to be some grumpy boss who loves to order people around. Our vision of life slowly changes. Happiness is something to be grasped by ourselves. God is someone to flee. Adam and Eve hid themselves.

So what went wrong? We did. We failed to give God everything. Call it what you want . . . mistrust, selfishness, pride, arrogance . . . it’s all the same. Quietly God calls to us but we’re not in the mood to listen. We’ve forgotten something very important.

We’ve forgotten that God loves us. We’ve forgotten, that in creating us out of nothing, He knows us better than we know ourselves. And it’s from the love that thought us up, we receive His will. And, get this, God’s will is our true happiness! I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve begged God for a particular outcome to a problem only to discover God’s eventual answer was even better, smarter, cleaner, kinder!

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, prayed this prayer (The Suscipe) for God to have all of him. Praying this is like closing your eyes and falling into the arms of God. See what you think.

O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess, Thou hast given me: I surrender it all to Thee to be disposed of according to Thy will. Give me only Thy love and Thy grace; with these I will be rich enough and will desire nothing more. Amen.

Still working on that “smile” thing. How about you?

Fr. Tim

Some weeks ago in this space I mentioned a few “misconceptions” we have about God. The first, and probably most misleading, is the subtle way we manipulate God into being what we want him to be.

There’s a good reason why we have this tendency. After all scripture tells us we were “made in the image and likeness of God.” Genesis 2. The apostle John tells us “we are God’s children”. Jesus tells us to call God our “Father”. All these lead us to faith in God who is a “person”.

Yes, we are made in GOD’S image, we’re “like” God. The gifts of intellect, freedom, and will make us into “persons”. He created us “like” him because he wanted to have a relationship with his creation that was personal and capable of love.

Perhaps the most powerful affirmation of God being “like us” is in the very words of Jesus. When asked by Philip, “Lord, show us the Father.” Jesus said, “Philip, when you see me you see the Father. For the Father is in me and I in the Father.” John 14:8 No wonder we start thinking “God is like us”

But, here’s where we make our mistake. God is not made in OUR image. He’s God! But that’s what we so often do… we think of God acting as we would act. And when it doesn’t happen the way we want (when something seems “too late”, or “not enough”, or “my wishful prayers go unanswered”) . . . we start to think God just doesn’t care. God is silent.

This brings us to a very important fork in the road. We can submit to the fact that, as creatures, we are given the privilege of knowing and loving God OR we can declare ourselves The Boss and be our own reason for existence.

Back to Adam and Eve . . . what was their temptation? “You will become like God.” said the serpent. They wanted a God “their way”, not as He truly is.

So what’s the solution to this tension (my way or God’s way)? It’s Jesus Christ. In him, God’s way becomes understandable and fully human. “I am the way, the truth and the life”, Jesus tells us.

My way or Christ’s way? Many walk away at this point. There was a critical moment in Jesus’s ministry when this very thing happened. He had just told the crowds that he is “the bread come down from heaven . . . the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. . . . as a result of this many of his disciples would no longer accompany him.” John Ch. 6 (read it all).

Jesus turns to the apostles and asks, “Do you also want to leave?” What a moment! It’s either go back to fishing and forget this Jesus OR SUBMIT to this man as holding the key to human life. Peter, bless him, answers, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” In other words . . . Lord there’s no words of eternal life.” In other words . . . Lord there’s no one else. YOU are God’s visitation to us.

The stakes are pretty high. This is God’s way for me OR not. This is the one I will follow OR I’ll find my own way. This is the moment of Faith. It’s a moment of surrender to the mystery of God . . . as he is . . . not as I make him to be.

But remember, in the end, this is a surrender to love. Jesus is the love of God. God’s love took on human existence to be our brother, our shepherd, our door to eternal life.

Dear God give us the grace to surrender to you just as you are. Just as we see you revealed in your Son Jesus Christ.

Don’t be afraid.
Fr Tim

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Has there ever been an Easter Sunday like this in your life? Remember your ashes on Ash Wednesday? Who would have thought this?

But today, amidst the chaos and worry, our faith tells us Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.

I’ve seen Him . . . no really, He’s there . . . in the men and women who put their lives at risk to save others . . . In the good people exhausting themselves to find solutions to the virus chaos. . . . in the hope we hold in our hearts, that by His death and Resurrection, Christ has secured an eternal home for the human race.

Dare we say it? Of course!

Happy Easter!!!
Fr. Tim

Well, it finally happened. I have a friend who is seriously ill with the Coronavirus.

Till now it has been a distant menace that I hoped my friends and family could avoid. The pandemic was a map on TV of “virus hot spots” and growing numbers. “Glad I’m not THERE”, I thought as I looked at the big red circle over New York City.

That was yesterday. Today it’s personal. Ted, I’m praying for you.

So dear friend . . . I’m sure you have your own story developing during these tense days. One of the questions many people are asking is “Where is God?”. And “Why would God let this happen?”.

In fact, it brings up a whole big question about the world and suffering and the “Goodness” of God. Or more simply put . . . “What are you doing God?”

Do you find your faith tested in this way? Perhaps it’s time for us to look a bit deeper into some misconceptions we’ve been living with for years.

Some misconceptions:

1. God should behave the way I think he should. After all, I’m a good guy. I know right from wrong, good from bad. Why doesn’t God do what I would do – – take away the bad things in this world (like this virus)? He certainly has the power. Why won’t he use it now to take this away?
2. God made us to be “happy”. Everybody wants that in their life. Well, guess what? . . . this is not making me happy. I feel cheated.
3. Suffering is bad. There should be no suffering. Fix it God.
4. It seems we’ve been left alone to figure this out all by ourselves. Why doesn’t God give us the antidote? Now!

I think we’ve all encouraged these thoughts about how God should act. Our prayers frequently tell him what he should do. (He NEVER listened to my insisting he let the Cleveland Indians win the World Series.)

So what does real Catholic Faith say about these questions and feelings?

Response to misconceptions 1-4 above:

1. This is a big mistake and sends us in a totally wrong direction. WE are not the measure of how things should go. We are “creatures” called into existence by God. Everything we have (our very existence) comes from Him. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways.” Isaiah 55:8,9. We exist because of his loving will. That will we pray “be done. On Earth, as it is in heaven.” Did God send the virus? No. But God’s “fix” for it is not necessarily what ours would be.

2. Yes, God made us to “know, love and serve Him in this life; and be happy with Him in the next.” Baltimore Catechism. But, this “happiness” (the bible uses “joy” or “glory”) comes in being united with God’s holy will. And what is His holy will? That we image Christ. That’s the happiness the world cannot take away.

3. Yes suffering is bad . . . by itself. Jesus spent his life healing and relieving suffering. But it changes when it is endured for reasons of love. Christ crucified is God’s highest example of this kind of love. “No greater love than this has one that they lay down their life . . .” John 15:13. Share my suffering says Jesus, and you will share my joy.

2. All alone? No we’re not! We have each other. That’s the second part of this creature we are. We belong to each other. God made us that way. That’s why we laugh and cry at the same things. That’s where the miracle of compassion comes from. (Ever choke up seeing a child lost and crying for their mother?) We cry together! We’re all together in this.

Lastly, God made us free. What a wonderful gift. We are free to love (or not), to give (or not), to give thanks (or not). God did not make us puppets. He offers us the joy of working freely with him to bring about His Kingdom.

I hope we can use this time of suffering to open ourselves to the mystery of God’s love for us and His plan for bringing light out of this darkness.

Don’t be afraid.
Fr. Tim

I look back at my calendar; two weeks ago I watched a little of the CYO basketball tournament in Murphy Hall, I spoke with 40 Confirmation Candidates, I went to dinner with some good friends, and was looking forward to March Madness on TV.

It seems like a year ago now. How about you?

So what to say? It would be silly to think that any one attempt could explain what this moment presents to us. We’re still a bit wobbly on our feet, trying to comprehend all that has happened (and what is yet to come). It’s way too early to say “What The Coronavirus Means To Me”. I mean this thing is still just rolling out.

That said, isn’t there something we can hold onto that can help us keep our feet? Something to steady the ship? How about “Best Practices During a Pandemic”?!

Try these:

• Keep the hygiene and social gathering rules. They’re meant to protect everyone. My sisters are safer if you keep the rules. Thank you.
• Make a little game out of being homebound. I don’t know . . . pretend you’re in a spaceship, or you’re on a long flight to a country you’ve never visited. What do we do? Sleep, think, wonder, smile.
• Time management changes. Two weeks ago we didn’t have enough time to tie our shoes. Now it feels like we’re drowning in time.
• Your daily schedule is necessarily changed. Embrace it. You have a new job now – – find a way to use your time well. Maybe make a list; what I want to do by noon. What needs to happen before dinner? Etc.
• Avoid easy escape habits. You know, IPhone, TV, Netflix, internet, Snapchat. These are all legitimate uses of our time, but over the last few years they have come to rule much of our lives.
• See in this crisis time an opportunity to create new habits. Do outrageous things like . . . read a book! Talk to your spouse (No, REALLY TALK to your spouse. And REALLY LISTEN to them. (Children too of course.)
• Feed your soul. Let’s face it we let a lot of junk into our brains. Instead of “binging” on what? “Housewives of New York”? OR, “Greatest Golf Rounds Ever Played”? Why not LEARN something?
• These days contain God’s will. What is God inviting you to do? Is there something pulling at your heart? A relationship that needs mending? A promise you made that you haven’t kept so well? Someone who’s not doing so well in these days? . . So what are you waiting for?
• Maybe with all this new time on your hands you can give some to the Lord. How about taking Jesus seriously when he says “When you pray, go to your room and close the door. Your Father will see you in secret.”

Really. Go to your room and close the door! Tell God, “I’m here Lord”. Give him a couple things you’re feeling about life. Something like: “It’s been too long Lord. But, here I am. I want to be what you want me to be.” “Lord help me.” The Holy Spirit will, over time, show you the conversation God invites you into.

Okay. So let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There’s a lot more we’ll be learning in the weeks ahead. Please know that the Lord has promised to be with us through it all.

Spring began last Thursday. Yay!!
Fr. Tim

It’s a new phrase – – sea change. It describes a situation where, suddenly, everything looks different. Ever been out fishing on a warm summer day? The water is smooth like a mirror, but with a sudden breeze the whole lake changes to whitecaps. Sea change.

So the Corona virus is a sea change. Just a few weeks ago we were looking forward to March Madness, class reunions, dinners out, concerts, graduations, etc. Suddenly it all changes.

I suppose we each have our own way of responding to this profound altering of life. For some, there is a little panic I suppose . . . toilet paper is temporarily in short supply. (Why toilet paper? Someone explain this to me please.)

Others like myself are SLOWLY beginning to realize the vast difference in everyday life. “What do you mean there’s no priest dinner this Saturday?” On a more serious note, some are staring at the loss of their job. How will they pay the bills? Oh dear.

There’s a sea change in the gospels. Jesus is crossing a lake (Mark 4:35) with the apostles. Suddenly what had been a smooth passage was fraught with wind and waves. And where was Jesus? “in the back of the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow.” (!)

“Save us Lord!” they cried. (We get that, don’t we?) “Jesus wake up. Do you not care that we are about to drown?” Mark (4:38) The story ends with Jesus calming the wind and the waves but not before rebuking the apostles for their lack of faith in him. Did they not know they were safe so long as he is with them?

So what does Christian faith mean at a time like this? Is Jesus asleep in the boat? Is he even with us in this pandemic?

Some things our faith tells us:

• These things happen. There are cracks in nature that occasionally bring about viruses, cancers, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. Why? Because nature itself is somehow disordered. It shares in the rebellion of Adam. “Through one man, sin entered the world. And through sin . . . death.” Romans 5:12. Okay? It’s a mystery.
• This is not the end. How do we know? The signs of Jesus’s return have not appeared: the conversion of Judaism to Christ, the sun and moon doing weird things, the Anti-Christ appearing.
• Don’t even trouble yourself with those “end” thoughts. Do your duty toward family and neighbor. God will take care of those big things.
• Where is Christ in these nervous times? He’s with the parent who struggles to pay the bills. He’s with the senior who is weak and vulnerable. He’s with young people who wonder if it’s worth trying your best when it all seems uphill. He’s there because YOU ARE THERE as his ambassador. You bring Christ’s light in the darkness. Hope to those who fear. You bring Christ to others – – – YOU bring him! (How are you doing?)
• Lastly . . . this too shall pass. When that day comes will we look back on how we have lived our lives with pride or embarrassment? Was there generosity, patience, good humor, kindness, OR did I spread fear, complaining, hoarding, selfishness?

So call your neighbor. Make sure they’re alright. Take some time (we seem to have quite a bit on our hands, don’t we) to pray . . . to read . . . to really talk with your loved ones. Above all, “Do not be afraid little ones. I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

– Fr. Tim

There’s this scene in Homer’s Odyssey where the boat of our adventurer Ulysses comes near to the island of the Sirens. He tells his men to tie him fast to the mast of the ship so that hearing the Sirens’ seductive song he will be unable to fling himself into the sea toward them.

Dangerous rocks lay all about the island and to come too near meant certain shipwreck. It’s a great story (written 3000 yrs. ago). We call it “Greek Mythology”. Did it happen in actual history? No. It’s a myth.

But is it true? Of course it’s true. Is there a “song” that if you listen to it you’ll be tempted to abandon your ship? You bet. Just ask the alcoholic whose friends invite him to a bar for “a couple of cold ones”. Ask the teenager (hormones raging) who knows of a website where “you can see it all”. Imagine the hoarder who hears about “buy one, get one free”.

We all hear the Sirens’ call. They know just the song to sing to each of us to have us sail toward that rocky shore.

So what do we do? (We’re talking about temptation of course.)

The first thing to do is be aware of the power of temptation. It has the uncanny ability to get under or around our desire to do the right thing. It needs to be respected for what it can talk us into. Be smart. Know how strong temptation can be.

Next thing. Be prepared. Know where you want to go. Know where you don’t want to go. Before the Sirens start “your song” be like Ulysses, take measures that will help you resist. You don’t have to tie yourself to a mast (!) but do something to help you resist.

• Let your friends know in advance that “you can’t go there”.
• Use your computer in the living room where others gather.
• Let a trusted friend know what your temptation is and ask their help (if only to listen to you and encourage you to keep up the good fight.) Ulysses asked his crew to tie him up!
• Pray daily for help to resist the Sirens’ song. God will come to your aid. St. Paul says if all else fails, your resolve is gone. “God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength: but with the trial he will also provide a way out.” 1 Cor. 10:13 (the Spirit gives you a good idea to do in that moment).
• Lastly . . . . RUN AWAY!!! Fleeing is a great way to defeat the Siren’s song. It’s not weakness to run. It’s wisdom. Someone yells “Fire!!” It’s not cowardice to flee!

Actually Ulysses was pretty lucky. He could have messed up big time. You see he had his men put wax in their ears so they wouldn’t even hear the Sirens.

He however had heard how entrancing their song was and he wanted to hear it for himself. So no wax for him! “I want to hear them sing.” (It’s called the “near occasion of sin”. Don’t go there.)

Lucky the mast held him back and he returned to tell his amazing story.

Homer (not Simpson!) and the Sirens We humans…..how patient God is with us.

Springtime blessings.
Fr. Tim

(This article appeared on June 11, 2017’s bulletin)

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind here at Holy Trinity. Special masses (funerals and Teen mass), Confirmation meeting and interviews, the Snow Ball Gala of course, etc. etc.

I am usually aware of all the people who help this parish through its paces. But this morning I’d like to tell the rest of us just a little of what goes on be- hind the scenes at Holy Trinity.

What follows is a shout out to all who make it happen. (No names. You know who you are.)

Thank you for:

• Whoever puts the morning paper outside the rectory door!
• For sacristans setting up the wine and water, chalice and candles for mass. Lectors, cantors, altar servers.
• For our choirs and choir directors who help us pray at mass.
• For our ushers who help us find seats (and take our money every week!)
• For the Greeters who smile and welcome us to mass.
• For all who sit on the committees that do such critical advising and stepping up. (Parish Council, Finance, Facilities, Liturgy, Cemetery Committees, Youth Advisory Board, Senior Advisory Board, Legion of Mary, Camillus, Dove, and the Maplewood ministries, Men’s Spirituality group, the Shawl and Knitting Ministries.
• For the meals that parishioners drop off each week to keep Fr.’s John and Tim alive.
• For our catechists teaching the children, our Pre- Cana Team for soon to be marrieds, + The RCIA and RCIC journeys of faith.
• For the Parish Staff that does such a fine job ensuring the day to day care of the parish: the religious education of children, parent baptismal preparation, the office management, ministry co- ordination, the Parish Office that processes hundreds of calls each week, our Maintenance Coordinator and Assistant who keep our campus beautiful, for our regional and diocesan finance connection.
• For Hope House that feeds and comforts hundreds and hundreds.

Had enough? Wait, there’s more.

• Sanctuary care (linens and flowers), Office Volunteers.
• Videographers, money counters, Bereavement Ministers, Martha Committee, Corpus Christi Ministry, Cursillo, Women’s Faith, Coffee Hours, CYO Coaches, Parish Picnic.
• Vacation Bible School, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Caregiver Support, our Website and Facebook Masters.

Whew!!! Thank you all. You make this place hum. (I’ve tried to include everyone but I bet I missed someone. Sorry.) And you know the best part of all of this? It’s a joy. “My yoke is easy. My burden is light.”

Want to help out? Call me or the parish office. If anyone tells you, “Thanks for wanting to help but we don’t need any, we’ve got this covered”, you call me. That’s not what we do here.

A blessed Lent to you.
Fr. Tim

If you’re going duck hunting and you want to get the flock to come your way, you’ll have to use a “duck call”. If you want to call a buck in the forest, you rattle some antlers. If you want to get a baby’s attention, you’ll use soft round tones and say their name.

These different attempts at communication are shaped by the recipient’s ability to receive the message. St. Thomas Aquinas captured this nugget of human truth six hundred years ago when he said, “Nothing occurs in the intellect (you can’t know anything) if it doesn’t come first through the senses.” Animals respond to biofeedback (heat, cold, hunger, sound). Humans respond to these same things, but having intellect they come to know things through sound—-think words.

This pre-condition for knowing has profound effects on our relationship with God. How can we hear the “Voice of God” who is pure infinite spirit? If you are an angel (pure “spirit person”) you have no body, no ears. There is no need to hear. Angels know things by “seeing” with their mind. In that sense they don’t have to learn; they get things immediately when their spirit “beholds” something. They know God immediately.

As for humans, God has made us in such a way that what we can know must first come to us through our 5 senses. Unless we see, hear, touch, taste or smell something, we can’t know anything about it.

So how then does God communicate to us? He does so by obeying the laws of learning we humans were given to know things. He comes to us through our human sens- es, primarily through seeing and hearing.

Abraham experienced a “vision” of God in which he and his wife Sarah “heard” of a promised child in their old age. What did he do? He believed.

Moses had a “vision” of God at the Burning Bush. He “heard” God say his name – “I Am”. And what did Moses do? He believed. (How you describe their seeing and hearing is a mystery – – no burning bush has ever spoken to me!)

In each case there was given this strange ability to “believe” that God was addressing them. And from that point on, whatever happened became “God’s plan”. Theologians call it “Salvation History” and it includes the events of human history interpreted with eyes and ears now open to what was heard through Faith . . . the bible.

St. Paul makes this literal connection between hearing and faith in the Letter to the Romans (10:14ff).

“But how can they call on him (God) in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him if they have not heard? And how will they hear without someone to preach? . . . Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes from the word of Christ.”

And in Hebrews 1:1, 2: “In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets (Abraham, Moses and Isaiah, etc.). In these last days, he spoke to us through a son, through whom he created all things.”

Of this Son, John the Apostle writes:, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes . . . and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life made visible to us . . . What we have seen and heard we now proclaim to you.” 1Jn. 1:1

And what is this word that God speaks? It is the “Word made flesh”, Jesus of Nazareth.

God continues to speak the word of Jesus in the scriptures, the teaching of the church, and the voice of God that is our conscience urging us to “do good and avoid evil”, and lastly God’s word comes at times from the people around us. This is God calling out to us.

Lord give us the ears to hear.

Fr. Tim

This will be a different bulletin article and not one I’m crazy about writing. It’s about “The Spirit World” and what we as Catholics believe about it.

Over my years as a priest I’ve had several people approach me (young and old) about an experience they’ve had with a spirit. They heard a voice or saw a shadow or silhouette in the room. Some have played with a Ouija Board and gotten “a message”. Some have gone to séances to connect with the spirit of someone now dead.

What are we to believe about such things and how are we to treat them?

First off the Bible and our Faith tell us that yes, there are intelligent spirits in the universe. They go by various names: angels, powers, principalities, demons. Both the Old and New Testaments testify to the existence of these “created” spirits in a realm beyond our human way of existing.

A familiar example would be the Angel Gabriel, who served in the classic capacity of an angel . . . “God’s Messenger” to Mary. We believe in the Guardian Angels given to each of us to watch over and protect. (Mt. 4:11, Mt. 18:10)

We also hear, of course, of “evil spirits” who, Catholic doctrine teaches are created spirits who failed the test of freedom to serve God prior to the Fall of Adam and Eve.

Okay . . . so the question for many is, “Can I get in touch with the spirit world?” Various reasons are given why someone would want this. 1. I want to know if my deceased loved one is at peace. 2. I’d like someone to tell me if I should make a change in my life or not. What is my future? 3. It’s fun in a spooky kind of way to entertain at a part.

Our Faith teaches us to be careful here. There is a danger for some well intentioned person to turn to the spirit world as a source of power separate from God.

A person begins to rely on incantations, séances, horoscopes, tea leaves and crystal balls to show them the future or answer life’s questions.

So what’s wrong with that? Simply put, it goes against our trust in God’s providence. God loves us and seeks a personal relationship with us as Our Father. Turning to a Ouija board to show us our future is telling God “he’s not enough” or “Trust in God but consult your Tarot Cards just to be sure.”

There are some things we aren’t supposed to know. God has chosen to keep some things hidden from us. For example – – when God will call each of us home. There is wisdom in this, knowing some things would keep us from living our everyday lives. “Not knowing” helps us turn to God in Faith and trust.

Psalm 131 tells us, “I have not gone after things too great for me. Like a weaned child on its mother’s breast so my soul lies within me.”

So trust in God. Be content in knowing what you know. Pray for those things about which you are concerned and know that God who “knit you in your mother’s womb”, Ps. 139, “knows what you need even before you ask”. Mt. 6:8.

Lastly. Are there spirits? Yes. Do they mess with us sometimes? Very seldom. (I think a rectory I lived in sometime ago had a very timid spirit living in the attic. Really I do. He stayed in the attic and didn’t bother me at all.)

You need to know, however, that any spirit owes its existence from God. God is not rivaled or challenged by spirits. God has complete charge of the freedom He gives to all his creatures and sets limits for them according to His good will.

In the end there is only one spirit to which our knees must bend – the Holy Spirit.

See you at the Snow Ball.

Fr. Tim