Our basketball gym in high school had a balcony at one end behind the basket. From there you could look down and see the whole court.

During practice the coach would diagram a new play and explain the pattern each player was to run to create the shot. Needless to say we would get lost in all the switches and picks. One player, losing their part of the play, would mess up everybody else. “Again!! Run it again!”, coach would yell.

Blowing it for about the third time the coach would yell, “Horan get up there. Get the big picture.” These were orders to climb up to the balcony and look down on the court. You could see the whole play and what part each player was to accomplish. Coming back down you kept the image of what you’d just seen and the play finally made sense!

It makes you wish we had a place we could go to get the big picture for our life. But you and I know it doesn’t work that way. There are all kinds of things that happen that “change the play”. Things like: 70 mph winds that knock your power out for three days, you throw your back out and can’t lift your baby, the company is over budget and your job has to go, getting out of debt seems impossible, the relatives are driving us crazy. Etc.

Life can be a bumpy ride. Is there anything that doesn’t move and change? Something that re- mains constant in times of trouble? Is there a North Star that beckons to me and tells me where I’m headed in my life?

There is of course, but it’s hidden among a bunch of counterfeit destinations. You know those. The perfect: job, house, car, neighborhood, school, wardrobe, friends, vacation etc. Or maybe it’s in finishing your life’s bucket list. (So you’ve climbed Mt. Kilamanjaro, been to the Masters, and seen the pyramids . . . . now what?).

Friends, we’re not the first people to ask that question. The rich young man in the Gospel (Mt. 19:16-25) asked the same question . . . “What must I do to get where I’m supposed to be?”. Jesus’ answer was simple, “keep the commandments”. If we need further explanation . . . “love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

And where does that get us? The Kingdom of God. The rest is all filler; what we do while we’re loving God and neighbor.

It’s not that complicated – – – if you get the “Big Picture”.

Our home is with God. Let’s start today to claim it with the way we live.

Bless your Lenten days.

Fr. Tim

(In the Words of Pope Francis)

• Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
• Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
• Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
• Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
• Fast from worries and have trust in God.
• Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
• Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
• Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy.
• Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
• Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
• Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

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 also 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” some- thing. 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 mode of receiving. Unless we see, hear, touch, taste or smell some- thing, 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 senses; 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. The giver of this gift is God’s Holy Spirit. And from that point on, whatever happened contains “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 Ho- ly Spirit speaking through the people around us. This is God calling out to us.

Lord give us the ears to hear.

Fr. Tim

Back in high school if you were trying out for one of the varsity sports there was this thing called “two a days”. Generally it consisted of four hours of grueling practice, two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon. It was meant to see who really wanted to play. Fainter hearts would soon find other interests. We hated “two a days.”

That’s kind of how we look at Lent isn’t it – – – six weeks of getting in spiritual shape. Feelings of dread get stirred. “No chocolate! No whiskey! No TV! No whining! No fun for six weeks. Oh dear. Spencer Tracy, in God is My Co-Pilot, reaches over and smacks me . . . “get a hold of yourself! This is a good thing.”

This is not a very helpful way to begin! It’s important that we start this journey in the right frame of mind. I like to look at it as getting back to some ba- sics in life. Things like balance, temperance, accountability, moderation, and focus, can re-order our personal lives so we begin to see what really matters.

Most importantly, renewed kindness, generosity, devotion and prayer can, by God’s grace, increase our desire to live for God. We get reminded that our time on this earth is God’s gift, a gift to be lived in loving God and our neighbor.

And why is this clean-up necessary? Because we let things go. A spiritual sloth weighs us down and dulls our senses. We let our appetites for all kinds of things get too big and we know it. Deep down a little voice tells us, “you’re getting sloppy/careless/ greedy/selfish/snobby, etc.”

And most of all, lukewarm to God. We don’t mean for these things to happen, they just do. Like dust on your coffee table.

We’ll look closer at the Lenten practice of fasting in the weeks ahead. For now it’s sufficient to know the purpose of fasting is to free us from ourselves.

Denying ourselves some legitimate pleasure, letting ourselves become “hungry” rather than satisfying a particular appetite; these things quiet the inner voice that always wants “more”. We’ve come to pamper that voice over the year; the result being a certain slavery to whatever appeals in the moment.

Now the good news is it eventually becomes a joyful discipline. We rediscover some wonderful things we had forgotten about; things like a calmer spirit, a clearer vision of life’s “essentials”, a better understanding of how to use the things of this world properly, without excess or hoarding or waste.

But most essential in the Lenten fast is that it opens us to God and then to our neighbor. Freed from the spoiled child in us, the Lord gives us a quicker eye to see the needs of those around us.

So let’s start slow. Take some time in prayer. Ask God to show you “one thing” that needs to go (at least for a while). Make a conscious offering of it to God. (Eg. “Lord, with your grace, help me to let go of ……..”)

God will show you. One thing, not too big. Make it a gift to God. Watch what he does with it!!

Lord be with us on this journey.

Fr. Tim

W. B. Yeats called it the ever “widening gyre” *. The image was of a falcon and the falconer who calls the bird to its roost. The bird has flown to a distance it can no longer see or hear its master. “The falcon cannot hear the falconer. Things fall apart. The center cannot hold.” The poem refers to the forces of history or culture that take a person and a civilization away from their true self.

Something like this happens in every age of history, its effects appear in our culture today and our young people are most severely affected. We’re losing a sense of our center, our true selves, and what is most disconcerting – – we don’t sense the loss. The forces that separate falcon from falconer are many and complex. To keep it simple we can point to an imbalance of the “inner world” and the “external world”.

The inner world refers to that realization a person has of himself. His center. His likes and dislikes, personality, characteristics and values. We experience it better that we can talk about it. It’s our soul, our center. Who we are. It’s the “me” that turns when I hear my name called.

The “outer world” of course is that environment outside ourselves; events, persons, circumstances in which we act and are acted upon. Some have called it “the daily grind”.

Between these two poles, the center in me and the world out there, my human life happens. I go out of myself to encounter the world and the people it brings. Then I return to the inner world and the conversation begins. “What was that? Why did that happen? Did I do the right thing?” etc.

These two poles of life, the going out and the returning “home”, need to be in balance. What happens to us in the world needs guidance and judgement from within. What happens within is activated and called out by the world around us.

The problem is the world and its pressing issues, the unending chatter of social media, news and entertainment, is overwhelming the “inner person.” There’s no home in ourselves to return to. We are in turmoil. Things fall apart.

In those rare moments when television or internet are turned off, we can grow restless or slightly embarrassed to be “alone with ourselves”.

The sudden quiet catches us off guard and in the silence a weird feeling of being a stranger to ourselves comes over us.

To meet ourselves in such a moment can even frighten us. “Who is this person? It’s ME!!” Oh dear. Me. “What am I going to do with me?”

And so we check our email, text someone, see what’s on TV, phone somebody . . . anything to avoid being with myself.

This estrangement from ourselves has sad consequences for our relationship with God. How can we hear the voice of God if we can’t hear the voice of our own conscience. (that inner voice urging us to “do this.” Or “don’t do that” Or “good job!” Or “shame on you.”)

Remember Jesus telling us “when you talk to God (pray) go to your room. Close the door. And pray to your Father in secret.” Mt. 6:5,6? Why in secret? Because the way God chooses to speak to you is as a friend. And friends give each other their full attention. A friend speaks personally to you like no other, many times quietly, just be- tween the two of you.

In the quiet, over time, we return to ourselves and begin to hear things in our heart once again. I remember one year on retreat at a monastery walking down a country path. Suddenly it happened . . . I heard the wind blowing through the trees. I mean I HEARD THE WIND. I heard it because I was LISTENING.

Later on, if you continue to listen, you can hear the things your heart has wanted to tell God. “Lord, it’s me. I just want to tell you . . .” Many times it’s just being aware of your feeling and giving them to God “who sees.”

So how to end this? Get quiet. Put down the iPhone. Come home to yourself. Re-acquaint yourself to what you’re feeling, thinking, loving, fearing. Then. . . turn to Him. Speak anything (anything!) you want to get off your chest, be grateful for, need help with.

He is there. “Your Father who hears in secret. . . knows what you need.” Mt. 6:8.

That is a promise from Christ. Trust Him.

Fr. Tim

W. B. Yeats, The Second Coming

Prayer for Lent

As we look ahead to our Lenten journey, may our fasting be a hunger for justice and our alms an offering of peace. May our prayers be the reflection of peace and also of humble and grateful hearts. We ask the Holy Spirit to accompany us on this journey of encounter as we spend these 40 days reflecting on what is means to live in solidarity as one global human family. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father forever and ever. Amen

Holy Trinity Parish has been a strong support to the refugee ministry that happens at Mary’s Place on Lexington Avenue in the city. What follows is a Q & A published by Mary’s Place which I think is well researched and even handed. I hope you find it helpful. Holy Trinity will continue to support the works of Mary’s Place.

Fr. Tim

Things we should all know about Refugees in Rochester.

As you know, Mary’s Place, a ministry of the Cathedral Community, has been serving refugees in northwest Rochester since 2009. The recent suspension of U.S. refugee admissions for at least several months, has caused anxiety in the refugee community and deep concern among our parishioners.

Below we have answered some of the most frequent questions about the refugee situation and Mary’s Place, located in the former Holy Rosary Church on 414 Lexington Avenue.

What is the difference between an immigrant and a refugee?

An immigrant is any person living permanently in a foreign country. In recent years approximately 1 million authorized immigrants have entered the United States annually. Authorized immigrants arrive with Visas and have or acquire “green cards,” which prove they have the right to live and work here as permanent residents.

An undocumented immigrant arrives without a visa or official permission to reside here. Estimates put the number of undocumented immigrants at about 11 million nationwide, but that number has stabilized in recent years.

Refugees are people driven from their home countries by war, persecution and violence. Their status must be certified by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees, which determines that they would face persecution, even death, if returned to their home countries. There are no “illegal” refugees here; they are resettled with the support and assistance of the United States Government.

How many refugees are settled in Rochester every year, and where do they come from?

In recent years, between 700 and 750 refugees have come to Rochester annually, but that total spiked to nearly 1,200 in 2016. (Since 1980, more than 15,000 refugees have been settled in Rochester.) Rochester’s newest refugees have come from Burma, Nepal, Sudan, Somalia, Congo, Syria and several other countries.

Do refugees represent a terrorist threat?

No. Since 9/11, 800,000 refugees have been admitted to the United States. Sources differ slightly, but agree that just two to five refugees have been charged with attempting to provide support for a terrorist organization. None have been charged with carrying out a terrorist act.
How are refugees vetted before they come to the United States?

After a lengthy investigation by the United Nations to determine refugee status, those designated for resettlement in the United States, are interviewed multiple times and cross-checked against numerous data bases and watch lists by the Departments of State, Homeland Security, Defense and the FBI. This already “extreme vetting” practice takes 18 to 24 months and has clearly been effective in denying admission to refugees who might pose a threat.

Does the U.S., as President Trump says, give preference to Muslim refugees over Christians?

Absolutely not. In 2016, 46 percent of incoming refugees were Muslim, while 44 percent were Christians – a small difference. But, last year was the first since 2006, according to the Pew Research Center, when Muslims outnumbered Christians among refugees.

(Give This to a 20/30 Something)

Just west of Des Moines, Iowa, Interstate 80 hits a fork in the road. If you’re going to San Francisco you keep on I-80 heading west. If you want to go to Houston you bear south on I-35. Two roads heading to two different places. Where do you want to go?

It’s like life. Where you want to go determines which road you take. But here’s where we get caught. We don’t know what to think about life. “Look,” we say, “I just want to be happy”. “Whatever makes me and my loved ones happy, that’s what I want.”

Okay. But what does our real happiness consist in? Not surprisingly I suggest our key to happiness is God. Not that we chose Him . . . rather He has already created us to be His children. We are Children of God. Let’s start there.

Here’s what happens if there is no God

(or if there is a God, one who is indifferent to human history).

1. Nothing means anything. Everything is up for grabs as to what is important or valuable or worthy of caring for. There is no goal or standard by which any thing can be judged as “good” or “bad”. It doesn’t matter what you think, there’s no final truth to any thing.
2. Since there is no supreme or ultimate goodness that guides our actions, then “lesser goods” will compete for our attention. (Money or possessions of course. Leisure and pleasure are pretty attractive too).
3. We become potential “threats” to each other if what you and I both want is in limited supply.
4. Things like sickness or poverty or tragic happenings can only be seen as absurd (something like a bad joke). Flee these things. Pity those who encounter them.
5. Any longing or fleeting feeling that our lives have ultimate meaning is an illusion and should be treated like Santa Claus with our children. (However let these continue as long as it keeps them happy).
6. The noble sentiments that we do have (patience, generosity, brother/sisterhood) leave pretty quickly when life punches us in the nose. Kindness evaporates when you’ve been robbed or lied to.
7. Our best hopes for our children would be that they were skillful hunters in getting what they want in a world that doesn’t care.
8. About the best thing we can wish anybody is “Good Luck”.

Pretty grim wouldn’t you say? Yet that is the way of the human heart without God. You see we humans were MADE FOR God. Made to enter into relationship with Him and without Him . . . . we lose our purpose for existing. We become, as renowned theologian Romano Guardini put it, “clever animals”.

Here’s what happens when you discover God in your life.

(These follow 1-8 above)

1. Everything means something. The fact that something “is” gives it purpose in the plan of God.
2. The “lesser goods” become what they were intended to be—joys of life that point to a loving God who wishes our happiness.
3. Loved by God (and revealed in Christ), we become brothers and sisters to each other NOT “threats” or rivals.
4. The hard things in life (sickness, etc.) have been redeemed. They too now serve God’s purpose. (We only know this by Jesus Christ who took suffering and death to himself as part of God the Father’s plan of salvation.)
5. Longing for peace or fulfillment in life is a grace put there by God to remind us of our true home. “Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee Oh Lord.” St. Augustine.
6. Noble sentiments for humanity again are graces from God calling us to ACT on behalf of our common good as Children of God.
7. Our best hope for our children is that they would grow to be good and kind and happy in “doing what is right and just”. And that they too would come to know the presence of God in their life.
8. Our best wish for someone? “Go with God”?

Sooo…Go with God!

Fr. Tim

Public Policy Issues

In February our diocese reminds us of the need to continue to educate ourselves about public policy issues. Each year an issue is thoughtfully presented to area Catholics to consider in light of our rich faith.

Legislation has been introduced in New York State that would authorize assisted suicide by allowing doctors to legally prescribe a deadly dose of pills at the request of a patient with a terminal diagnosis. This would allow the direct and intentional taking of a human life. There will be petitions at all exits of the church this weekend. These petitions will be hand delivered to our representatives urging them to focus on palliative care and pain management for all those who are terminally ill. Please consider signing this important petition as well as reading more about this issue at www.dor.org

So here are the numbers. Bishop Matano asked Holy Trinity Parish to give $142,500 for this year’s Catholic Ministry Appeal. 589 households (down from 596) have responded by so far pledging $132,400. This leaves a little over $10,000 to go to make our goal.

Lastly, 28.3% of the parish participated in the CMA. (That’s lower than the diocesan average for parish participation which is 33%)

Our goal ($142,000) is determined each year using a diocesan formula that considers, 1. The number of registered families in the parish, 2. Average mass attendance, 3. Average Sunday collection, 4. Average yearly household income in this region.)

But those are just numbers. The Catholic Ministry Appeal is about people, people in need. We can’t solve all the needs in the diocese here at Holy Trinity. But together, we can make a huge difference in the lives of people we may never meet. Once again, can I show you where your contributions go?

** Seminarians study for priesthood. (yearly tuition averages over $40,000 times 13 sems! That’s $520,000 needed per year.)

** La Casa, safe housing for migrant workers in Wayne/ Ontario Counties

** Food and clothing shelters throughout the 12 counties of our diocese

** Pro-life ministries helping expectant mothers find alternatives to the tragic choice of abortion by providing counseling, medical assistance, baby needs, and support along the journey.

** CYO (coaches and “CASE” training to insure safety for minors)

** Maintaining professional staffing at the Pastoral Office to help parishes with expertise in building maintenance, religious education programs, Youth and campus ministry

** Provides help to college campus ministries to insure a Catholic presence for young students far from their home parishes.

** Financial aid for tuition assistance for Catholic schools.

And much much more!!

So what do we still need? Holy Trinity needs about 100 households from the 1,489 who have not yet stepped forward to lend a hand in this huge parish responsibility. If you’ve read this so far and have not contributed . . . won’t you please help? It might begin with a conversation with your spouse or children, something like “what shall we give to help the spiritual and physical needs in our diocese?”

But then what? How much do we give? Each of us must decide. We priests need to give more for two reasons: 1. we know better than you all the good the CMA does – so we have to help. 2. I get free room and board at Holy Trinity (thanks to you!), so I’ve got some money to give to those who don’t have it quite so easy.

How about you give what one month’s cable TV costs you? That would be a sign to God that the needy are as important to you as watching your favorite TV show.

In the end I know you will do what you are able. God has blessed us with so much. As always (this giving thing never ends!) We need to give back in proportion to what each has received.

This is such a generous parish. I have no worry that we will do our duty.

Bless you each day.

Fr. Tim

2017 High School Retreat “Mercy and Grace”

Camp Stella Maris
Friday, March 24, 7:00 pm. – Sunday March 26, with closing Mass at 11:30 am.

Take a weekend full of laughter, learning, lots of food and recharge for Spring!
Registration forms can be found on the parish website and in the parish office. Cost for the weekend is $75.00 and includes overnight accommodations and meals. Registrations are due to Mrs. Sleeman by Sunday, February 26th.

College Care Packages

Do you know a college student who could use a mid-winter pick-me-up? Would you like them to receive a box full of goodies from their parish family? Registration forms are available on the parish website and in the Parish Office.

Registration includes a request of $5.00 to cover shipping costs and are due to Helen Sleeman by Sunday, February 26th. On that date, the youth group will be getting packages ready for shipping! What a great way to share some love this February!

I think I was around 12 yrs. old when mom and dad took our family on one of our rare family vacations. We went to Monmouth Cave in southern Kentucky. It is a magnificent cavern deep deep in the ground filled with stalactites and stalagmites with beautiful crystalline gems flashing brilliant colors.

There are many memories I have of this trip. One which sticks out the most, and one that still speaks to me fifty years later, is the sight of a school of brown trout swimming in an underground stream that flowed through the cave. Generations of these fish had lived on the floor of this darkened cave – – – dark as in pitch black.

The park service had installed lights along a portion of the underground stream allowing visitors a brief glimpse of the fish who otherwise lived in total darkness. Over time something very strange had happened; with absolutely no light penetrating the cave these fish had lost their eyes.

How strange it was to see that milky white membrane over what should have been a dark round fish eye. Over the generations of darkness, nature had seen the futility of sight and basically closed up shop. Use ’em or lose ’em!

You see, of course, the analogy to faith here, right? Faith is a way of seeing how God is present and acting in the world and my life. When we were children it was easy to see God’s handiwork.

Remember?. . . snow flakes, (not one of them the same), the stars at night, the ocean, thunderstorms, babies, kittens, flowers, ice cream, clean sheets, stories at bedtime, Christmas Eve, strong parental arms around them . . . all these wonderful experiences lead a child to know there is a God (most times through you, but sometimes from the Holy Spirit himself.)

A child is a lover of God by nature. It’s what they do. (“Unless you receive the Kingdom of Heaven like a little child you shall not enter.”) Lk 18:17.

But then . . . well, you know. We grow up; get “real”. We see and hear things that shake us, changing the way we view the world. Along with this we discover a part of our- selves that can do bad things. We look around and see a world that doesn’t pause when we stumble and fall. Good people we’ve known have fallen prey to lies and tricks and been changed in the process . . . they’ve “toughened up”.

And God sort of disappears. We can’t see him for the darkness around us. In fact, like the fish we can lose the eyes to see. The sentiment of faith becomes a distant childhood memory of our First Communion or setting up the Nativity Scene. We’ve let darkness put a membrane over our eyes.

So what do we do? Why not do what the blind man did in Luke’s gospel. “He called out, ‘Jesus, have pity on me!'” Lk. 18:35ff. And Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man answered “Lord I want to see again.” To which Jesus replied, “See again! Your faith has saved you.”

It’s really that simple. Acknowledge the fact that you’re blind to the things of God. You can’t see anything but the world and its cynical message—“Good Luck Pal.”

The next step can sometimes feel like falling off a cliff. When, from the center of your being, you gag forth the words, “Lord I want to see again.” Lord help me see you in my life and in my spouse and in my work and in my child and in my trials and . . and . . and.”

God cannot resist this prayer. In time – – – persist! You will hear the Lord, “See Again.”

You are an irreplaceable image of God’s goodness.

Fr. Tim

We’ve often mentioned the different states in life that contain their own special vocation: the single life, married life and consecrated religious life (priesthood/sisterhood/brotherhood). Each “state” in life presents different ways of living out the one vocation we all have – – – to bring the love of Christ to the world.

Here at Holy Trinity we’ve kept careful record of the different vocations God has called forth from the people. So let’s see . . . in the last 80 years, 19 men and women from our parish have been given the vocation to the religious life as a priest (6) or sister (13). (5 men have also been called to the diaconate.)

Guess how many men and women have been called by God to the married life? Over 2,100. Why so many more married persons than religious life? God wants more families. God wants more children in His Kingdom! And that means He wants more husbands and wives.

Marriage has to happen before there’s anybody to even think about become a priest or a sister!

Marriage is the state in life that suits most people. It is the life that touches the deepest longing of the human heart — where we learn to love and be loved. Here we receive the wonderful gift of family which gives us that necessary human experience of ” belonging”. (I’m so glad my mother and father followed God’s plan for their life. My life was given to me because of it.)

It is a personal consolation to me to know that my life as a priest was the result of an invitation from God. I hope and pray that our young people here at Holy Trinity will begin to see in their fiancé not just a beautiful, nice, fun person, but see in them God’s gift. And to take strength and courage that it is God’s idea that they love each other and live their lives together.

This is the strength that comes to us in our “vocation”. It’s not just our personal choice of how to live life — it is God’s invitation to share life with someone hand picked by the Holy Spirit for you. This trust in God’s intention for a married couple can strengthen them when life proves difficult.

Do you begin to see the strength that our faith brings to a marriage? Girls, look for a young man who goes to mass. Boys, the mother of your children could well be in line for communion ahead of you.

Lastly . . . young people . . . pray for your future spouse . . . that God will keep them safe up to the day you meet them for the first time!

I imagine God asking husbands and wives at the gates of heaven. “Did you love her?” “Did you love him?” “Like I showed you in my Son?”

God loves you more than you know.

Fr. Tim