To walk as one

The parish priest was sick in the hospital and the newly arrived substitute was rushing around, getting ready for Mass on Ash Wednesday morning. He needed something to hold the container of Ashes for the blessing. He could find nothing suitable, except the manger from the Christmas Nativity set, which was being repaired in a back workroom. He placed a purple cloth in the manger, added the bowl of ash and placed it in front of the altar. The display became His homily—the reason for Christmas is Easter.

Customs, family traditions and spiritual practices help make a liturgical season’s importance more practical and realistic. When we act out our beliefs, ritualizing them in prayer, religious objects, special times and places, the season takes on a unique characteristic.

We make faith concrete and understandable, especially for our children. Family prayers or penance, preparing special meals, going to Stations of the Cross, visiting a nursing home or helping at the soup kitchen are the things you can do that establish a practice of faith within your family.

Most importantly, these activities connect us with the larger community, allowing everyone to give something back and help others in some small way to achieve their potential.

We cannot solve all the problems of the world, but we can make our own communities better places to live. If things are going to improve in any area of our life, we cannot wait until someone else does it for us.

Better lifestyles, healthier communities, better schools, safer neighborhoods, and services for the poor, or homeless begin with someONE.

Why not you?

James Gaffney,
Karides Lic. to Saint George Publishing
jim@pilotbulletinbuilder.net