Dear Parishioners,
Recently, while checking in on a friend, I inquired how things are going for her as we continue to grapple with the realities of Covid life. “You know,” she replied, “I’m learning to stop complaining to God about how great the storm is and I’m now telling the storm how great God is.” “Wow!,” I thought to myself as I asked her to repeat that. “I’m learning to stop complaining to God about how great the storm is and I’m now telling the storm how great God is.”
Simple the message, so great the truth! This Covid pandemic certainly tests our trust, patience, and even our charity as we go on and on and on. And it’s understandable when folks lament or complain about this hundred-year storm of plague. However, the storm’s power – while real and threatening – pales in comparison to God’s awesome power. Do we see this? What stands in the way if we can’t see this truth before us? What needs to be surrendered for us to believe it?
As a parish family, we continue to see how great God truly is as we give thanks for the Holy Mass and sacraments, the ministers who greet, read, sing, serve, preach and make up the sacred assembly. God’s greatness continues to be made manifest as the Hungry, Thirsty, Naked, Homeless, Sick and Marginalized are shown compassion. We see God’s greatness as we give thanks for our beautiful church building as it marks 150 years of standing among Living Stones who have weathered many storms.
Another friend recently emailed a picture of our church’s tower. The image captured the early morning sun washing over the stone goliath while in the background is an imposing dark sky. But between the sun dripped edifice and that dark gloomy sky is an expansive rainbow.
Ezekial likened the rainbow to the glory of God. John saw a rainbow around the Lord’s throne while he was on the Island of Patmos and later connects the rainbow to the crown of Christ. And let us not forget the very first rainbow when God allows it to serve as a sign of new hope and life for Noah and the human family.
As Christians we’re not exempt from the storm. We simply need to remind ourselves that the storm has no power over the One who is Lord over all things.
Yours in the Peace of Christ,
Fr. Gurnick