The Wonderful Journey

Dear Friends,

Today’s readings remind us of the power and promise of the Eucharist. That in seeking reconciliation and celebrating the Eucharist, we are receiving confirmation and strength for our personal journeys. We are asked to believe without seeing and that our belief will lead us to everlasting life.

I am not a theologian. I am a scientist/businesswoman who spent the majority of my career developing therapies for life-threatening diseases. I have tried to be on the straight and narrow path with God, but have strayed more times than I’d care to admit. Yet, He has always welcomed me back home.

Being a data driven person, I’ve often wondered about believing in God without seeing Him. I’ve learned that if we slow down, look and listen, that we will find God all around us and working through us:

• We are offered unconditional love and forgiveness not only from God, but from our families and friends. Sometimes we just have to allow ourselves to be forgiven
• We are offered hope. Hope to begin anew, to heal, to make it through tough times. Hope that our dearly departed loved ones are in God’s loving embrace
• God has blessed each of us with specific gifts that He wants us to share in order to take care of ourselves and others to the best of our abilities
• People truly love and show immeasurable compassion – The selflessness & tirelessness of caregivers; donations of time and money to assist those in need; blood & organ donors; a small act of kindness to brighten someone’s day, which could be a turning point in their life…
• The sound of God’s love is all around us – a wedding vow “I do” – a newborn baby’s cry – a child’s belly laugh – the words: “I’m sorry,” “I forgive you,” “I love you,” “Please can you help me?” “I’m here for you.” – My terminally ill father witnessing something beyond my earthly capabilities and smiling to me saying, “Don’t worry Baby, I’m going to be okay…”

​Celebrating the Eucharist is quite emotional for me as I think about God’s love and blessings. I also think about my shortcomings, continually pray for forgiveness and strength to be the best person I can possibly be. I feel the divine surge of the Holy Spirit through the Eucharist each week.

There is no doubt about what God is asking of us in the second reading (Eph 4:30–5:2): “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us.”
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God is inviting us to join him on a most wonderful journey. He wants us to learn from Him, live like Him, forgive like Him and love like Him. I hope to learn from those of you further down this spiritual path with God and welcome others who are thinking about putting your
feet on the trail. There’s room for us all.

Siempre Adelante,
Nancy Jorgesen
Parish Business Manager

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