A.S.A.P.

I’ve been in a reflective mood the past couple of days.  If you follow my blog, you know that our long-time pastor is leaving our parish this weekend.  Change is always hard, and he will be terribly missed.  But the rhythm of parish life will keep moving. School starts Tuesday. There will be masses, baptisms, funerals, reconciliations and weddings, among a myriad of other things. The beat goes on, just as it always has, but that doesn’t mean it has to be easy.

Early this morning, I was thinking about some of the key things he said over the years.  One immediately came to mind.  In a homily once, he used A.S.A.P. to remind us of the need to Always Say A Prayer.  He must have preached that homily well over five years ago, but I (and many others) still remember the simple message daily.

Our pastor is well-known for his three-point homilies.  He always tries to keep it simple and short, but he packs in a lot during his time at the pulpit.  He chooses his words well, and trust me, the congregation appreciates the care he takes:)

A.S.A.P. It’s a simple message, isn’t it?  When things are going poorly, say a prayer.  When things are great, say a prayer. Good times.  Bad times.  We should be praying every time, all the time. Yet, how many of us do it?

I had made some plans for tomorrow, and I was going to be busy. When I woke up early this morning, however,  I realized that I needed to re-think what I was going to do. I worked hard today and got a lot done. This has allowed me to use Saturday as a prayer day.

It’s important to pause during these times of big transition, times of great difficulty and uncertainty. So, I’m pausing tomorrow, reflecting on where I’ve been, praying about where I’m going. Without talking with him, I bet this is probably how our pastor will be spending his last full day with us, the community he truly loves.  Spending the day in prayer seems like the perfect thing to do.

If you’ve got something weighing on you, why don’t you join us? It doesn’t have to be for the whole day. Give Him whatever you can.

“Behold, I am doing something new. Now

it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

In the desert, I make a way,

in the wasteland, rivers.”

Isaiah 43:19

God bless your weekend!