I Blinked

     After my last post, I paused, blinked, and lo and behold, today is the last day of January!  Time flies when you are having fun.  The days speed by as you grow older.  And even though retirement should mean that things slow down a bit, that is not my experience.

     Many people keep busy in their retirment years.  For me, health and mobility issues have curtailed my getting out and being about.  Thank the Lord that I have a great community of brother priests with whom I live and very comfortable surroundings.  Along with my time of prayer, my nook and its endless supply of novels, and the enjoyable passtime of watching tv, I am blessed.

     However, January passed very quickly.

     Every day as I watched the evening news with Lester Holt, I saw the news of the day repeat itself on a regular basis.  Every night there was a new major storm moving from West to East bringing storms and snow and ice ... except to our little section of Southweastern Pennsylvania.  Thank God!  I saw the other day where we are nearly ten inches shy of normal snow fall for our area.

     During January we saw the death of two of the mothers of my priest brothers: Father Andrew Kawecki's Mom, Apolonia Kawecka, who was 92 ...  and Father Joe Bonafed's Mom, Susan, who was 98.  Mrs. Kawecka's life in Poland and here spanned tumultuous time of war and political upheaval with an intense Faith that gave her strength and dignity.  The crucifix that rested upon her casket was a treasured family focal point for prayer that went back 160 years in her family history.  Susan Bonafed and her husband welcomed and raised three wonderful people as loving and caring parents.

     I also saw the death of one of the last cousins of my Dad, Marie Chlebowski of New Castle, who was 99.  She was one of the oldest of the Stachowiak clan.  A gentle, faith filled, hard working woman whose memory is cherished.  Sadly I missed her funeral (see below).
     There were other deaths, for as we get older we face death with more frequency.

     What made January seem to move quickly was my first major cold of the season.  It started on the 22nd as a head cold, got worse with congestion and drainage, saw my voice disappear all together last Monday and only begin to return yesterday.  For the sake of my friends here I have tried to isolate myself and my germs … and I had to get replacement help last Saturday for my gig as a replacement priest myself at Saint Paul Church … and cancel two of my weekly radio programs on WAOB.  No voice and radio just don't gel.

     The other event in January that is always worth noting is the March for Life, held in Washington this year on January 24th.  The Supreme Court decision which the march protests came down on January 22, 1973 - the year I was ordained.  It is always impressive to see the crowds, especially the young people, and to be inspired by their witness to the sanctity of human life.  I watched the entire march on EWTN.  I remember attending years back when I was able to march in the cold, and have great memories of the march and of the vigil Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception … an awesome experience of love and of Church for me as a priest.

     Tomorrow begins February.  We have an extra day this year.  Mom and Dad would have turned 101 and 100 respectively during February.  Lent will begin and life will go on.  God is good! 

     

Stepping Forward with Faith

     

2020

     On this 1st day of January in the Year of Our Lord 2020, I find these words from Proverbs and this New Year's Greeting to speak from my heart.

     Our world is broken, as it has been since the Fall of Adam and Eve.

     Our peace is fragile since we live in a world touched by hatred and violence.

     Our love is challenged because we have lost the reality of a selfless love that requires sacrifice.

     Our hope is fleeting since the world places the future in its own hands.

     But on this New Year's Day we celebrate a Faith that transcends all limitations and obstacles ... a Faith that acknowledges Salvation as a free gift from God ... a Faith that follows the Prince of Peace ... a Faith that touches our lives with such pure love given us in Christ Jesus that we are redeemed ... and a Faith that tells us that "There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."

     The Church, and Pope Francis in a homily today, places Mary before our eyes.  In verse 19 of today's gospel from Luke the Holy Father says: "The text tells us 'But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.'  She kept all these things: joy at the birth of Jesus and sadness for the lack of hospitality shown at Bethlehem; the love of Joseph and the amazement of the shepherds; the promise and the uncertainty of the future.  She took everything to heart, and in her heart, she put everything in its right place, even hardships and troubles.  In her heart, she lovingly set all things in order and entrusted everything to God.

     "Mary does this a second time: at the end of the hidden life of Jesus, we are told that 'keeping in her heart' was not something nice that Our Lady did from time to come, but something habitual.  Women typically take life to heart.  Women show us that the meaning of life is not found in making things but in taking things to heart.  Only those who see with the heart see things properly, because they know how to 'look into' each person: to see a brother apart from his mistakes, a sister apart from her failings, hope amid difficulty.  They see God in all persons and things."

     These are good words worthy of our reflection.

     May your journey be close to Mary and strengthened by the Church.  May this Year of Grace be a time of "pondering in your hearts the mystery of a life immersed in the love of God".  And may you find a deepened Faith to sustain you.