I have had to spend a lot of time at funerals the past few weeks. As I posted...we have lost quite a few of our fellow parishioners recently. I thought it was interesting that as I hugged the recent widow of one of those lost, she said: "I knew it was coming but it was still so unexpected!" Funny how those words can apply to any of us. We all know that death will come to us...yet it always comes so unexpected! Will we be ready for that day? We need to be...yet we do not know when it will come. How can we prepare for that fateful day when we meet Jesus in judgment?
Faith...Hope...and Charity. I once was told (after hearing the reading from 1 Corinthians 13)...the reason Charity is the greatest gift is because it remains into eternity. Faith is the gift that we receive to remind us that we need to believe in God even when we can not sense Him. Hope is the gift given to us to help us remember that we must trust in God's promise for eternity in paradise. These two gifts will not be needed once we have arrived in Heaven...we will know without doubt as we stand before God that He is present and He has kept His promise. Only love will remain will remain...a gift freely given by God to us and we return that love!
Now in the last few days we have had to say good-bye to some dear people in our lives...so I entitled this post two men and a lady because I wanted them to honor them with a special post.
On Monday, we had to send Michael back to the airport for his trip back to work overseas (hoping it is his last trip!). It was so hard to let him go again...the boys were in a panic... we even decided to take off an extra week from school because I knew we would get little done with book work this week.
Maybe Michael does not know how much he is loved...after all ... all he hears is the frustration of a crazy woman over the phone! So, I just want him to know that we get crazy and frustrated because we love him so much...we do not want to see him go! He makes life fun and funny and we want him to be close to home all the time. So Michael...God bless your time away and may He bring you home quickly and safely! Your family needs you and cannot imagine life without you!
Now...we also found out that the most amazing...Godly...couple who came into our lives two years ago...Fr. Paul and Mrs. Key...were going to be moved back to their home base just north of us about two hours. We were heartbroken but I saw it coming many weeks ago and had warned the children that we might see some changes. I can tell you that I wish my hunch was wrong but they are such a blessing to the campus ministry that I am not surprised that they are needed to start a new group.
Father Paul has given some profound and thought provoking homilies over the weeks he has been at the chapel. I have learned so much and I love how he can bring the Gospel message to the college students with ease...then save a little extra tidbit for the young ones...as well as lifting it up for the more experienced adults. His message is always clear and shows that the real message is Jesus Christ. He is humble and kind to all and gives us all the time needed to guide us.
Mrs. Key is a true lady and such a joy to be with at the chapel. She is a Godsend to all those who enter into the chapel. She is always trying to find ways to include everyone at the chapel activities. She is a prayer warrior that can be counted on to offer up her time lifting up our worries and cares to the Lord! I cannot imagine a sweeter lady with such humility and goodness.
The joy of these three...oh how we will miss!....however, it is such a blessing to know that we can be with them. Michael will return home...Fr Paul and Mrs Key are not that far away. God is good! He will help us find a way to adjust. May God bless them in their journeys so we can continue to be them!
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