My Companions:
Again this week I have heard mainly good news from my companions: My brother’s daughter brought new life into this world. Jack Lawrence Parise was born on Jan 7th; Mama and baby are doing well. My Bride tells me that her sister, Mary Weed, is doing well; we still pray for a miracle in 2009. And Dad tells me that my sister, Judi Cole, recovers nicely and restlessly desires to leave the hospital. And Melanie writes that Mike is recovering; now they search for the cause of his illness. Barb Howard’s mother was hospitalized so add her to your prayer. On a more somber, difficult but, in some ways beautiful note, Fr Denny Dwyer received his last dialysis treatment on Friday and, reportedly, celebrates his life with family and friends: he receives and delivers encouragement in the Lord.
Keeping-in-touch:
If you can believe it, I played golf, in Broomfield, with Jim Green on Thursday, Jan 8th (the temperature reached sixty degrees… but not for long). I began my spiritual exercises and should begin more physical exercise, although Mike Depriest and I took a licking from our sons on the tennis court on Saturday. I had a wonderful meeting with Barb Howard concerning how The Emmaus Institute could serve small church communities; I’m anxious to work with her. And we received encouragement from the people at both St Mary’s Press and Loyola Press. My Regis classes have begun for the New Year, so we’re off and running.
Again this week I have heard mainly good news from my companions: My brother’s daughter brought new life into this world. Jack Lawrence Parise was born on Jan 7th; Mama and baby are doing well. My Bride tells me that her sister, Mary Weed, is doing well; we still pray for a miracle in 2009. And Dad tells me that my sister, Judi Cole, recovers nicely and restlessly desires to leave the hospital. And Melanie writes that Mike is recovering; now they search for the cause of his illness. Barb Howard’s mother was hospitalized so add her to your prayer. On a more somber, difficult but, in some ways beautiful note, Fr Denny Dwyer received his last dialysis treatment on Friday and, reportedly, celebrates his life with family and friends: he receives and delivers encouragement in the Lord.
Keeping-in-touch:
If you can believe it, I played golf, in Broomfield, with Jim Green on Thursday, Jan 8th (the temperature reached sixty degrees… but not for long). I began my spiritual exercises and should begin more physical exercise, although Mike Depriest and I took a licking from our sons on the tennis court on Saturday. I had a wonderful meeting with Barb Howard concerning how The Emmaus Institute could serve small church communities; I’m anxious to work with her. And we received encouragement from the people at both St Mary’s Press and Loyola Press. My Regis classes have begun for the New Year, so we’re off and running.
The Readings:
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/011809.shtml
Comments on the Readings:
Fr. Foley: Jesus says to each of us, “Do you sense in your insides a kind voice whispering your invitation, calling you by your real name, calling you to be best friends with the Christ of God?”
http://www.liturgy.slu.edu/2OrdB011809/reflections_foley.html
My Reflections: The readings for Sunday, and my struggle to pray more ardently, challenge me to quiet myself and hear God’s call for me. We live in such a busy, noisy world; how can we imagine that we will hear God’s call. Like you, I’m trying to do the best work I can. And the Lord will probably not call us in thunder but in a quiet whisper that we will hardly hear if we do not take time to quiet our hearts. This weekend I encourage you to take an extra moment, before all the activities and celebrations of the assembly to quiet your heart and listen to the whisper of the Lord calling your name.
May the peace of Christ be with each of you.
John
My Reflections: The readings for Sunday, and my struggle to pray more ardently, challenge me to quiet myself and hear God’s call for me. We live in such a busy, noisy world; how can we imagine that we will hear God’s call. Like you, I’m trying to do the best work I can. And the Lord will probably not call us in thunder but in a quiet whisper that we will hardly hear if we do not take time to quiet our hearts. This weekend I encourage you to take an extra moment, before all the activities and celebrations of the assembly to quiet your heart and listen to the whisper of the Lord calling your name.
May the peace of Christ be with each of you.
John
Special Prayer Request from Peggy Lesley at Brookwood Church:
ReplyDeleteI am starting a signing for my son's best friend who has cancer (Hodgkin's Lymphoma). He is 11 years old and is not doing well at all. He was diagnosed with this cancer two weeks ago and the tumor is next to his jugular vein and entwined in it...has moved his wind pipe over a inch making it hard for him to breathe. The tumor is the size of a large eggplant and is sitting right above his heart. This little boy needs all the prayer he can get. I would like you to sign this and pass it on to as many people as you can. Once we get to a thousand people can you please send this back to me at 1volsgirl@bellsouth.net When I get the 1000 people that have signed it...I am going to print this up for my son's best friend and show him how many people care and how many people are praying for him to get better. If you have a heart at all, you will all do this for me. I love this child as though he is my own and we really need all the prayers! Thank you, Peggy Lesley - Brookwood Church 4th and 5th grade Volunteer Coordinator Hit FORWARD and Add your name to the bottom of the list and send it out to as many people as you can to pray for him!
(John adds: I have a prejudice against adding my name and forwarding to everyone... but I respect others' ways. So I added the comment for Greg to the blog and added "a best friend's son" to our list. Thanks for your prayers)
I just received word that Fr. Denny Dwyer died last night. I'll post more information when I receive it.
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