Dear Friends,

Summer is now officially upon us. We have come through the rush of Lent, Holy Week and Easter when we celebrate the mysteries of our salvation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and are now in the season after Pentecost, or Ordinary Time as it is also called. Though many tend to think of summer as a time when the Church slows down and goes on vacation, in truth the Church never stops. It never ceases worshipping God, nor does it cease its ongoing prayer; always interceding to God on behalf of the world as it exercises the priestly character bestowed upon her by Jesus our High Priest.

We might better think of summer as the Season of the Spirit. At Pentecost we celebrated the gift of the Holy Spirit who has come to nurture and instruct the Church in the Gospel of Christ and to strengthen us in the ongoing mission God has called us to in the world. This mission is to proclaim the good news: That in Jesus Christ, death is destroyed and life eternal has the final word. That God’s kingdom is come! A kingdom defined by justice and mercy wherein all people are equal, poverty is extinct and creation is cared for with reverence. It is a kingdom ruled over by the Prince of Peace who gives to each out of the abundance of his love.

To further learn what it means to live in this kingdom, summer is a wonderful time to delve into the stories of the saints and the Church Fathers and Mothers whose lives are exemplars of the Gospel life. It is a time to discern the movement of the Spirit and follow its lead as we walk the path of holiness; growing into the garment of Christ we put on through Baptism.

All this being said however, it is also a time to renew and refresh the soul. To ask oneself: How does my souls and body heal? How do I best connect with the intimate embrace of God? To this end, I would invite each of you to take time this month and either re-connect or perhaps discover for the first time, your healing process; what you naturally do to refresh your spirit, quiet your mind and encounter the divine. To help try answering these questions:

1. When I am stressed, my first instinct is to _____________?

2. What do you like to do? What energizes you?

3. Close your eyes and imagine yourself at your best. Picture a time when you would say you were at exhibiting your true self. When was it? Where were you? What were you doing? What does the picture look like? How do you look?

4. Without being humble, ask yourself: What do I value about me? What am I great at?

I wish you the peace of the angels, the prayers of the saints and the blessing of the Risen Christ this ordinary season.

Fr. Rylan

Feast of S. Alban the Martyr