An amazing story: In March of 2020 we were all told to stay home from school, work, and church. Mass as we know it stopped. We needed to get on Facebook or YouTube to be able to livestream Mass. This became our new reality.
A young lady and her boyfriend who live in Oregon began to livestream the Mass of a family friend who is a priest here in California. The young lady’s boyfriend was not Catholic. He loves his girlfriend, was Christian, so, live streamed Mass with her.
Weeks went by. This young man was drawn to God and His church through his experience of live streaming Mass from a state away.
He ended up going through the journey of RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) remotely and celebrated his Profession of Faith, Confirmation and First Communion this past Saturday evening, here in California at the parish he and his girlfriend had been live streaming.
How amazing is that?!
Welcome. Kindness. Accompaniment. This young couple was cared for by the people of that church a state away from them. Guess where they are thinking of having their wedding!
Brothers and sisters: May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all… so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
This coming Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent. Let’s begin to think about the state of our hearts and ask that the Holy Spirit help us to be a person who is welcoming, a kind person, a person who cares enough to accompany others.
The first Sunday of Advent is our Liturgical New Year – New Year blessings to us all as we begin another year of hearing the stories of our faith at Mass and as we prepare ourselves to welcome
the Christ Child at Christmas!
Be a blessing of welcome, kindness, and accompaniment this week!