Ave Maria Purissima!
Many times, Christ had to depart from those whom He loved – leaving the side of His Most Blessed Mother, leaving the home of Bethany (leaving those who loved Him and those whom He loved). Let us draw the grace from His merits on those occasions in saying our ‘good-byes’ and ‘till heavens.’
Instead let us remember that, at the same time, Our Lord went forth with joy to fulfill the Father’s will. On the night before Our Lord died, He said these words, “But that the world may know, that I love the Father: and as the Father hath given me commandment, so do I: Arise, let us go hence (Jn 14:31).” We can say, ‘If Our Heavenly Father has so ordained this and He loves us so much, then no doubt He knows the good that can come from this and He will bring it forth in due time.’
Let us have this same spirit in our own souls.
A spirit of thanksgiving for the mercy of God, in which I thank you all for the kindness and charity you have shown during these past (3) years. It has been a joy and a blessing to serve as assistant pastor at St. Joseph. I thank Fr. Novokowsky for his words of advice and support. I thank Beverly, Sandy, Da- vid … (and if I continued I wouldn’t have enough space) … all the staff and volunteers that have made being at St. Joseph so pleasant. I thank all the fami- lies who have opened their homes and individuals who have opened their hearts.
May we have that spirit of mercy! In this spirit I take this opportunity to ask pardon from everyone for any of my many faults and failures. And may we have that spirit of hope! In this hope may we antici- pate seeing each other again; if not in this life at least in Our Heavenly Father’s Kingdom where, if we are all faithful, we will be bound together forever in His charity.
Let us all stay very close to Our Lady and Our Eucharistic Lord in this Month of the Blessed Sacra- ment. As Christ overcame the pride of Satan through His humility and Our Lady gave us the example of the humble ‘handmaid of the Lord’ let us ask for this terms: “if you love Me keep My Commandments.”
And for those who forgot the acronym I mentioned when I first got here, one last shout out:
123MRE PS.
(1) End in Mind (The Love of God),
(2) Times a Day (at least) to formally pray, (3) Hail Mary’s each morning,
(M) Daily Meditation,
(R) Rosary each day,
(E) Examination of conscience at night
& last but not least
(P) Penance (S) Sacraments frequented
You will all be in my prayer and I entrust my- self to yours.
Nos cum prole pia benedicat Virgo Maria!
(May the Virgin Mary bless us with her holy Child)
Fr. Terrence Gordon, fssp
