God is up to something big. . .

From a recent email, modified and revised slightly for the purpose of clarity and anonymity:

Hey _____!

I'd like to tell you about Holy Week. Holy week is the week that begins this coming Sunday (Palm Sunday) and runs through next Saturday night. There are special services throughout next week. Late Tuesday afternoon (5:45pm) there is a special mass at the cathedral that I will be attending. Thursday & Friday evenings (7:00pm both nights) there are special masses that I will be attending.

Saturday evening (8:00pm) there is a special mass known as the Easter Vigil where new folks are welcome into the Church and we celebrate the first Mass of Easter. I will be going to an Easter Vigil either in ______, _______, or ________.

I'd like to invite you to participate in any or all of these liturgies. Even if you don't get to celebrate the Sacrament of Confession, (and if Fr. ____ isn't available, something else can be worked out, I'm sure)...even if you don't get a chance to celebrate the sacrament prior to coming to mass, I hope you will go to mass anyway, if you sense that God is calling you to do so.

I won't be at all offended or otherwise upset if you can't or don't want to go to any of the above services. I can fully appreciate that you will need to move back into active participation in the Church at a pace and to the degree determined by God--a pace and degree that God will revel to you, IF you seek knowledge of His will.

I am convinced that a person actively practicing the 12 Steps, who is also a practicing Catholic has an unbeatable combination for quality recovery. Think about it: Over 2000 years of spiritual wisdom from which to draw upon as you seek to live a spiritual life.

In Jesus, the "One who presides over us all" offers us the best possible way to live. Being a follower of Jesus has nothing to do with being "holier-than-thou." Certainly there are things a follower of Jesus does or doesn't do precisely because he is a follower of Jesus; this is because he is consciously making room for God in his life, working with God and allowing God to work in him so that he can become wholly the person God created him to be.

Who wouldn't want be in on that?!

In closing, I want you to know how blessed I was by our recent conversation. I like nothing better than to hear how God is working in a person's life. And clearly, God is working in your life. You said as much yourself.

Peace bro,
~ Friar Rex

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"God is up to something big and I want to be a part of it."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++