I shared this in the parish bulletin this weekend and thought I would also share it with you. You have been a part of my journey through these many years. Thanks for being there.
Today, June 30th, is the completion of my twenty-first year at St. Thomas More. Yes, you read that correctly. Twenty-one. Tomorrow, I begin my twenty-second year at the parish as pastor.
I cannot believe that it has been so many years already. For that matter, I cannot believe that it’s been forty-one years since I was ordained or fifty years since I graduated high school. Oh, my.
Time goes on, fleetingly, whether we want it to or not. All of our time is a collection of moments and memories. Some moments, some memories are good ones. Some, not so good. Some are happy moments. Some sad. Some are thrilling moments, some terrifying. All these moments make up who we are and shape who we are to become.
I think it’s natural for people my age who have collected a LOT of moments/memories in our lives to look back with nostalgia. Our heartstrings expand or break when we think about some of the people in our lives who are no longer with us: parents, spouses, significant others, relatives, friends, and others who have impacted our lives. This causes us to look ahead and wonder what might await us.
When we look ahead, we might be a bit fearful because the future might not be as clear as we want it to be. We might have had big plans but age and health may have modified those plans. We might have hoped for time to spend with others, others who are no longer here. It could leave us feeling morose and/or depressed.
Or, it could remind us that more moments and memories await. More dreams may be fulfilled. More people may be met. More friendships may be formed.
Look ahead with hope and confidence because, even though our circumstances may change over the years, even though we may lose some people who were special to us, we never lose the one person who makes everything matter: Jesus Christ.
Christ is more than an acquaintance. He is more than a friend. He is our be-all and end-all. He will be with us through all of our days and help us to view our moments and memories with confidence and hope.