Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We have truly entered into the desert with Jesus at this time. We have been thrust into a world of uncertainty, fear, worry, and without the ability to see water to give us any type of relief. Yet, we are also given time, a time of pause, reflection, fellowship with family, prayer and realizing Jesus is never far away, but actually much closer than we could ever imagine.

So even though a desert is hot, waterless, lifeless to some extent, dry and large with what seems as no way out actually has an ending, and there is a way out. The way out is always our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He knows all about deserts. He entered one for forty days. We may think he was alone but he was not.

Jesus relied on his heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit to put one foot in front of the other. We can do the same, our one foot in front of the other is to be there for others who are in greater need than us, to be present for family,and to continue our prayer lives with greater intimacy and union with Jesus. We can do that by reading the Sacred Scriptures, praying a Rosary, the Divine Office, etc.

My dear friends, the Holy Mass continues (albeit without the congregation) as well as our prayers for you. Remember our parishioners as some have reached out to me for prayers. Please know that all roads lead to the Resurrection. No matter our trials they all have a beginning and they all have an end and at the end is Love and that Love is God. Jesus knew it when He took that first step, that eventually He would find His way out on the other side and that each step He took He was never alone.

May God bless you all, Fr. John