Father Jim Bleackley OMI, Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish, shares with our community a video message in which he calls us to embrace stillness: “As you live these days to the best of your ability, may you experience the presence of Christ walking with you and overwhelming you with unconditional love…”
Thank you Father Jim for the wise and encouraging words. Yes these are trying times and will continue for many months. I try to be still and appreciate the silence as an opportunity to reflect further on my many blessings but all my blessings but then my thoughts turn to those who lack such blessings. That makes it difficult for me to sit still S there is much I can do to be helpful.
Thanks so much Fr. Jim for your message of love and encouragement as we all finds new ways to be ‘community’ in this time of uncertainty. Stay safe and stay well.
Thanks so much Fr Jim for your message. So wonderful to hear from you and so appreciate your wisdom and encouragement. Donna
Thank you, Father Jim, for making yourself present to us. It is hard not to be able to worship with our St. Joe’s faith community on week-ends and meet with friends and update each other on events in our lives.
The fruits of your long-ago 5-day retreat, I am experiencing now. In this quiet stay-at-home time I have few distractions. I find myself seeing beauty and goodness in my everyday surroundings that have always been there but didn’t get my attention. I have made a list of people, other than family, who have, by the quality of their presence, influence the person I have become. There are 18 people on that list.
I have made another list of gratuitous acts by others, some strangers, others people close to me, of which I was the blessed beneficiary; here are a few examples:
– My computer technician dropped by with a USB cord to connect a printer I was ready to throw out
– A maintenance man in my apartment building offered to wash my indoor windows – not in his job description
– I had the key to my brother’s home while he was away for the day. An RCMP relative whom I was visiting accompanied me to my brother’s house, made me wait at the door while he checked out it then told me it was safe for me to go in
– A person I hold in high esteem but hadn’t seen for 20 years sought me out at a funeral to greet me and catch up on each other’s stories.
–
My hope is that this pandemic helps us all to emerge from the experience as more responsible citizens and Christians, more grateful for blessings received and more aware that, each of us, was created to carry out a specific mission in this world.
Hi Father, it is so nice to “see” you again and hear your words of perspective and reflection in these challenging times. Stay well.
Thank you for this….I miss St Joe’s parish…and the folks I know there., especially the Friday Evening meditation group and the Seekers. I am hoping to return from Australia where I am visiting my grandchildren. Hopefully things will go smoothly on March 30-31 when I attempt to return. I am going to use my two week isolation when I get back as a silent retreat time…like you, Father Jim, I have found such experiences a real blessing in times past. Stay well.
Thank you for keeping in touch with your parishioners. Your words have reminded me to embrace these quiet times, to go inwards and to be thankful.
Thanks, Fr. Jim, for connecting with us and for your message. This is a creative time for all of us and a Lent we will never forget.
Father Jim, Thanks so much for this wise and supportive message.
Thanks so much for your reflection, Fr. Jim. It is most welcome at a time like this. It has made my attempts to keep Lent alive at home by myself.
You, too, stay safe and well. We need you.
Thanks so much for your reflection, Fr. Jim. It is most welcome at a time like this. It has made my attempts to keep Lent alive at home by myself, more real.
You, too, stay safe and well. We need you.
Thank you father Jim for your words of wisdom. Callum is working hard at home schooling and we are enjoying some extra family time that we wouldn’t normally have.
Thank you Father Jim for your words of wisdom. Callum is working hard at home schooling and we are enjoying some extra family time that we wouldn’t normally have. Stay safe!