New Life

This weekend carries a series of commemorations that are no coincidence. Yesterday was the Chinese New Year, and boasted of the rare occurrence of the second new moon in the same month; today is the memorial of St. Bridgid or Ireland, a pioneer in the celtic church who was baptized by St. Patrick , founded the convent at what is now Kildare, along with several others throughout Ireland, and after a life of invigorating the spread of Christianity and of service to the poor, was buried in the same grave as St. Patrick and St. Columba; tomorrow is the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord and Candlemass Day, when new candles are blessed. And we are just past the halfway mark in our Encounter with Christ retreat where new insights, new energy, new life are transforming all of us. Tomorrow, in our novitiate, three postulants will become novices, signifying new life for the provinces of the United States and Australia, from where two of the men come. The heavens, the seasons, the saints, the prayers of many from our home bases and the grace of God are clearly visible; we have every reason to "rejoice and be glad," with signs like this, especially if The Tempter has been filling our brains with thoughts of gloom and sabotaging our feelings with discouragement. No, new life definitely abounds.
Bro, Rene