The Joy of Lent

Dear Parishioners,

Blessings to you in this Lenten season. Every year we reach this time when we pay extra attention to our everyday behavior in hopes to change something for the good. On Friday’s we freely choose to refrain from eating meat. Some may also make a special effort to attend daily Mass. You may choose to go to our simple the Stations of the Cross each Friday evening. Others may be part of a faith sharing group

In a way, some find the Lenten season to be dreary. However, I would like to suggest that Lent can be a time for joy. How? This can be done in many ways. One such way is to simplify. Another? Consider slowing down. Here’s more... Choose not to clutter your day with so much activity. Increase your time in prayer. Commit to a time for prayer or reading of the Scriptures. Take time to sit and observe the beauty right outside your house. Make a list of things for which you are thankful, making sure you write one thing on the list each day. Make an extra effort to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. How about being mindful of the size of portions of food you eat and consider reducing some portion in solidarity with the poor? These ideas can confront those things that get in our way of true deep joy. You see, we live in a world of abundance, but are often blind to it. If we could only see how God blesses us, we would become even more thankful. Thankfulness is a result of joy.

These are just some ideas for you. If you’d like to ponder on more ideas, I’ve written a list of 101 spiritual acts that has grown well beyond 101. Unfortunately, there is not enough room to list them here, so I've placed them on a separate page for you to peruse. Click here to read them. Not all the ideas therein will connect with every person. In fact, some may seem rather odd. But, let us remember that not everyone is the same.

May this Lent bring you a deep joy like nothing you have ever experienced. May this joy which comes from our Lord enliven your faith and strengthen your hope. May this joy beget a greater sense of thankfulness for all the things God has given us. May we all remember how abundant God’s love is for each one of us!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Confessions of a Macoholic

As many of you know, I am a Macoholic and I struggle to work the Twelve Steps. I'm not sure there is a problem and I haven't found a higher-powered computer platform for commercial use. So, each year feed my addiction/sickness by going on vacation. But, this is not any ordinary vacation. My vacation surrounds the annual Mac World Expo. Each year I pack up my car and take along my 80-ish yr. old mom and we travel down to the Bay Area to stay with one of my sisters. This year, my mom's new husband will be joining us. He has a Macintosh, but hasn't experienced this side of his new family!

This year, Apple will not be present. Therefore, the expo itself is smaller and geared more towards conferences and classes. But, we just love to walk around the expo floor gawking at all the vendors' new wares. During our travel, we listened to the previously recorded keynote address by Steve Jobs announcing the new iPad. This was followed by a heavy dose of commentary and podcasts of other people's commentaries. Oh, yes. We are a sick bunch.

This year we had it all planned out. We were geared for going to the expo on Tuesday only to find out that we failed to read our Macworld Expo registrations which explained that the expo doors don't open until Thursday. After we both laughed off our silly mistake, we have re-adjusted our schedule to make sure our pilgrimage would not be in vain. So in the extra day we had, I, Mom, and my step-dad (this is his first experience of our crazed behavior) took a trip to the Jerusalem of the computer world: 1 Infinite Loop, also known as Apple Inc. in Cupertino. Ah! The joy of visiting the mother ship. They don't offer tours and while there is a visitors entrance, it is intended for work-only visitors, not us Mac-fans. It makes sense. Being that Apple is so secretive about everything they do, I can only imagine the security issues that weirdoes like us could cause.

What goodies will we see? What amazing technology are being released and shown to the public for the first time? Who knows? In fact, because this year's expo will be smaller, fewer vendors will be present. Some have predicted that this would be the end of the expo. Without Apple and its famous announcements that have always hovered around Mac World Expo, this year could turn out to be a total dud. Will it be the last one? Again, who knows? Something in me says it won't be, as Apple-fans are not like your typical computer users. Dare I say that it is not a computer, but a cult. Only time will tell.

But as for me and my house, I will go to Macworld Expo 2010, Mom and step-dad in tow. I hope it isn't a totally disappointing expo. One thing is for sure, I am enjoying my time with family. If nothing else, they are great with whom to spend time.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor