Dear Friends in Christ,
This month of January has been surrounded by prayer! We began the year with the World Day of Prayer for Peace. In the middle of the month, we celebrated the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. At the end, we had our national day of prayer for the legal protection of unborn children. Finally, our parish held our annual Forty Hours Eucharistic Devotion, which was a wonderful and grace-filled event.
Often, I can be tempted to think of prayer as the last resort after everything else has been tried. However, in truth, it must be the exact opposite for us: everything we do must begin with prayer, be surrounded by prayer, and conclude with prayer. There are many good actions we can undertake on behalf of world peace, Christian unity, and the legal protection of unborn children. In our daily lives in our families, groups of friends, and co-workers, there are also many good choices we can make to live out the beatitudes and virtues. But all these actions must be founded on prayer. That is why these days of 40 Hours and Father Trader’s inspiring talks have been so great. We can think of it as a small retreat and a spiritual powerhouse for all the other good works of our parish throughout the year. May Saint Francis de Sales, a wonderful teacher of how to live an integrated Christian life, intercede for us!
May God be Blessed!
-Father Eric Banecker