Burning But Not Burnt Out

March 20, 2022

What captivated Moses was what he saw.  He saw something that defied logic, a bush burning in the desert but not burnt out, nor consumed by itself.  It drew him in to take a closer look.  The challenge for us is to be captivated by the correct things.  We have all gone through incredible challenges over the past two years.  It is easy to have experienced or still be experiencing COVID fatigue.  To push through all we have gone through is amazing.  Living spaces became offices and schools.  For a while fear challenged our cleaning and air purification efforts.  It is easy to look back, but it is more important to look forward.  I am amazed at the depth of resilience I saw in the hearts of our faith community.  It has been amazing and inspiring.

We are different because we walked through this together.  We are different because we did not give up.  Meetings on the lawn, a Eucharistic Procession and Holy Hour outside, Zoom meetings and Google Meets all became natural.  Live streaming the Celebration of the Eucharist is beyond what I ever could have imagined. The Baptismal Font filled with water from our homes.  We adapted because there was no other way.  Burning in desire and committed to not burn out.

When Moses came forward to take a closer look, God shared with him a plan.  God reminds Moses that He knows the suffering of the people.  God knows our suffering.  He understands all we have gone through.  The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob is the God of this present moment.  We are to celebrate our resilience.  We are to take simple blessings and allow them to speak boldly of His love.

As we enter the third week of Lent we are invited to be amazed at what we see and take what we see and allow it to lead us into deep places.  These places are to build our confidence, strengthen our hope and bring us to new life.  This week as I look out over the community, I am inspired.  On Ash Wednesday it was amazing to see the community back in increasing numbers.  The Stations of the Cross brought a new awakening in our community.  It is impressive to watch.  When I see what I see, I go to my inner room and pray in thanksgiving for all of you.

Fr. John