15 August 2004

Dear Parishioners and visitors,

The apostles ask Jesus this week: "Increase our faith." What an excellent desire, to have more faith! Yet, the more I think about the question, the more I realize that faith isn't something God can give us. I know there is a popular saying that faith is a gift from God, but that saying has never really made sense to me. If God gives us the capacity to believe, then where is the merit in believing? Should faith not be a struffle, something that we yearn for, something that makes us hunger and thirst for God? Perhaps that is why jesus, as he does so often, redirects the question by giving the apostles (and us) a story about what it means to serve God. In the end, he says, when we have donea ll that God has directed us to do, let that be enough. We should not be waiting for a prize (I call it a "Scooby Snack", when speaking to the school children) to reward us for our hard work.

And life can be hard. I find myself so easily caught up in the pain of this devastating world, national and local (bad) news. Add that to my own personal problems adn I become overwhelmed at time. I want more of tha tfaith so I have the capacity to hold all of those hardships. And I want Jesus to be easy on me; I want consolation!

It is true that the Scriptures have been pretty tough on us these past several weeks. But Jesus knows that we need to grow and growing is a painful process. Still, there ar emany belssings and consolations all around us, if we are willing to tkae the time and notice. St. Francis had a particular gift in being able to slow down adn relish the natural gifts all around him, especially in creation. We celebraet his spirit this week as we remember his life, death, and legacy. We offer a warm embrace to all who celebrate with us. And for those of us who call this parish our home, we pray for his intercession that we would continue to be a community of peacemakers and fellow lovers of God's creation. Happy feast day everyone!