By Patrick Christopher
What is the safest, and most common, topic of conversation? You guessed it, the weather!
Springtime in Missouri—we can literally go from sunny and 65 degrees to snow back to sunny and 70 degrees and then three days later, storms. We sometimes shake our heads at the weather, the baseball Cardinals or even the relatives.
But there are some things which are truly dependable. For a large number of us, one of those “things” is faith and morals. At this time of the year, in the Catholic tradition we are celebrating a number of Sacramental moments in peoples’ lives. There is First Communion, Confirmation and weddings. All are occasions for having celebrations within the family. In the Church we are celebrating the Easter season, the feast of the Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday and Corpus Christi, all key reminders of what faith and morals are based upon.
With Covid showing signs of getting under control, larger gatherings for dinners and picnics. Every so often, whether on television or somewhere on the net you can hear a comedian or critic ridicule the Christian life as dull and boring. They are so wrong. There are challenges and difficult decisions perhaps (and who in life does not have to deal with those?) but when you have something solid to stand on, guiding your life and giving you hope, what is there not to be joyful about? Thus, the reason for all of the various types of celebrations we have going on during this time of the year.
As we go through the year, the seasons will ebb and flow. Some we will enjoy more than others. The weatherman will sometimes be correct and, dumb things will happen. But we remember, no matter what our particular denomination, that we have found that “something” which gives our lives a foundation to build on, and ultimately, gives hope and joy.
Rev. Patrick Christopher is the pastor at St. Joseph parish in Apple Creek. He can be reached via email at mailto:stjoeapc@gmail.com.
