I thank you all for your continued support and patience. Unfortunately, my computer is down. I am currently using a friend's; I praise God for her generosity. I will be blogging again when I have better access to technology.
My prayers are with you. May your Lenten journey bring you closer to our Father, who works within us and "from within" in all our journeys. Please continue to pray for our priests.
Mahalo! Our God be praised!
Fr. Greg Friedman, O.F.M gives us his take on The First week of Lent, the story of how Jesus was tempted by the devil, after 40 days in the desert.
www.romereports.com The Vatican has asked every bishop from around the world how to bring the Christian message to those who have never heard the word of God and those who have left the faith.
"The first Sunday of the Lenten journey reveals our condition as human beings here on earth. The victorious battle against temptation, the starting point of Jesus’ mission, is an invitation to become aware of our own fragility in order to accept the grace that frees [us] from sin and infuses new strength in Christ — the way, the truth and the life." --Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI: Lenten Message for 2011
His Eminence Mauro Piacenza
Esteemed Brothers,
This time of grace, which is given to us to live, calls us to a renewed conversion. The ministerial Priesthood is always new and through this gift the Lord Jesus is made present in our lives and, through our lives, in the lives of all men.
Conversion, for us Priests, above all else means to conform our lives more closely to the preaching that we offer daily to the faithful, becoming in this way ‘a piece of the living Gospel’ that everyone can read and accept. The foundation of that behaviour is, without doubt, the conversion of our own identity: we must convert ourselves to that what we are! The identity, welcomed and received sacramentally in our wounded humanity, demands the progressive confirmation of our hearts, our minds, our behaviours to everything that we are in the image of Christ the Good Shepherd that has been sacramentally imprinted in us.
We must enter into the Mysteries that we celebrate, especially in the most Holy Eucharist, and to allow ourselves to be formed by them. It is in the Eucharist that the Priest rediscovers his true identity! It is in the celebration of the Divine Mysteries that one can catch sight of ‘how’ to be a shepherd and ‘what’ is necessary to truly serve each other.
Source: Congregazione per il Clero
Mass at Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa, blessing of the AKUA Run/Walk
Participating priests, with a parishioner on left
Bishop Larry Silva and participating Sisters
Fr. Cletus Mooya
Finishers
Finishers, Bishop Larry Silva, 4th from left
More than two weeks had gone by since the AKUA Run for Vocations, yet the memories are still alive -- especially for me, since it was the first time I joined. Our youngest son, TJ, will be ten years old this year. My husband and I figured this would be the start of a family journey of facing the 8-long-mile-challenge GAR (Great Aloha Run). Besides, TJ plays tennis. He's strong and shouldn't have a long list of excuses.
For Joe and me, it was a different story. Were we ready for the challenge? We went to Ala Moana Beach Park for pre-walks and small pre-runs, but never got close to 8 miles! Were we really up for the 8-mile test?
Our family of seven left home to be at the parking structure of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace at 4 a.m. on the day of the event, Monday, February 21, President's Day. We tried to sleep in the van to kill time, but the excitement was too much. We ate the breakfast we packed quickly and joined the group of priests, sisters, and AKUA walkers for a quick fellowship and prayer led by Bishop Larry Silva.
Our four teenagers, Cyrene, Ashley, Joseph and Faith, left in a flash with the Daughters of St. Paul, Sr. Gioan Linh and Sr. Ann Mei. They were nowhere to be seen afterwards -- for they had done this before! If you didn't know, those Sisters from the Pauline Books and Media Center in Honolulu have the quick feet and stamina of a cheetah. Well, almost.
The goal of the AKUA Run/Walk? For an increase in vocations to the Roman Catholic Church of the Diocese of Honolulu. With this in mind, though pain on our legs and feet tried to distract us, my husband Joe, TJ and I trudged along. Onward soldiers for Christ!
How could we not have made it when Christ led the way?
(Mahalo for the pictures, Dann Ebina and Dominic Olaso!)
