When the little ones pray

My visit to the neighbourhood school took me to a Senior Kindergarten class this morning.  As it turns out there was also a meeting in progress at the time for all primary teachers, so together with the supply who was on site, I was pressed into service.  The first order of business was breakfast, so after every child had received something to eat, the next challenge was to make sure that they actually ate!

Breakfast complete (or almost complete) it was then time for the opening exercises.  These children have become accustomed to the playing of the National Anthem, during which they stand and join in singing the words, and then recitation of the Lord's Prayer.

As it happens, this morning I was standing close enough to some of the little ones to hear their rendition of the sacred words, somewhat altered from the adult version, and always worth the effort for our adult brains to hear:

Our fathuh
You are in heaven
Hollow is the name.

The kingdom come
the will be gone
on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day some bread
and give us our (not sure whether this word was spoken or slurred)
as we forgive those who (see above) among us.

And lead us not into heaven
but deliver us from evil.  Amen!

Was it just my imagination, or was this last word spoken with more gusto than all the rest combined.  Needless to say, I had to stifle a few smiles, but after my visit, I left with a renewed spirit, and a deepened sense of wonder for the talents of teachers and others who form these little ones every day.

A different approach to fasting

One of the traditional disciplines of Lent is FASTING.  Fasts are usually associated with things, like giving up food or televison for certain periods of time, but there are many other creative ways that fasting can be used in order to welcome Jesus' healing touch.  Here are a few suggestions that have been shared with me:

• Fast from anger and hatred.  Give your family an extra dose of love each day.
• Fast from judging others.  Before making any judgements, recall how Jesus overlooks our faults.
• Fast from discouragement.  Hold onto Jesus' promise that he has a perfect plan for your life.
• Fast from complaining.  When you find yourself about to complain, close your eyes and recall some of the little moments of joy Jesus has given you.
• Fast from resentment or bitterness.  Work on forgiving those who may have hurt you.
• Fast from spending too much money.  Try to reduce your spending by ten percent and give those savings to the poor.

I didn't say that fasting was easy, but with a bit of perseverence, it will always pay off.

New Episcopal Vicars

Following the appointment of His Excellency, Noël Simard to the See of Valleyfield (Quebec), Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe wrote to all the priests of the diocese of Sault Ste. Marie (on February 10 of this year) concerning the appointment of Episcopal Vicars for the diocese.

A total of sixty-seven consultation ballots were distributed to priests in the diocese on January 9 and sixty-two responses were received.  Of the five ballots not received, one priest was out of the country during the balloting period, and another was outside of the diocese, leaving three unreturned ballots.  The Bishop personally reviewed the ballots and took into consideration the nominations provided.  Subsequently, he appointed:

• Rev. Hamish Currie, Episcopal Vicar for the English pastoral regions of Sault Ste. Marie and the North Shore-Manitoulin;
• Mgr Jean-Paul Jolicoeur, PH, Episcopal Vicar for the French pastoral regions of NIpissing and Sudbury-Algoma; and
• Rev. Larry Rymes, Episcopal Vicar for the English pastoral regions of Sudbury and North Bay.

The Episcopal Vicars will work in collaboration with the Bishop and their brother priests. They will act as liaisons with the Catholic School Boards, Health Institutions and Hospitals, Nursing and Retirement Homes in their respective regions, preside at the celebration of the Sacrmaent of Confirmation only when the Bishop is impeded to do so, facilitate the implementation of diocesan pastoral programs and practices and occasionally act as the Bishop's representatives for certain functions.

It will take some time to adjust to this new model of leadership, since we have been used to working with Auxiliary Bishops, however the outcome of this new approach will surely benefit each of the priests and also the faithful of the diocese.

The Sudbury Star reported this information in this past Friday's paper.

Back on track

Just five months ago, she gave birth to her beautiful baby girl, and already Priscilla is back on the track.  She's been training all along, and now she's set her sights on the London Olympics, but in order to get there, she's got a few hurdles (both literal and figurative ones) to overcome.

The first step in the process is to get back on the track, and that's what she did this weekend.  Yesterday, she was in Sherbrooke (Quebec) participating in the 60-metre indoor competitions.  Here are a few of the videos.  Welcome back Priscilla.  Keep up the wonderful work!

First, the qualification round:



and of course the finals:

First for Lent

Read the signs

A few of the priests and people of this diocese made a quick trip to Valleyfield this week so we could be present for the joyous occasion of the Installation of their new bishop and so that we could join with the priests and people of that diocese who were there to witness this new beginning in his life.   The hospitality we encountered there was absolutely wonderful.  From the moment of our arrival, it was evident that no effort had been spared to make sure that their guests were cared for.  In the airport, a simple sign bearing the word Valleyfield helped us to identify the gentlemen who had come to meet us, and who would transport us to the hotel.  In the hotel, there was a hospitality desk where two women were waiting to point out all the details that we could possibly need to know.  At the Basilica, members of the welcoming committee wore small badges which identified them as the ones who could point us in the right direction, and even yesterday morning, when the festivities were complete, one of the team came to the hotel to make sure that any lingering concerns were tended to.

• Listen to the podcast version

Hospitality such as this is an art.  It necessitates an ability to anticipate the needs of guests and a knowledge of how to respond to those needs.  The printed sign that identified our chauffeur was evident to us because we had been instructed to look for it, but to other passengers arriving in the airport terminal, it would have been all but invisible.  The hospitality table at the entrance to the hotel could have been put there for any number of functions, except that the women who were there identified us, in some cases before we ourselves even realized they were there and went out of their way to ensure our comfort.  Each of the members of this team played a part in making this visit such a success for us, and we are all forever grateful.

At the beginning of the Lenten season, today’s gospel places us with Jesus in the desert, a place which is well known to be characterized by inhospitable elements, but there is no mention of the extreme heat, or the blazing sun.  No doubt these elements were well known to Mark’s readers.  In fact, the mere mention of the desert conjures even today an image of extremes where humans would perish if they were not familiar with life in such an environment.  Beyond the immediate concern for human comfort, the evangelist seems to want us to understand that this was a time in Jesus’ life when he himself was being called to pay attention to the signs placed before him: Satan presented temptations, meant to dissuade him from his mission, and even though the wild beasts were present, there is no mention of them wanting to do him harm.

The desert image speaks to all of us because from the day of our own baptism, we have all been invited to grow in our knowledge of the love of God.  Growth of this kind means that we must be attentive to the signs that God places in our path.  At times, these signs are not as apparent as the one that greeted us in the Montreal airport this week.  Instead, we need to learn to look for them with the eyes of faith. If Noah was not able to hear God’s voice, he would never have known that the rainbow was meant as a sign for him.  If the author of the letter of Peter had not himself known Jesus, he would never have been able to see beyond the suffering and death of crucifixion to understand that this was really God’s way of giving us life.

The signs of faith are all around us, but we have to be able to perceive them.  Could it be that God is calling each of us this Lent to open our eyes anew, to see the signs he uses to point us in the right direction?  Could it be that we are being invited to listen with ears of faith so that we can hear his gentle voice calling us to follow him?  Could it be that a hospitality beyond our wildest imaginings awaits us?  The signs are there, but the question remains: are we looking for them? And when we see them, will we pay attention to them, or will we walk on by, caught up in the bustle of our own lives, and miss the ride that is meant to bring us to the celebration that is prepared?

After the big day

They came from as far away as Hamilton and Kingston and Sudbury in Ontario, and as near as the next community on the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, but today they all returned toward their own homes ... but not before taking a moment to greet the new Shepherd in his new home.

For the past three weeks, members of his family have been helping him to make this new habitation a home, and they have done a wonderful job so far.  Like the work of building a community of faith, making a house into a home is an ongoing effort.  It calls for an open invitation issued by the host of the house, and for willing hands to help with the task of demonstrating the true fruits of the love which only God can inspire.

In the coming days, family members will also return to their homes, but the mark that has already been left will not soon fade, and the door to this new home will certainly be propped open to welcome those who may be passing by, and seeking a compassionate ear, a joyful spirit and a wise and compassionate soul.

The joy and hope

There was a party tonight in the town of Valleyfield.  Invited guests included some of the aristocracy of the church, and some of the family of the newly-arrived shepherd for the Diocese of Valleyfield.  Summoned to the basement of the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Cecilia, friends and relatives enjoyed a wonderful meal before the official celebration began.

While these revellers were downstairs, up in the main body of the Cathedral, final preparations were in full swing.  As the gathered assembly completed the opening hymn, the guest of honour: His Excellency, Noel Simard knocked at the door of the Basilica, in the ancient gesture which asks for admittance to the newly-arrived Bishop's Church.  He was greeted there by the Diocesan Adminstrator, who then conducted him to the sanctuary of the Church, where he was then greeted by His Eminence, Jean-Claude Turcotte, Archbishop of Montreal before being led to the cathedra.  During the installation of a bishop, his arrival at the cathedra signifies the moment when he officially takes office, and assumes the role of chief teacher, leader and shepherd of the Church entrusted to his pastoral care.  As expected, there was great applause from the gathered assembly.

Bishop Simard then presided over the celebration of the Mass, in company with other Bishops from various dioceses in Quebec and Ontario, as well as the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, His Grace, Pedro Lopez-Quintana.

During his homily, Bishop Simard encouraged the people of his diocese to find inspiration in the opening lines of the Vatican II Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes).  The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the followers of Christ.  In an attempt to outline his vision for ministry within this diocese, the Bishop asked all the people of God to assist him with the task of identifying the hopes, griefs and anxieties of our time, and of responding to them so as to allow all people to discover the joy, peace and love of knowing God, and of following in the footsteps of Jesus.

It is fitting that Bishop Simard's episcopal motto is Joy, peace, love (taken from the letter of Paul to the Galatians).  With these words, the task of leading this new flock has begun.

As it turns out, there are also two episcopal ordinations taking place on Saturday morning, so now that this momentous occasion has come to a close, the bishops will turn their attention to the Archdiocese of Quebec, where the ordinations are scheduled to take place ... and the story continues.

Lent online

For those in the on-line world, you'll be happy to know that there's an app that will allow you to experience the discipline of Lent, even if you cannot be physically present with a prayer community.

Welcome to the modern-day world.

• Creighton University's Lenten online retreat
• An Ignatian Prayer adventure, courtesy of the Jesuits of the United States of America
• and while we're at it, how about checking out the Vista Iglesia online retreat courtesy of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines

In the world of on-line communications, even the Church is present.  Thank God!

Ashes to ashes

At the beginning of the Lenten season, the prophet Joel calls out across the centuries and encourages us to call an assembly, gather the people (Jl 2:12-18).  Following this convocation, he people of God gather to begin the observance of this 40-day period of preparation for the Solemnity of Easter.

In places where it is possible, a procession of the faithful makes its way to the church while singing the Litany of Saints.



The solemnity of this Litany focuses the mind on the call for all Christians to enter this time of grace.  Lent is about conversion, calling us to follow the disciplines of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving, but it is also a time for us to be particularly aware of God's grace and gifts provided for us.

May this be a season of abundant blessing, and may we be accompanied by the Saints who pray for us, today, throughout the next six weeks, and at all times until we meet together in heaven.

Setting the tone

The psalms proper for Morning Prayer for Ash Wednesday include the recitation of Psalm 51, God have mercy on me.  To set the tone for the Lenten period, here is a musical rendition of this psalm, performed by the musical group The Sixteen.



Happy Lent!

A call for creativity

While some may have remarked the relative silence of these pages of late, the truth is that the writer was taking some time for R&R, but now we're back to the routine.  This week's scripture references call us to take a new look at what it takes to speak a word of faith.  Long gone are the days when faith was a given, or when we could count on the power of tradition to dictate what we did and how we did it.

Today's world calls increasingly for a new outlook, for new creativity to be impoloyed as we speak ancient words.  In the end, all we can do is throw the net, and throw it wide, for He is the one who will do the work.  Thanks be to God!

Read on or listen in to hear more of this week's reflection.

Think outside the box

Top marks for the four friends in today’s gospel!  What ingenuity!  I can only imagine that if I were in their shoes, even if I were bringing my best friend to see this man Jesus, I would never have thought to climb onto the roof and tear it apart in order to lower my friend into the midst of the crowd.  No, I would have arrived and seen the crowd of people clamoring at the front door and crowding around all the window sills, perhaps even spilling out onto the street, and I would have either waited patiently until my turn came, or I would have politely tried to make my way closer.  Or would I?

Have you ever been in such a crowd?  Have you ever found yourself surrounded by so many people that a kind of mob mentality seems to take over?  It can be daunting and even unnerving to be confronted with such a group, but not for our heroes: the four friends.  They found a way to get close to the house, and they even found a way to get up on the roof.  Even more, they found a way to hoist their friend (on his stretcher) up onto the roof, and then they tore a hole in the roof and lowered him in so that he could get close to Jesus.  Talk about a surprise element, but top marks to them for thinking outside the box.

Creative solutions are often the key to finding answers to difficult situations.  Without them, the world of science would still be looking for a cure for the common cold.  Managers would be mired in situations which would render them powerless, and what of the world of law enforcement.  It takes creativity to think like a criminal, and you have to think like one in order to catch up with one.

Thinking outside the box opens us up to a world of new possibilities, and the world of faith is no different.  In the first reading we heard today, the prophet Isaiah reminds us that God is about to do a new thing, something that we have never thought of before, something entirely new.  Beyond our wildest imagining, God promises to do the impossible: to make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the dessert.  Now that’s thinking outside the box!

Today (yesterday morning) in Rome, twenty-two newly-created Cardinals received their ‘red hats’, their rings and the assignment of their titular churches in the city of Rome.  Beginning today, the task entrusted to these chosen leaders is to work in close collaboration with the others who are part of the College of Cardinals to assist the Holy Father with the decisions crucial to the leadership of the Church.  This is no easy task!  In a world which is increasingly challenged by secularism and by prevailing trends of individualism, especially in more modernized settings, these leaders must face the task of finding ways to preach the good news, and that calls increasingly for an ability to think outside the box.

Whether we are Cardinals or leaders in another right, each of us has been entrusted with the task of sharing the good news of our faith with others.  From the pulpits of the greatest churches to the tables of our coffee shops, we must all strive to take our example from Jesus.  Like him, we must dare to reach out to individuals who may have been disillusioned about faith or otherwise turned away from the practices of our Church.  We must dare to find ways to break down walls and take little steps toward rebuilding bridges which will allow all people to hear again a word of encouragement, and to come closer to the door.  At times, we must even be courageous enough to take more drastic measures, like scaling the walls, tearing holes in the roofs and lowering our friends into the house in order to bring them closer to the One who can heal, the one who can instill the joy that comes from knowing that the promise of new life made in baptism will one day be fulfilled.

In short, we must learn how to think outside the box in order to find ways to speak Christ’s words to our world today, and we must have faith to believe that though our feeble efforts, Jesus himself will continue to call those we present to stand up, take their mats and go on their way.

Soon to be Saint Kateri

As part of today's celebrations in Rome, the Holy Father announced the names of some new Saints, among them Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, a Mohawk woman who has been revered particularly among the First Nations peoples of North America.

The official text of the names published today lists CATERINA TEKAKWITHA, lay woman, born in 1656 in Ossernenon (now known as Auriesville, United States of America), and died at Sault (Canada) on April 17, 1680.

Along with six other Blesseds from various parts of the world, Kateri will be Canonized during the celebration of Mass on Sunday, October 21, 2012.  If you are planning to be there, book your tickets and accommodations soon.

Watch the investiture

In case you should like to see for yourself the ceremony of investiture for the newly-created Cardinals, here is the Salt + Light video coverage:



and in case you're still wondering about who His Eminence, Thomas Cardinal Collins is, here's the video coverage of the Perspectives program prepared in advance of this special day:

22 new princes

Today in Rome, twenty-two new Cardinals were created.  In the ancient parlance, they are known as Princes of the Church for among their duties is that of electing the successor of Peter.

The consistory (the term by which this ceremony of investiture is known) was announced by His Holiness himself during his Angelus greeting on the occasion of the Feast of the Epiphany.  Among the newly-created Cardinals is the Archbishop of Toronto, His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins.

For the very first time, today's consistory followed a newly-minted programme, meant to simplify the celebrations.  Some have said that the Holy Father is attempting to move away from a previously thought-of Ordination-like format for this ceremony.  Whether that be true or not, this revised liturgy took only about 90 minutes to complete, including the investiture of each of the Cardinals with their beretta, the handing over of the Cardinalatial ring and the assignment of their titular church in Rome.

On the eve of today's celebration, the Holy Father addressed the newly-created Princes, welcoming them to the College of Cardinals, the Church's highest level of leadership, and encouraging them to follow afresh in the footsteps of the fisherman whose task of evangelization that has been entrusted to them.

Today is a day of great celebration, not only for the Archdiocese of Toronto, where Cardinal Collins is currently serving, but for the entire Church in Canada.  Congratulations and best wishes to the newly-created Cardinal.  Prayers are offered for blessings on your ministry and leadership.

Arigato

One word that means so much.  One year after disaster hit the coast of Japan, there is still lots that needs to be done to rebuild what was lost, but the important thing is that the work is being done, and perhaps more importantly, that those affected by the magnitude 9 earthquake and the resulting tsunami know that without the help of so many, they would not have been able to recover to the extent that they have.

Physical damage can be fixed, visible wounds will heal, and in time there will indeed be newness of life.  For all of this ... and for more, the people of Japan wanted to say thank you.  The word in Japanese is ありがとう (according to one of the on-line transators I found).  In English, the word is Arigato but what better way to hear it than to allow the people of Japan to speak for themselves.

Back to basics

There's a great debate going on in some circles about the effect of a phenomenon called relativism and its temptation toward another related reality known as individualism.  These two phenomena are rampant by some standards in countries and regions of the globe which also profess to be more advanced than others.  There are many dangers with the thinking that puts relativism and tempatation in the same basket as advancement, among them, the belief that each of us can go it on our own when it comes to living life.

In contrast to this, the lessons we first learned as children, about walking together at times hand in hand through the ravages that the world seems to through our way, can sometimes be put aside, but if they are, we are the ones who run the risk of being more in trouble than we might like to admit.  This is the time when we should take a step back and return to the basics.

From the time we are children, many of us learn the basics of life: love deeply, find a reason for laughter and don't forget about your prayers.  Even the words of prayer don't have to be complicated in order to be effective and beautiful.  Some of the most basic of prayers are also the source of the most effective consolation, and when they are recited with passion and belief, they take on a life all their own.  The same can be said of music well performed.  In fact, some would say that music can be prayed.  Take for instance the recording of Andrea Bocelli's concert with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, whenrein he sang a rendition of the famous Lord's Prayer which still makes the hair on some listeners necks stand on end.



The best prayers are simple.  They are often the most profound too.

Just one question

Can you hang on a moment while I pull over?

Thus began the conversation I had earlier today with a person who had called.  A few moments later, the question was asked ... If someone is already civilly married, is there a way for them to have the marriage recognized by the Church, and if so is it necessary for a 'big' wedding with all the trimmings?

Answers provided: Depending on the history which lies behind the situation, as long as there is no impediment or reason why the Church cannot witness the wedding, then even though a marriage has already been civilly recognized, it can indeed be convalidated.  In other words, recognized by the Church.

As with any wedding, the important players are the bride, the groom, the witnesses (two if at all possible) and the priest or deacon who can officially witness the exchange of vows on behalf of the Church.  Providing that there is no reason impeding the recognition of a marriage, the usual interviews can take place, and the exchange of vows can be witnessed.

Impediments which may stand in the way of a wedding being witnessed by the Church include prior bonds (like prior marriages which have not been disolved either through death of a spouse or annulment).

The conversation lasted but minutes.  I hope that I was able to answer some questions, and to even prepare the ground for the recognition of a wedding that might happen in the future.

How many

It helps every now and then to put our adult brains on an even keel with children.  These little ones have a different way of seeing things that just helps us to appreciate truth in a much more uncluttered way.

Take for instance the little one who was returning (with others of the children in our parish) to the gathered assembly yesterday.  On the way, he asked one of the adults who was accompanying the children, How many more songs until Mass is over?: shades of the way children will inquire about how many more sleeps until the arrival of their approaching birthday or a major holiday like Christmas.

The response quickly uttered, Two (which was correct from the adult brain who was thinking about the Communion Hymn and the Recessional Hymn.  The only difficulty was that we were only part way through the Eucharistic Prayer at the time, so there were also musical moments for the Great Amen and the Lamb of God to be sung.  In the child's mind there were therefore four more 'songs' to be sung.

I wonder if the youngster noticed.  I'm willing to bet that even if the answer was yes, there was also a forgiving heart, ready to excuse the slight oversight on the part of the adult brain.

From the office window

Standing at the famous window of his studio, the Holy Father encouraged the gathered pilgrims in Saint Peter's Square this morning to see in the gospel passage for today's Mass, an example of Jesus' healing power.  This word of encouragement, especially for the sick and suffering of the world is well timed, especially since next Saturday will mark World Day of the Sick.

The Italian text of his words is available at the time of this printing, and within a day or so, other translations (including English) will also be posted.

Of course, as always, the Holy Father has also published a printed message of encouragement addressed to all the infirmed of the world.  Entitled Stand up and go; your faith has saved you (Lk 17:19), this message is addressed to all those who are so often discouraged by the travails of various maladies of body, mind and spirit in hopes of inspiring some measure of hope.

Getting to know him

Curiosity often leads us to wonder why, when, how and what the famous and sometimes infamous are up to.  Curiosity helps us to get to know those we idolize just a bit better.  Curiosity can also help us to get to know the ones who want to know us best.  Today's readings provide a glimpse into the heart of Jesus that is constantly seeking to know us, but only if we are willing to allow it ... and only if we are curious enough to want to know Jesus.

Listen in or read on for more:

A day in the life of

Shortly after the beginning of his pontificate in 1978, I remember reading an article that outlined the daily routine that Pope John Paul II would follow.  At 4:00am, he was already awake, and out in the streets of Rome for his daily jog, much to the chagrin of the Swiss Guard who were definitely not used to such rigorous activity at such an early hour.  Back in the papal apartments, showered and dressed, he would then spend an hour in the chapel in prayer before celebrating the Mass at around 7:00am, most often accompanied by members of the household, or by any number of invited guests.  At the conclusion of the Mass, he would take time to greet the guests who had prayed with him, and then move on to breakfast, a meal shared with yet other guests.  The schedule of diplomatic meetings began around 9:00am and continued until about 1:30pm, at which time, he would pause for lunch, often accompanied by other guests, and then the afternoon hours would permit a stroll in the garden or some time for meditation before the evening meetings would begin.  Knowing that John Paul would often work in his study until at least midnight, this made for a torrid pace of life for those who were his closest aides.

Such was the daily life of Karol Wojtyla.  Similar schedules can be recounted for any number of other dignitaries and those who live more or less public lives, but perhaps one of the first such accounts of A day in the life of was written of Jesus of Nazareth, and appears for us in today’s gospel.  In this case, it must have been a Sabbath day.  Jesus began the day at the synagogue, like all others of his circle of friends and relations probably did.  Thinking about this habit brought back memories for me of younger days when my family would begin Sunday morning at our parish church and then travel to my grandparents’ home where we would meet with other family members to share a meal.  In Jesus’ case, the routine took him to the house of Simon and Andrew (some of his closest friends) where they too were probably planning to share a meal, but perhaps he had heard from his friends about their concern for Simon’s mother-in-law who was not well.  Was this then a compassionate visit, or did Simon know of Jesus’ miraculous powers?  Had he perhaps asked a favor of a friend?

Regardless of the motivation, Jesus spent the afternoon with his friends before yet others appeared at the door, some having been brought by other friends, many of them suffering from illnesses of one kind or another.  Poor Jesus:  his work never seemed to be done.  I wonder if he ever felt discouraged, like Job in the first reading who complained that most of his days seemed to be filled with hard work and nights which seemed to be long and filled with tossing and turning.

Despite all the hardship though, Job never lost hope and neither did Jesus.  As young priests, many I know, myself included were cautioned to never allow the demands of daily life to compromise the importance of prayer.  Time spent with Jesus in prayer may seem empty at times, but when all is said and done, these moments of quiet are often the source of the inner strength that allows mere mortals to carry out the work of compassion and care that Jesus did, that he continues to do though us.

Even though he was the Son of God, he knew the importance of prayer, so early in the morning, while it was still dark, he would rise from sleep, find a deserted place and pray.  Every one of us who is a disciple of the Master must in our own way determine where this deserted place is for us.  Every one of us needs to find a time and place in our daily routine to check in with Jesus because in the silence of prayer we find the inner strength that allows us to face the rest of the day with a sense of purpose, and with an eye toward the grace that comes from knowing that we are about the work of one much greater than ourselves.  Strengthened through the routine of prayer, Jesus was able to go on to other neighbouring towns and villages.  Later on, Paul and other disciples too continued the work, but only because they were able to remain connected in prayer.  Why then should we think that we are any different?  If someone were to look at the daily routine that we live, would they find there a source for inspiration?  Would they find there a habit or two that would inspire them to want to do as we do?