As I write this eBulletin article, I finished my last hike in the Utah and Colorado mountains on this 2-week vacation. I was able to hike over 130 miles of high-altitude trails and enjoy many high mountains. In particular, I got to climb to the summit of Pike’s Peak outside Colorado Springs. It was the toughest hike I have done in years, climbing 7,600 feet to the summit at 14,115 feet high over a 12.5-mile trail. While it was not a difficult climb, as it was only a class 1 hike, it was a hot and long 7-hour climb. Thankfully I hitched a ride down from someone who drove up on the road!
Many of you ask why I would spend all that time hiking on vacation. Truth be told, I love the outdoors and I love being in nature. I find it particularly refreshing for me to be on the top of mountains that few people climb (Pike’s Peak is a rare mountain where there is a road to the top and a visitor center on top!) There is something about nature that softens my soul and returns me to my Celtic roots of loving creation as a part of God’s gift to us to enjoy.
I recently read when we are in nature (or just outdoors) to notice all your neighbors—all the animals, plants, trees, birds, and creatures God created and see them all as gifts from God. Try to name them, or at least some of them, and then realize you are a “guest “in their home! Treat the place well because you are a “guest.”
I am reminded that the environment we live in, even in Los Altos, is teeming with life—plants and animals alike. This is our common home together. We share the environment with God’s creatures, and we need to care for all our neighbors—animals, plants and yes, other humans too! I realize that the natural environment knows how to care for each other, feed each other and survive together over many years. We need to care more about that reality.
I started to reflect upon the environment of our Church community, and how we can create an environment that is open and welcoming to all, especially those who feel least welcome elsewhere. But we need to work hard at creating and sustaining a “thriving healthy environment” open to all life. We can only do this if we are reflective of the gift of our common environment, the gift of our parish community.
Like any ecosystem, it requires work to keep the balance right. There is a delicate balance between our prayer & worship, and our community-building and outreach to those in need. In the year ahead we will engage in developing our skills to care for our own souls through increased opportunities to grow in our personal prayer lives. Hopefully, all who enter our community will feel welcome as “guests in our environment.”
We have many opportunities to grow our communal environment for all our neighbors and reach out to those in need. This weekend marks the beginning of that journey with the collections for the Rummage Sale. This annual Rummage Sale serves many purposes. First to enable us to reuse, reduce and recycle the “stuff in our homes.” Second, to give others the opportunities to buy these items or be given them in their time of need as we share a common goal to reduce our common footprint. Third, it is an opportunity to build community by serving alongside others and create an environment where friendship can grow and last a lifetime. Finally, we serve those in deep need in our greater community as we distribute the remainder to many charity organizations serving the poorest of the poor among us. Wow! What a great way to end the summer—create a healthy place for all!
It is my hope that we continue to meet others with gentleness, kindness, and love as we are all but guests on this planet of ours. Let’s respect our common home and create a beautiful community where all feel welcome and guests in this lovely community.
It is great to be home! Thank you all for your prayers and I look forward to a great year together.
God Bless,
Fr. Brendan