Many of us have things we would love to do or places we would love to visit. Some of these have not happened because the timing was not right, or we did not have the money. Maybe we have promised ourselves we will do them when the kids have finished college or when we retire. Perhaps it is that we have not planned them yet and they are still on the proverbial bucket list. We must be careful not to miss the opportunity to do these things because time could be running out for some of these events to happen or it may have already passed.
In the Men’s Faith Sharing Group, which meets every week on Thursdays, we are finishing the book, “Die with Zero” by Bill Perkins which I have mentioned many times over the last several weeks. The last concept he raises is slightly different from a bucket list and he calls it “time bucketing.” The concept is that there is a time for everything in our life and some windows of time are better than others for us to accomplish certain things.
Perkin’s example in the book is one I share myself. When I was 19 years old, I took a 60lb backpack and traveled all over Europe for a month on a Euro-rail pass, sleeping in youth hostels in different cities. It was an epic trip that I will never forget. But if you asked me to take a 60lb backpack now and sleep in hostels with 30 other smelly un-showered men I might give it a pass! There is a time for everything and a proper time for everything! There are certain things that are better done in our younger years, and if we miss them, we miss them. What we can do in our 20’s, we will not do in our 50’s or 60’s. What we can do in our 50’s, we might not do in our 70’s or 80’s so now might be the time to do those things that are in our list of priorities.
This weekend at all Masses, Marian Marren will give a 4-minute personal reflection and share some of her insights into time bucketing and how precious time is especially when we get older. She offers some deep wisdom for those who have families and the value of creating memories and how important those “memory dividends” become in the later years. She will also elucidate the value of her faith community of 60+ years. Please join us this weekend and invite others to join you as we hear wisdom from the pews.
During the journey of Lent, the Church offers us these 40 days as a time to get ourselves out of autopilot and examine our time here on earth, reflecting on the different “time buckets” and ask what we might do at this time in our lives. It is a time of metanoia, a time of renewal, a time of reflection, a time to do justice and time of conversion.
It is also a time to welcome new members into the Church. We have several people joining our Church formally through the RCIA process and they are in the final weeks of preparation. We invite you to pray for them and welcome them in a specific way this year. We will have baskets at the doors with the names of the different candidates and elect. We ask you to take one name with you and pray for them and write a card to them and bring it back to Church and put it in the collection basket. We will give them those welcome cards on Holy Saturday after the Easter Vigil Mass when they complete their initiation. I believe this is a great way to welcome them into our community of faith here at St. Simon Parish.
Last Friday, it was wonderful to see our community celebrate together at the St. Patrick’s Day dinner. Everyone enjoyed the traditional Irish dinner, entertainment by the talented Irish dancers and time together in fellowship. I enjoyed seeing parishioners young and old enjoying the evening together. Thank you to Tina Lipscomb and Lee Panec and their team of volunteers for putting on this event, the gym was decorated beautifully, and they shopped, cooked and fed over 400 people! Amazing! It truly was a team effort as it takes many hands to put on an event like that and we thank you for your dedication and service.
I encourage you to come to our final Stations of the Cross next Friday, March 31. It will be the Living Way Stations of the Cross narrated and acted out by the youth. John Angotti will be here to lead us with beautiful music for all to enjoy. We will start with soup supper first at 6pm in the Parish Center Gym and then walk over to the Church. Please invite your friends to join us that night.
Finally, we would like to conclude the ADA appeal. We are almost there! We only need $25,000 to reach our target. Please – if you have not already committed, please do so now by donating here. If every family gives a little, then we will easily make our goal. Please support our local Church in being a strong community of faith for all who seek help. More information here.
God bless,
Fr. Brendan