Dear friends in Christ,
This weekend marks our final Sunday of Ordinary Time before we begin our 40 day journey of Lent. Ash Wednesday is this Wednesday, March 1. Recall that it is not a Holy Day of Obligation but it is an important day for us as we begin the holy season of Lent. We come to have our foreheads marked with ashes as a call to conversion and a sign of our mortality – “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.”

We are at the end of Resisting Happiness. Happiness is a choice and resistance always stands between you and happiness.

We live in a world of instant gratification. News gets to us on our smartphones or iPads the moment it happens.

Dear friends in Christ,
We are just 10 days away from the start of the holy season of Lent. I’ll have all the details of our many Lenten activities, including the Ash Wednesday schedule, in next week’s bulletin. If you want a sneak peek, however, you can see it on our website now. But before we get to all of that I think we would be well served to begin thinking today about what kind of Lent we want.

“Our lives change when our habits change,” is an often used quote from Matthew Kelly.

Dear friends in Christ,
This weekend we welcome back an old friend of Christ the Redeemer, Fr. John Gibbons. I say “old” with a great deal of affection. Fr. John is a priest of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown in Pennsylvania, but he is no stranger to us at CtR. In fact, he got his start here at the parish. He was one of the first parishioners I met when I became pastor in 2004. A successful businessman, he was active in several ministries and could always be counted upon to help out in a pinch. We played golf together a few times and I enjoyed getting to know him. But as I did, I began to understand that there was something more that was calling him. Though well into his 50s by that time, he desired to serve the Church in a more profound way. He wanted to be a priest.

Dear friends in Christ,
On this Super Sunday we hear a super Gospel from St. Matthew (sorry, I couldn’t resist!) - “You are the light of the world.” Beautiful words from our Savior, but do we take them to heart? Do we see ourselves as that light sent to the world? Perhaps we hold back in letting our light shine for one reason or another. Maybe we’re burned out. Maybe we need to change something within us so we can glow again. Ask the Lord for the grace to see the light within you, and then go out to the world so that by your actions, words and deeds others might see the light of Christ in you.

Even when we know God’s way is the best way to live we resist. I know I should eat healthy and exercise but I come up with all kinds of excuses not to. It is the same with our relationship with God and our quest for happiness.

Dear friends in Christ,
As I previewed last week, we kick-off Catholic Schools Week today. You’ll see a great number of our school kids at all the Masses this weekend. They’ve got a host of activities planned for the week, not the least of which is the Open House from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Thursday, Feb. 2, which is open to everyone. Please spread the word to family and friends who may not be members of CtR but who nonetheless may be looking for a new school option for their children in grades Pre-K through 8th. Above all I ask you to pray for our school. It is a wonderful gift to our community, and in less than three years CtR Catholic School has truly made an impact on us all.

Part of our being as humans is our need for control. It seems like when we are growing up, working those first jobs, getting married and raising kids, we want to be in control.

Many times our lives are filled with many details that keep us from the important things in life. This is one way resistance keeps us from being happy.

Dear friends in Christ,
Last week I attended the first planning meeting of the year for our 32nd annual Spring Festival, to be held on April 29-30. That’s more than three months away, but the planning for a successful Spring Festival begins early. Truth be told, as soon as last year’s festival was over, Mike and Camille Havelka, our general chairpersons, were already planning this year’s event. Our dedicated Core Committee will be meeting regularly for the next several weeks in preparation for the weekend at the end of April.

Dear friends in Christ,
Having celebrated the Solemnity of the Epiphany last weekend we now returned to Ordinary Time in the liturgical life of the Church. You will see the familiar green vestments for the next seven weeks in this interim period between the end of the season of Christmas and the season of Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday, March 1. Let’s resolve to use this time wisely and effectively to grow in our faith.

Before we jump into summarizing each chapter, read a bit about what the book, "Resisting Happiness" covers.

Dear friends in Christ,
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany. Just as the wise men from the East long ago journeyed to see the newborn child Jesus, we too are called to do Him homage as well. Where do we see God manifested in our world today? How do others see Christ manifested in us? Let us pray that we will see Him in all people and all places in this coming year.

Matthew Kelly always says, “Your life will change when your habits change.” With this book we can substitute attitude for habits. When our attitudes change our life will change.

Dear friends in Christ,
Happy New Year! Fr. Ralph and the pastoral staff of Christ the Redeemer join me in wishing you a blessed new year. I trust you all survived all the excitement of the Christmas holidays. Of course that excitement still continues. Remember that Christmas is far from over. Because Dec. 25 fell on a Sunday there was no Feast of the Holy Family, which normally is celebrated on the Sunday after Christmas and before New Year’s Day. Rather this year the first Sunday following Christmas is Jan. 1 and this day is always dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. We ask for her holy wisdom to guide and protect us throughout this coming year.

Preparing teens for a world that challenges their faith in God in an environment where they feel welcomed, valued and loved is essential to our parish. The Living Our Mission: Shaping Our Future Capital Campaign and the proposed Redeemer Activity Center (RAC) give life to that vision so our teens can engage, explore and worship, said Pat Kelly, longtime Encounter Core Team member and parishioner.

Ed and Loretta Mock have seen the massive growth of Christ the Redeemer over the years. With four generations now at the parish, they have contributed to their share of building projects. The Mocks still do not hesitate in their enthusiasm for expansion that aids in the growth of their spiritual family.

But if we walk in the Light as he Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another... 1 John 1:7