Another month has gone by and the pandemic continues. According to the CDC January was the worst month yet. Pray for an end to this scourge on humankind. Get your shots, when it is your turn. I'm waiting on my second shot right now.
Lent is just over two weeks away. If you make it to Mass on Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2021, you will receive the ashes in a different way. There will be one general prayer over the ashes and those to receive them and then the ashes will be sprinkled on your head instead of the usual cross on your forehead. And yes this is due to the pandemic, too. There will be no touching. We will do a similar thing for the blessing of throats. Since St. Blaise is celebrated on Feb. 3, we will bless throats on Sunday, February 7, 2021.
On the 31st, we celebrate the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In our first reading, Moses told the people that God would send another prophet for the people. In reality, when we read the Bible, we see that God sent many prophets to give his word to the people until at last he sent his Only Begotten Son, Jesus. God manifested himself to Moses on a mountain in a cloud with loud thunder and lightning. This frightened the people. Jesus came as a man, born of Mary, with preaching and miracles, especially cures for the sick and possessed. Today's Gospel tells us: "The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes." Jesus is the light of the world. In our second reading St. Paul tells us not to be anxious. He says there will always be distractions but we can overcome them "for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord." As our responsorial psalm says: "Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the Lord who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides."
We, masked and socially distanced, continue to have Mass at 8:15 and 10:30 AM on Sundays. Cheryl and Francine connect the 10:30 to our webpage around noon. The Soup Kitchen continues to function MWF and we can always use extra help. The soup is still handed out the door due to the virus and our workers are masked and socially distanced. Our St. Vincent de Paul group still delivers food to shut-ins. I want to thank all our workers for their great contributions. Faith in St. Joe County continues to function through zoom as well. I hope you had a chance to participate in last Sunday's MLK Special. Cheryl Ashe had a great reflection. We still have many envelopes to hand out. They are in the usual place in the foyer. A few numbers have changed, but if we have your name and you are registered, you will get credit for your donations, which of course we are still accepting and needing. I am working on the letters for your contributions from last year.
I anointed Willie Golden at his home on Wednesday. He is in Hospice Care and is getting ready to pass. Please keep him in your prayers.