Happy Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord!

Happy Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord!

Posted on : January 31, 2025

Catholic Schools Week.  This past week has been an exciting time!  As I am writing this, our children at the parish school are partaking in an all-day Carnival!  We offer this in light of St. John Bosco, whose feast day is this Friday, January 31.  Our principal, Mrs. Dougherty wrote this about him: “He would win the hearts of his peers by doing circus stunts like balancing acts, juggling, etc. The admission he would charge them is that they had to say a rosary or attend Mass first. St. John Bosco is a patron of school children and reminds us that our children are ‘a gift to be nurtured and cherished.’”  On Monday, we had our Pep Rally.  The school staff played the eighth graders in Volleyball.  I think the staff is undefeated!  Woo!  I was surprised that day to see the whole school wearing T-shirts with my face on them. The front of the shirt invites everyone, “Pray for my pastor!”  I am very grateful for those prayers!  On Tuesday, we were able to praise and worship Our Lord in the gym with Eucharistic Adoration and a procession.  It was awesome!  I can’t wait to see how the rest of the week unfolds.

First Reconciliation.  This coming Wednesday, February 5, we will be celebrating First Reconciliation with our second graders.  It is a joy to walk with them and their families as they prepare to receive God’s mercy in a very real and tangible way.  It is amazing to stop and think about how God can literally make us new in this sacrament.  While we know that sin can distort us, we know the power of Jesus can restore us and help us along the way.  He is our light in the midst of darkness!

In the book of Hebrews this weekend, we hear how Jesus has power over death and has the power to free us from the slavery of sin.  This is why we approach Jesus.  On our own, we are slaves to sin.  But with Jesus, we are free!

One of my favorite praise and worship songs is “No Longer Slaves” which proclaims that “I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God.”  Then this follows…I am surrounded by the arms of the Father. I am surrounded by songs of deliverance. We've been liberated from our bondage. We're the sons and the daughters. Let us sing our freedom…We are able to sing our freedom because of our good and loving God who came into the world for us, who adopted us and made us His own.  Don’t ever forget it.

Live in His freedom,
Fr. Jeremy

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Akron, OH 44319
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