The Resurrection and Survivor's Guilt

/

Dear friends and family,

No matter how beautiful and wondrous nature around us is, no matter how glad we are to see our family, especially the newest members (the sheer joy of being with the children), no matter how many friends we have gained over the years, with whom we can let down our hair, rant and rave, cry and laugh, no matter how full is our storehouse of good memories, we are never far from tragedy and its ability to turn upside down all the good things of our lives.

When we read about Lazarus, called back to life from his tomb, we put the period on the last gospel sentence, and assume the rest is glorious.

Yet we know from the scriptures themselves that Lazarus, survivor of death and burial, was stalked by the curious (and even more so by the morbidly curious), and there were even plans to kill him, because his resurrected life gave too much credit to the claim that Jesus was Messiah. 

I remember reading a book years ago called The Last Temptation of Christ. In it, Lazarus was asked by cynics, 

"You have known both life and death. Which do you prefer?" 

He replied, "it's six of one, and half dozen of another."

Read More

Singers who lost their songs

/

Dear Friends,

The story of the last days of Jesus on earth tell of the very worst forms of agony any person can endure.

The story also shows, in a very painful way, the most noble way to suffer.

Later, the story happily reveals the glory that awaits those who have been baptized in the fires of life, and have not been found wanting.

Those of you who who are still grieving a childwhose life ended at the hand of another

Those of you still grieving someone you loved dearly whose life ended by their own hand,

Those of you still grieving for someone torn from your life, swiftly or slowly, in such an unbelievable awful and unfair way,

for sure you understand, with your heart, the first five, of the seven high holy days.

Maybe you also (hopefully) grieve deeply for the stranger, for the children who were just killed by sarin gas in the Bombing of the Innocents, in Syria. 

About six months ago, a popular young Haitian singer, on leaving the stage after midnight, and getting into his car on Delmas road, was hit, and run over, by a wreckless driver, who then fled the scene.

That Evans is a completely broken young man, in every conceivable sense, is the understatement of the year.

Read More

The Old Man of the Sea

/

Hello friends

On Monday, after finally unloading from the barge and tug boat:

  • 140,000 lbs  seeds
  • 25,000 lbs of food
  • 17 tons of construction rebar
  • 5000 cement block
  • 2000 sacks of cement

We left Jeremie province  by land for a port au Prince

As we were in the small boat going from the barge to Damie Marie where our trucks were, Roseline interviewed myself, Nebez, Brett Jackson, to Mayou and some people of this hurricane devastated area.

The videos are heavy to upload, but here is mine. We will find a way to send the others.

Thanks for your support

God bless you

Fr Rick

A Reflection from Wilflo Fontus

/

In the summer of 2014, Wilflo Fontus was the victim of a violent attack that left him paralyzed from the waste down. Wilflo nearly lost his life that day and since then has faced down challenge after challenge with incredible strength, grace and faith. Wilflo is now the coordinator of social services at St. Luke's Hospital, a role he actively sought out and has embraced with full heart.

Read More