Provincial Director Fr. Jeffrey Kirch, C.PP.S.
On behalf of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, I wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving. We are grateful for all in our Precious Blood family, and hope that all of God’s people experience God’s care and mercy on this day and always.
Here in the Midwest, we anticipate rain for Thanksgiving day. We are not known for our great winter climate, but by this time of the year we’re ready for anything nature throws at us.
You have to feel a little bit sorry for our Missionaries who were reassigned earlier this year to ministry in and around Melbourne Beach, Fla.
For those of us who are looking at another Midwest winter, Florida may sound like a plum assignment.
Then Florida got hit with not one but two hurricanes, Ian in September and Nicole in November. I need to check in with our Missionaries to see how they feel about Florida now.
Nicole later came north and dumped an inch or more, depending on location of rain on Dayton, Columbus and Cleveland, where Missionaries are also in ministry. That was a lucky break for the Midwest, which has been through several very dry months.
When we were kids, we probably tended to see things in black and white, events as good or bad. As we get older, we learn that God can work wonders in anything, even in a hurricane. When people were in danger, rescuers rushed in. People who suffered damage were helped by friends and neighbors. People may have marveled that they are stronger and more resourceful than they thought they were. And the tail of the hurricane can bring much-needed rain.
Disasters are not a good thing. But good can come of them. The same with sickness, heartache, pain and hunger. When we see need in our world and work to fill it, when we see people hurting and rush to help them, God is at work through us.
We are grateful for all that God chooses to give to us. The blessings, the challenges, the sunshine and rain. We know that we are not always destined for the easy path or the level road. But we know that God travels with us, guides us and protects us. God watches over us and encourages us as we learn from this life. And we are thankful for that, for all of it. Thank you, God for trusting us with both blessings and challenges, which are often one and the same. Thank you, God, for everything.