Dear Parishioners,

I hope you are all enjoying the beginning of summer. Yesterday was the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24th). This has a special connection to the beginning of summer because it falls immediately after the Summer Solstice. Literally, this past week had the longest days we are going to have all year. Now, we will only see a decrease in the length of days. This matches perfectly what John said in the Gospels, “He must increase; I must decrease.” (John 3:30) John was speaking about Our Lord, of course, and throughout His life John was constantly heralding the coming of Our Savior.

John is such a great example to all of us and this is a great lesson we can all learn. We must decrease all of our selfishness, our sins and our baser desires in order to make room for Christ. Almost all the ancient forms of the blessings have an element of exorcism followed by the blessing because the Church recognized that we need to make room for the grace to follow. We have to cast out the old man to make room for the new man. Likewise, when we hold on to our old sins and even try to justify them, we are resisting the great work God wants to do in us: our renewal and holiness. That is why to create room for Christ in this world, John constantly proclaimed a repentance from sin.

These couple months of summer can be the most lazy and distracted months of the year and are also occasion to forget about our spiritual life which is so vital. But in all circumstances lies the opportunity to grow in holiness and to love God more. So, may you all increase in the grace of God this summer and every day!

God bless!

Fr. Carter