BY DR. JEFF ANDRINI, OFFICE OF EVANGELIZATION AND DISCIPLESHIP

Dr. Jeff Andrini

Dear friends,

If you are like me, you thrive in the 50-day Easter season leading up to Pentecost. There is so much to appreciate and enjoy during this season. I work hard to be a positive and hope-filled person, which seems easier when life is bursting forth all around us in spring!

Have you ever had a friend that is hard to hang out with, because their demeanor is like Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh? It takes so much energy to stay positive and hopeful, when all someone can see is doom and gloom. As much as we know that our attitude is a choice, we all sometimes feel a bit like Eeyore and need the energy and new life of Easter to set us straight!

God is so good! No matter where you are in life, or what you have been through, having an encounter with Jesus changes everything. Maybe you’re a Catholic that wonders if you ever had that encounter? You might have a hard time seeing how God has worked in your life. I am convinced that as Americans we are doers and we just keep on doing life until we cannot do it anymore. And then, at the end of life, many people slow down enough to look back over their “dash” and see the blessings of God all over – but it takes reflection and that only happens when we slow down and just “be” for a moment, instead of always doing. Reflection is key. And we all have a story of faith.

I invite you this Easter to enjoy the Sunday readings about the Early Church and the love and mercy of God that overflows from our Easter scriptures. I encourage you to take time each day to pause and sit with God and appreciate the gift of the present moment. Ask for the eyes of faith to discover how active and alive Christ is in your life and allow yourself to be overwhelmed by God’s love. And if you have never paused to consider the story of your life and God’s interaction, I invite you to slow down, reflect and write out your story of faith.

The U.S. bishops put it like this: “Your lives are a witness of faith. Whether you were baptized as a child or joined the Church as an adult, you have a story of faith. Whether you sincerely live your faith in quiet or have a great public ministry, you have a story of faith. Whether you have a grade-school knowledge of the Catechism or have a theological degree, you have a story of faith. We all have – and are – stories of faith, for through the Spirit, the Gospel of Jesus Christ takes hold of us in the proclamation of his Word, and Jesus touches us in the celebration of his sacraments. When this genuinely happens, we are all set ablaze by his love” (USCCB, Go Make Disciples, 1991).

You are invited to join others from across our diocese on Wednesday evenings during the Easter season, via Zoom, for a one-hour session celebrating the faith of the Early Church and hearing stories from current Catholics about their faith journeys. It goes through May 19! Join us as we witness to our Easter Faith! Learn more or register here: https://owensborodiocese.org/event/stories-of-faith.

Peace in Christ,

Jeff

Dr. Jeff Andrini is the director of the Office of Evangelization and Discipleship. Please send comments to [email protected].

Originally printed in the May 2021 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.