Shipwreck

Today two Sisters from my community and two volunteers held a book display at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Toronto. This church is the only Maltese parish in all of North America. Today the Maltese celebrate the beginning of Christianity in their island nation, the Shipwreck of St. Paul. I know that in my last blog I mentioned something about this church. The feast they celebrate today reminds me of St. Paul's words in the Letter to the Romans (Rom. 8:28), "For those who love God all things work together for the good." On Wednesday evening Sister Helen and I attended an evening Mass and stayed for a presentation on St. Paul and the Eucharist given by Father Karm Borg. Father gave a thorough explanation of Paul's words to the Corinthians in his first letter to that community. I was impressed by the fact that these words of St. Paul in the 11th Chapter in first Corinthians are the oldest presentation of the Tradition (I emphasize the capitol "T") on the Holy Eucharist.
On Thursday evening, at our Pauline Cooperator meeting we prayed with the words of St. Paul from Corinthians 1:13,1-13. Almost anyone who has been to a Christian wedding ceremony may have heard these words: "Love is patient; love is kind; it does not envy...". Then after our social we started a class on Paul's letters beginning with 1st Corinthians. I enjoyed preparing the class, and now I am already working on the second installment. I am amazed at how much Paul crams into his letters. And, I am edified at how kind he was in correcting his Corinthians. Even though someone had sinned and probably had scandalized others, Paul did not mention his name. His restraint is a good lesson. When he says, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ," he is not bragging, just being honest.
This past week has brought tragedy to our neighbors just south of us in Buffalo, and in other parts where friends and family members have lost loved ones in the airplane tragedy. I was assigned to our Buffalo convent for at least 5 years. I have a place in my heart for those dear people. I pray for the souls of those whose lives were taken from us, and that God will comfort those who are now mourning. I pray for all those who have to deal with the painstaking process of clearing the site, and all the first responders, NTSB folks and all involved.
This week is Family Day weekend in Ontario, Presidents' Day in the USA, and also the celebration of St. Valentine--patroness of lovers. The greatest Lover of all is Jesus. May He be the One we all love to the utmost!
Best regards and prayers for a super rest of the week!
This week too I offered thanks to the Lord for the healing of a great niece named Tia whose blood clot on her lungs disappeared. As her mother, my niece Tina wrote, "My God rocks!" Thanks to the many friends and email partners who prayed for Tia's health.
The photo of the mosaic of St. Paul is one where Paul is receiving the Eucharist.