Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD (Jer 17:7).

My Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

Trust in the Lord! These words are prayed and exclaimed, the anointing of each day. They are the praise of our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the fiat of Mary, our Blessed Mother; and her spouse, Joseph. They are St. Peter’s cry to Jesus when he stumbles walking on the water. They are Jesus’ triumphant words and His profound prayer which He taught us. These four words are the words of faith in God.

As I travel throughout our nine counties and meet you, my heart rejoices as you have shown your faith in God; your prayer of humility is ‘Trust in the Lord’. Over the course of the last two years, you and I have learned much about trusting in God as we have experienced the pandemic. Trust in God requires earthly sacrifices and great prayer. Trusting in the Lord means accepting what is placed before us as a gift from God and praising God, prospering what we have been given as blessing. We can trust that God’s strength will make up for whatever in us is lacking.

The ministries supported by your generosity to Our Catholic Appeal build the house of God for His blessing. They sustain the gift of priesthood through Vocations and Clergy Care; form our permanent deacons to satisfy the hunger of the people; teach us to pray and sing within God’s liturgy; lead our young people to know and serve God; offer mercy and sustenance to the meek and lowly; sanctify the dying and bury the dead; keep us safe as we walk the sacred ground of parishes and missions; communicate God’s essential Word through all forms of media that you might also hear God’s Word. These ministries bear fruit throughout our diocese, and feed you, God’s people, within each parish, school, and mission.

When we are able to see with the perspective of God, the measure of our daily living becomes our ability to receive God through the Eucharist and to offer Him to each other no matter the hour or the day. Jesus tells us, “our reward will be great in heaven.”

Trust in the Lord! We delight in the law of the Lord. I rejoice in your faithfulness and thank you for your blessing through a gift to Our Catholic Appeal. May the kingdom of God be our blessing.

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