As we learn from the Judge today, persistence has its rewards and persistent prayer has its blessings. Jesus, who gives us this wonderful insight in the parable heard today, is asking for us to be persistent in our faith, hope, love and prayer. As we journey toward our new future, we need this persistence as we become one new parish. We will have a new name and become one great family with two churches, but we will still have those essential gifts we need on our earthly journey: word and sacrament.
We will continue to be faithful listeners to the word of God in Scripture. We will write that word on our hearts as we become a living Gospel for all people to hear. Focused on our foundation in Christ, we will continue to be a warm, welcoming family of faith who live that faith in hope and joy through acts of loving prayer and service.
We will continue to be a Eucharistic people who see, in this great Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, our mission, our life and our identity. We will celebrate all of the Sacraments with reverent devotion and fervent prayer. We will grow in God’s grace in each and every celebration of the Sacraments. We allow God to encounter us where we are in life and gently guide us as to where he needs us to be.
Now is a time of prayer for us. Pray for a spirit of loving cooperation in this process of coming together. Pray in thanksgiving for all of the gifts our community will bring to this new beginning. Pray in hope for a great and glorious future as we celebrate this family, united in Word and Sacrament. Pray with joy that we will always have these pillars of our faith. We often call Lent the acceptable time because of the special nature of that season of renewal. This too is an acceptable time for us. As we transition, we will be renewed with energy, grace and wisdom. We will be gifted with God’s grace. We will persist in doing great things with and for each other and most especially with God’s gracious help, we will do great things in His holy name.