I recently heard a severely misguided accusation I’ve heard less than ten times in over twenty years of parish work: “The parish staff are only in it for the money!”

Allow me to preface the next paragraph with the following heartfelt disclaimers: Being Director of Faith Formation at Our Lady of Joy is a dream job. I get to spend the majority of my day learning about and passing along the Catholic Faith. I have met and become friends with so many incredible parishioners. I work in an environment that benefits my Faith rather than eroding it. It is a tremendous blessing. Having said that, there are struggles for every parish worker I’ve ministered beside for over two decades.

This week, I’m am writing to you from a farm in Stuttgart, Arkansas. I actually love hanging out with farmers. More often than not, you know where they stand. And if you don’t, just ask—they’ll tell you what they think. And those opinions are solidly grounded in common sense.

If you find a friend, keep them for life.

Do as much as you can with what has been entrusted to you.

Congratulations are in order! Easter Morning has come and gone—which marks the end of thirteen months of Lent!

All kidding aside, we are an Easter people and it’s high time we start living like it!

Jesus defeated death.

If we REALLY believe that, there is nothing to be afraid of with the one exception being falling short of heaven. As Scripture says, “Death, where is your sting?” There is no persecution that can deny us entry into heaven. There is no burden that will not be lifted upon entry into heaven. No chronic pain or psychological illness that can rob us of heaven. There is nothing except our own free will.

Welcome to Our Lady of Joy.

This parish belongs to God. And His family.

You are as much a member of His family as I am.

You are missed when you aren’t here. There is a hole that no one else can fill. Even when the pews are filled, the Church can never be full without you.

We could never be the same without you. Without your prayers. Without your gifts. Without your smile. Without your burdens.

St. Paul says in Romans 5:10, “If, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.” The CCC #654 explains this further: “The Paschal mystery has two aspects: by His death, Christ liberates us from sin; by His Resurrection, He opens for us the way to a new life. This new life is above all justification that reinstates us in God’s grace, “so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

A long time ago, I saw a movie, and, in that movie, a man said this to his wife, “There can be no life without you.” It is the most touching statement about human love I have ever heard. There can be no life without you!

We are entering Holy Week. It is the most sacred week of the year for Catholics. Within eight days, we experience Jesus being hailed as King, presiding at the last supper, betrayed, captured, scourged, nailed to a cross, and rising from the dead.

And yet, for those of us who have been Catholic for years, Holy Week can become nothing more than the last stretch of giving up candy, alcohol, or television. For others, it can signal the end of meatless Fridays. Maybe it reminds us that we need to shop for ingredients that will go into a Easter Sunday feast. And sometimes, it means we will be joined by those family members who only agree to join us for Mass a few times a year.

Have you ever known a bitter, hurt, or heartbroken person who cropped someone out of a picture? Have you ever been that person?

Either way—you know what I’m talking about.

After the crop, the remaining picture might just look like an incredibly happy individual. And it was an incredibly happy individual, but now that picture represents what is no longer there.

I have one of those pictures.

I am proud of you.

I know it might not mean much, but I needed to say it just the same.

I am proud of you.

We’ve been at this for about a year now. All of this. It was a Monday morning when we received word from the diocese.

Since that day—you’ve done your best to navigate through opposing political agendas, to sift through shifting medical directives, and to endure through the Church’s attempt to do the same.

I am proud of you.

You’ve done your best to maintain civility in relationships with loved ones whose approach to any of the above differed from your own.

The fourth Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday. That comes from the Latin “to rejoice or be joyful.” We need Laetare Sunday when we look at all the sadness and suffering in our world today. There is still terrorism, poverty and denial of human rights and religious freedom in the world. Recently, I made a decision to stop reading news about Nigeria because it is very depressing. We need to rejoice in something and today Jesus and St. Paul give us good reason to rejoice.

When we watch football games we’ve all seen that character in the end zone with orange, blue, and purple hair, holding up a sign that reads simply, “John 3:16.’ John 3:16 is probably the best known line from the Bible and it is in our gospel today. John 3:16 says, “For God so love the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but have eternal life.” That’s good news!

Have you been watching my online Lenten Retreat on our parish YouTube channel? If not—it isn’t too late!

Week One:

WATCH NOW

Week Two:

WATCH NOW

(And you’ll have to look for Week Three on the YouTube channel as it will be released after I write this, but before you read this.)

Now...here is a quick reflection on this weekend’s Gospel…

When I was about 18, before I started training for the Priesthood, I dated a girl called Olivia. We dated only for about three months. Olivia is from a very traditional Catholic family. In Nigeria, parents do not allow their kids who are under 20 to date. So Olivia and I dated secretly. But sooner than later, her parents and siblings found out. They found out because she mistakenly left the Valentine card I made for her on her reading table.  One of her siblings found it and reported her to mom and dad. Before this incident, Olivia and I were study partner. We were preparing for an examination. So, I lend her one of my books. For some reasons she stopped coming to the library where she and I used to study. There was no cell phone at the time. So I decided to pay her a visit so I could have my book back. When I got to the house and asked to see her, her whole family came out to finally meet this guy who was trying to corrupt Olivia. The looks I got from them was very terrifying. They were like is this the Clement? They spoke in their language and the only thing I could understand was those times they mentioned my name. I was so embarrassed. Well because of the pressure from her parents and older siblings, Olivia and I decided to end the relationship. We lacked the courage to nurture our beautiful relationship.