We have now entered the Easter season. This is my favorite time of year of the year for daily mass readings! I love hearing the stories of how our early Church formed. But it is also a time to ask how we fit in the story. Christ did not just die for the early church but for each of us in the place and time we are in. Each of us, also, has a unique irreplaceable role to play in continuing that story by the lives we can touch. But how do we best find that?

I had the privilege of attending the (W)holiness event at Immaculate Conception parish last weekend. Father Flatley led us on a meditation on the stories of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. He left me with so much food for thought but something in particular on how to best find our role. He said we need to be both catechized and evangelized. I have always believed this to be so, and that this is a never ending journey. For many of us a love of Jesus was passed on to us from our family or perhaps someone we know or married. We begin a relationship with Jesus, we are evangelized. We also perhaps go to Catholic school or participate in OCIA attend weekly mass and are catechized. But neither of these are meant to be a one and done. The more we develop a relationship with Jesus the more we want to know Him and the more we know Him the stronger the relationship becomes. If we persist in our faith it is a never ending circle that deepens our relationship as time goes on. And as Father Flatley says occasionally when you pursue this you will have moments when Jesus pierces your heart!

These next few months we have many opportunities to be catechized and evangelized. This upcoming Saturday is our 2^nd annual Spring Pilgrimage. We will be exploring the luminous mysteries and how Jesus is lighting a path for us through how He lived and ministered during his time on earth. Our speaker Jill Simmons passion is helping women find how their unique talents and how they can be used in the service of our Lord. I promise if you attend you will have a growing understanding of how God is calling you to set the world on fire!

We also have some amazing books we are promoting. They are books focused on some of the main issues I have been hearing are important to you: how to survive as a mother and raise our children to have faith in this crazy world and how to help when we have adult children who have left the faith. I know we have many women who would love to participate in these studies. If you feel the Holy Spirt nudging you reach out to me, bprasad@diojeffcity.org and I will help walk you through how to get started or join me at the studies at the Cathedral in Jefferson City.

Finally, if you are trying to find your place I encourage you to join us for our new FIAT Focus monthly Zoom calls. Our next one is coming up April 8^th and is offered at noon and 5:30. Plus we will offer a recording after the fact if you can’t attend during those times. This month we will have a panel of women on the call and will discuss how best to Lead and Facilitate a Book Club.

So don’t just believe the story ENTER INTO IT! We look forward to writing this chapter of our church story with you!

To Shaping Our Future Together!

Barb