Dear Readers,

Some of you may have been wondering where I’ve been and why I’ve not posted in a few weeks. Truth be told, I’ve been exhausted. I have chronic kidney disease and my doctor has been prescribing regular infusions of a medication in hopes that it will mitigate the decline of my kidneys. Unfortunately, it hasn’t. Also unfortunately, one of the side effects of the medication is that it wipes out my immune system, so I’ve been sick a lot since my last infusion in late November. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to call in to work ill and the number of events I’ve had to cancel because of on-going infections, both sinus and gastrointestinal and, most recently, a second bout of COVID (though quite mild). The bad news is that I will be required to start dialysis soon, and so I’ve been trying to come to terms with that and with what option for dialysis might be best for me. All in all, it’s been a wicked winter and, while I remain exhausted and ill, at least the weather here in warming up (though I know not for everyone yet!).

But tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and I’m readying myself for a new beginning. Lent is a season of penance and conversion, and my hope is that renewed efforts in prayer and living the gospel life will provide energy enough to get back to as full a schedule as my body allows me to manage. To that point, I plan on contributing regularly to my blog again. There’s a lot going on in our world, both politically, culturally, and spiritually. I can’t promise that I’m going to touch every base, but I will do the best I can – do what I can with what I have – in the effort to make this blog an active part of my diaconate ministry. I hope you’ve not given up on me and will join me on the journey with your reading, your comments and, most especially, your prayers. Let us pray for each other. At the end of every tunnel there is a light, and for every Christian that light is Christ.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.