Fr. John's Farewell

Thinking of you . . .
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Cor 9:15

As I reflected on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2^nd, I imagined what it was like when the Lord was brought into the sacred space of the Temple and what Mary and Joseph must have contemplated in their hearts as what would be the future of their child’s life as well as their own. Our parents, Godparents, grandparents, might have done the same thing as we were presented to the Lord at our baptisms or those yet to come. What we do know is that the Lord is with all of us as we enter into the Paschal Mystery of our lives and go on our baptismal mission to bring His love into the world around us. He plants us in certain places, for certain periods of time and provides us with the love and support of caring people that will help change our lives and our hearts to make us better and stronger individuals in doing His Holy Will. As I ponder my own vocational path, as I contemplate on the words of St. Paul in Scripture above, I thank God every day for His placing me in communities of Olean where I have been able to be a part of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the St. John the Evangelist parish families what an indescribable gift to me from God!
It is hard to believe that it has been more than three weeks since I said farewell to you at each of our weekend Masses. Since that time, I have been in transition. First, seeing my family in Pennsylvania and in Ohio. Second, visiting my cousin in Florida to help her where she was in need and enjoying some sunshine. And, then coming back to complete the packing, packing and more packing.

During my time away, I was able to secure a more stable car to make my trip southwest to Missouri, a safe one. My “new” used car is able to pull my camper that I purchased more than two years ago enabling me to spend more time each week with my Mom during her last year of life as I was more able to visit from East Aurora to the Pittsburgh area during those times of COVID. The photo is the one taken as I left my brother’s home in Ohio to begin my journey to Ava, Missouri.

When traveling forward, when I imagined the journey ahead of me, it was important for me to recall the words of a special monk that graced our own Southern Tier as he wrote about the Advents of our lives – our new beginnings --  “. . . we live each day as a beginning of an end. From an ending of all that is in humanity, moving toward divinity – because of new beginnings, there lies HOPE. Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk, a mystic, a theologian, a spiritual writer, and once a professor at St. Bonaventure University, taught that in the “Advent Mystery of our own lives is the beginning of the end of all”, [as we continue to become Christ-like]. It is not just a renewal of old, it is the coming of the new–all things new.” We all make journeys throughout our lives that recreate us for His purpose and for those placed in our paths that become a part of us always. For me, I take with me in my heart all that you taught me, all that you are to me to make the foundation of all things new. For this I thank You as you have touched my soul and have changed my life for the good, helping me to become a better priest, a better person. Please know that I keep you close to me as you are part of my heart forever.                 

God’s Love and mine,
Fr. John

My next new beginning in God’s plans:
Rev. John Adams          
c/o Assumption Abbey   
2860 State Highway OO           
Ava, MO 65608

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