Dear Parishioners,
Last weekend, Feb. 18, the Bishop was here to celebrate the 10 a.m. Mass at Chewelah. Afterwards we went over for the blessing of the new Rectory. The Bishop was very happy with the new Rectory and remembers what the old convent used to look like. He liked the more spacious and open design. He liked the fact that we have space for a potential retired or second priest to stay. I would like to thank all the women who helped put on such an excellent reception at the Rectory with the food preparation, set up and clean up. I would especially like to thank Kellie Tanner who coordinated the event.
This Second Sunday of Lent is the Transfiguration. The Transfiguration is a beautiful and meaningful event in the life of Christ and is very significant for the life of a disciple, the follower of Christ. Here is an excerpt from “The Meditation of the Day” from The Magnificat by Father Paul Scalia of Virginia (Feb. 2024 Pg. 375).
When we encounter Jesus Christ, we encounter ourselves - ourselves, that is, not as we are but as we are to become. Jesus, in revealing his own glory, reveals also the glory that is to be ours…The apostles, privileged to witness the Transfiguration, certainly knew our Lord better as a result. The human veil over his divinity was for a moment lifted, and they beheld his heavenly splendor.…They also beheld the “upward call” of every Christian…. Saint Augustine says that the transfigured Christ reveals what his Body is to become. We are to be transfigured as well. The purpose of everything in our faith – of all doctrines and sacraments – is to change us from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor 3:18). We are to hear the words of the Father applied to ourselves: This is my beloved Son.... The entire Christian life can be understood as the progressive knowing of ourselves as the Father’s beloved children. The project of the Christian life is to train our ears to hear these words and our hearts to accept them.