My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
 
After an 18-year layoff, I went skiing this week at Bolton Valley. I finally decided to get back on the slopes so that I could be a little more active in the winter months and be able to participate more fully in our annual ski retreat (this year a ski day). I was a bit apprehensive getting on and off the lift for my first run, and I probably looked a bit inexperienced when I first was heading down the slope, but by the end of the morning I was managing to look a bit more than a beginner. Most importantly, I didn't break anything and had a great morning with sunshine, no lift lines and good snow.

This got me thinking about how we approach returning to hobbies, sports and activities we may have set aside for one rason or another.  For instance, running or another form of exercise, hiking, gardening, or any number of activities we use to enjoy in our lives. I think one of the biggest obstacles we face is getting back to these activities is simply inertia. It is hard to get the ball rolling again so to speak. We need to fight through the inertia to get moving and wehn we do we often rediscover something that brings us joy and makes us feel a little better.

If this is true in the world of sports, exercise and hobbies it is even more true in the spiritual life. It is easy to get out of the habit of regularly practicing our faith and remaining committed to prayer and the sacraments. I think of the biggest reasons Mass attendance is so low in our diocese is that people simply fell out of the habit o fgoing. A person misses Mass one week and then another and soon it is a month or a year or more away from the Eucharist. The time we used togive to God (one hour out of the 168 hours the Lord gives us each week), is filled with ohter pursuits or simply spent at home. The same could be said for ceelbrating the sacrament of Penance or even giving God time each day in prayer. If we find ourselves struggling a bit with getting back into the habit of praying, confession and Mass. I encourage us, to take a moment to consider all that God has given to us, the blessings we enjoy each day, the unmerited graces poured into our lives, and simply remember, we pray, we seek forgiveness and we attend Mass as a way to say "thank you" to the source of all of our blessings.

Finally, if we have family members of firends who have been away from prayer or church for a while, invite them back to experience the blessgins we gain from being active members of a community of faith. Hopefully, if we can help them get the spiritual ball rolling again, it will fill our lives and their lives with joy.

In Christ,

Msgr. John J. McDermott, VG