Dear Friends,

One of our heroes and friends, Fr. Jim Callan at Spiritus Christi in Rochester, New York has written a book, You Can't Hold Back the Spring, which talks about not being able to stem the tide of reform that is happening in the Church from the bottom up.

We are experiencing the Arab Spring, with countries like Tunisia and Egypt and Libya and Syria straining to overthrow brutal dictators to find their freedom to be their best selves. In the Catholic Church, too, we are seeing grassroots communities saying "We are the Church," and taking back the church that they love and making it life-giving for themselves. Matthew Fox's Occupy Christianity is another example of this, nailing up a new list of ways the Church needs to be reformed so that it can once again give all abundant life as Jesus missioned.

In the first reading, I hear Isaiah saying to present day church bishops and fundamentalists, "You are not listening to me, You are turning away from me." Benedict wants a leaner, cleaner church, whereas Jesus wanted a gathering where all would be welcome, where Jesus tried to use the talents of all and the present hierarchy rules out the ministry of women, the married, those who are gay.

Today's Gospel is about how we carry each other to Jesus—how we support those who are in need, as we all are one day or another. I find great hope, great inspiration and great support from our community—we are the Spring that God is working. Paul tells us that the Spirit is the security deposit of the new life God has given us and is working in our Church—You Can't Hold Back the Spring and Jesus is applauding!

Loving blessings,
Ron & Jean