As I begin my time with you this week, I am grateful to God for His call to come to Chardon and Thompson, for your prayers which are sustaining me in the midst of my transition, and for the work of our Interim Administrator, Fr. Andy Turner, in leading our parish communities faithfully through a time of loss. I look forward to praying with you at Mass, and meeting you in the days and weeks ahead. I appreciate your patience as I settle in and transition into a new place.

  I realized as I packed up my belongings in Hudson that I had developed a plan to stay organized - I knew exactly what went where. As I began to unpack in Chardon, I realized that my plan would need to change! My former setup would no longer fit my new environment. In today's Second Reading, St. Paul reminds the Ephesians that they too inhabit a different environment by living their life in Christ. They must no longer live as the Gentiles do. Instead they must put away the old self of their former way of life, be renewed in the spirit, and put on the new self.

  Jesus also shares this wonderful, yet challenging, message with the crowd following Him. He instructs them not to work for food that perishes (what they know and are comfortable with, the 'former way of life') but for food that endures for eternal life. This food for eternal life is totally new to them! It is Eucharistic. They must be spiritually open to receive it and flexible in responding to it. We will see in the next few weeks that without an openness to what God is doing, we will, at best, stay stuck or, at worst, act contrary to what God asks of us.

  Newness means change, and change requires a time of transition. I invite you to enter with me into this challenging time of transition as a time of spiritual growth and renewal for ourselves personally and for our parish communities. Together, let's pay attention to the good work God is doing in our midst!