God's PROVIDENCE

this past weekend, i went away to lake george, new york with one of my sister's and her family. they have a trailer up there in a campground and i sometimes will go with them at least one weekend of the summer season. i haven't been away with them for a couple of years, though, so with much resistence and not being sure that i even wanted to go away in the first place, i went (still a little reluctant about it.) why am i sharing this? well, just by being away this weekend, i have learned more about how providential our God IS! you see, i'm pretty active in several parishes and just the thought of being away from the parishes is so, so difficult because i LOVE my parishes and the ministries i serve in and i get so much peace and contentment in this way. although my sister and her family are great people and i enjoy spending time with them, they do not have Sunday Mass as a priority on their list because of "other things to do." and, because i travelled with them in their van, i had no means of transportation to get to Mass on my own because i was told by my sister that she "couldn't promise she would even drive me to a church for Mass." well, it just so happened that while we spent the day in town yesterday at the "world's largest flea market," there was St. Cecilia's Catholic church along the way as we were walking and browsing at so many useless and worldly "things." the Mass time for Saturday was 4:30 pm - perfect for me to tell my sister that i would meet up with her after Mass. it all worked out - as if the Lord had placed that church there in my path so i could go to Mass. even today, when we left lake george to come home, i was disappointed that i was going to miss the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi at the Franciscan parish i'm involved at. but, (since my sister lives in dutchess county) i remembered that there is a Mt. Alvernia retreat house (run by Franciscans) in wappingers, new york. and so i looked it up on my cell phone, called and asked about a Transitus service and they said "yes, there would be one at 7:00 pm and that i was most welcome to attend! so, i feel that this is a lesson for us to "just let go and let God" - He truly will take care of us if we leave the cares and worries about things with Him. and, as a very wise and caring Capuchin friend shared with me - "it is good to change our routine and get away from time to time" - we might just learn something from doing so! PAX! Happy Feast Day of our Holy Father, Saint Francis of Assisi to all of my Franciscan friends and non-Franciscan friends, alike!