HAPPY AUTUMN

It is beautiful here in the Midwest. Autumn is such a lovely time of year, with its swirling leaves gently covering the earth with gorgeous colors of red, orange, and yellow. The cool crisp air makes one feel renewed, and full of vigor. I am thankful for this season...But slowly but surely, winter will be ushered in. For now, I must savor Autumn!

I want to share with you a wonderful letter written by Father Stephen from Marytown

Have a great day!

^{Dear Friends,}

    The air is crisp and cool.  The leaves on the trees erupt into a riot of yellows, reds and orange.  Beautiful mums with their fall colors adorn our lawns.  There are pumpkins and gourds and bunches of dried corn stalks decorating homes and businesses.  It is autumn and it seems as if the earth is indeed breaking forth into a joyous song.  It is singing praise to God!   The hills covered with a blanket of autumnal colored leaves sing for joy together before the Lord!
 

Autumn is so very beautiful.  It has a feel all its own.  There are the colors both of flowers and trees.  There are the smells of bonfires and hot chocolate.  There are the sounds of feet rustling the fallen leaves.  The whole earth seems to break forth into a symphony of colors and sounds for the Lord.  

Now however, if you are like me, I can miss all of this because I am too busy or just a bit too negative to see what beauty the Lord has placed before me.  Autumn, the time for allergies I complain!  I feel the crisp air and start to moan that winter is on the way with all its snow and ice.  I hear the leaves under foot and think of the seemingly endless hours of raking ahead.  I think of building a bonfire but the though of cleaning up the ashes prevents me for starting.  And then of course there is the extreme busyness of our days that seems to mute everything because we are over-extended and haven’t got the time to see or experience what God has prepared for us.

I don’t know about you, but this autumn I think I will try to slow down a bit and join in the joyous song that all of creation is singing to the Lord.  If the sea and all that is in it can roar and the hills can sing for joy together and the floods clap their hands, well then, certainly I ought to be able to join in the symphony of autumnal sounds and revel in the smells and colors of the season.  God has given all of this to us!  Let’s not miss it.  Let’s join with all that fills the earth in a song of joy to the Lord!  May our souls filled with praise sing out as did Our Lady’s: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!”

Have a wonderful October!  Happy autumn!

            In the Immaculata,

            Fr. Stephen