Greetings,

Welcome to Missio Dei—the Mission of God, Phillip, a pilgrim of Christ, a husband, a father, and a grad student, M.A. Theology-Sacred Scripture @ Holy Apostles College and Seminary, with my colleague and fellow pilgrim, Jonathan Fessenden, a grad-student M.A. Theology-Apologetics @ Holy Apostles are full of joy that the Holy Ghost is working in your lives moving you closer to the truth of the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and through His resurrection raises us to new life.

I give thanks and praise to our Lord who gives growth to the work and toil of his laborers who plant and water by His grace bringing in a harvest of those who need the living water of His Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. A gracious and merciful Father who trusts his children to be stewards of His creation, and by the sacrifice of His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ through baptism adopts us as heirs of His heavenly kingdom. For like St. Paul, we are not ashamed of the Gospel, as it has been handed down to us in the deposit of faith by tradition, sacred scripture, and the magisterium of the Church.

Many of us in the United States have experienced a startling cold snap leaving many in the southern states, whose communities are not use to such weather, without electricity, heat, and water. We pray that their needs will soon be alleviated. I offer a sign of hope, a sign given to us by the seasons of the land. Winter is soon to melt into Spring. And so, by God’s creation through the seasons, He gives us a habitual sense that life lived by the gift of joy aids us against the despair of suffering.

For nearly a year now, the world has been gripped by despair, suffering a pandemic. What has been worse is the fear and anxiety that has been the effect of the pestilence—It is despair that is the true sickness that leads to death because it kills hope, it kills the soul. It’s not the only thing that has caused despair in our lives. The rise of secular puritanism which seeks to socially cancel any who resist the upheaval of traditional Western society of the last two millennium has led to despair by its unforgiving tribunals in the court of the mob. What you did five, ten, or maybe twenty years ago, when you were maybe a teenager—unforgivable. It doesn’t matter that society thoughts on issues have changed or simple things like humor has changed, you should have prepared for the grand march of progress.

The grand march of progress is an idol. Reject it. Repent from it. Medicine is a good, but if it is our supreme hope, it is also an idol. Reject it. (being an idol) Repent from it (being an idol). Jesus asks each one of us, “Who do you say that I am?” In Christ Jesus, there is forgiveness to be found in Him through His bride the Church. The Church is full of sinners, it is a hospital for the sick—not a museum of the righteous. We are made just by His death and resurrection, if only we believe in Him working through love toward our neighbor, which includes forgiving each other too.

It is my hope that you will cooperate with the grace of God moving your own will to assent to an act of true faith working by true love. By His grace, I repent of my sins every day striving to answer the call to live a life of holiness in hope that I can one day be His saint.

May the Lord Bless you with an abundance of joy and hope.

Phillip, a Pilgrim of Christ

Orare, Docere, Dare

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