Fr. Kieran Kilcommons came from Combermere for a few days to give us a retreat and to be a presence among us. He also gave a day of recollection to our women’s faith sharing group and even offered to clean the chimneys. (We wouldn’t let him.)

One of the words that keeps echoing in my heart from that retreat is from the story of the baptism of Jesus. When John said Jesus doesn’t need baptism, Jesus said, "Give in for now." What a gentle way of saying "surrender."

Our daily life is full of "give in for nows."

The cold, the weariness, the darkness, the self-forgetting, the monotony, the lighting of yet one more fire, the bringing in of yet one more box of wood, the sorting of yet one more bag of clothing… "Give in for now."

The loneliness, the spiritual desert, the emptiness, the tension, the story heard a million times, the hostility, the anger, our own neediness… "Give in for now."

What is Jesus saying to me in this? It seems to me that he is saying, "I have a plan; trust me. I know the way; follow me. Follow me in all of this, and you will see the glory of my resurrection, your resurrection. Give in for now."

This past month has been a time of many deaths. Some of them, of friends; others, of people we have met through the food program or at the door.

Marg Stobie, the newest one on staff here, works in the food program and is getting to know people. She also helps out at the senior citizens’ residence and is a great friend to many there.

Kate O’Donnell does the usual and is now an active member of the CWL. The bishop really encouraged the women of the parish to get involved, and his enthusiasm seems to be working.

Kate is also Miss Fix-It. At the moment she is working on our bathroom drain that just does not want to get unclogged.

Last week Fr. Pierre Veyrat moved next door to us, into the Oblate Center, the residence of retired Oblates. He was stationed in Ross River, one of the most remote of the native villages for much of his life, and he was the last of the original Oblate missionaries to the Yukon to retire.

The bishop said that he sadly locked up the church and declared that there is no longer a Catholic mission in Ross River. An era has ended and one wonders what God has in mind.

Fr. Veyrat would have been quite happy to stay in Ross River until he died, but he left peacefully, and the bishop said his obedience was a great grace for everyone.

Kate and I spent the morning in the grade one class of the parish elementary school. What a joy! Those fresh little faces looking up at you, ready for anything! Their teacher asked us to do something on the difference between needs and wants. We did a couple of activities that seemed to go over well. Sometimes it’s hard to tell.

Time seems to gallop by. May the Lord open our hearts to hear where he is leading us on this great journey. And may he give us the grace to "give in for now."