Let the Desert Rejoice: A Call to Prayer

10-19-2025Weekly ReflectionFr. Fred Adamson

Dear Parishioners,

After a weekend of much-needed rain, it’s wonderful to see the sunshine return and to feel the cooler air settling over the Valley. It truly feels like fall has arrived in the desert! The rain reminded me how essential water is for all life. For us as Christians, water is also the sacred sign through which God brings us into His divine life. In Baptism, through water and the Holy Spirit, we are washed clean of sin, reborn as children of God, and called to live in newness of life.

How beautiful the rain was, but even more beautiful is the grace of our baptism, which continues to refresh and sustain us each day. That same baptismal grace restores us in Christ and draws us back into right relationship with God. As the desert rejoices in the rain, so too should our hearts rejoice in the grace that renews us from within.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us to “pray always and not lose heart.” He isn’t telling us to pray merely so that we can get what we want, but rather to help us build a lasting relationship of love and trust with our Heavenly Father. Consistent prayer strengthens our faith, deepens our peace, and reminds us that God is with us in every circumstance. Without prayer, we are easily pulled toward distractions and false promises that leave us feeling empty or lost. Prayer anchors us again in what is true and life-giving – God’s love.

The beautiful reality of being Catholic is that the Church never ceases to pray. At every moment, somewhere in the world; the Mass is being celebrated, religious communities are praying in monasteries, families are praying together in their homes, and individuals are lifting their hearts to God. Even when we cannot pray ourselves, we belong to this great chorus of unending prayer. What a consolation to know that our spiritual family is always praying with and for us.

Here in our parish, there are many ways to deepen your prayer life: parish prayer groups, small faith communities, and online resources such as FORMED offer practical help for growing in prayer. I’ve found in my own life that prayer changes and matures over time. It requires patience, attention, and the willingness to listen. Like any relationship, it grows stronger when we make it a priority.

This Wednesday evening, I invite you to a special time of prayer at our “Adoration Under the Stars.” Following the Divine Mercy prayers in the church, we will process with our Eucharistic Lord to the courtyard for an hour of adoration from 6:30–7:30 p.m. Come for part or for the full hour. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and spend time with Jesus beneath the night sky. Together we will pray for peace; peace in our hearts, our families, our community, and our world. True peace in Jesus begins within each of us and is then shared outward through the love of Christ.

May this week be one of renewed commitment to prayer and trust in God’s faithful presence. Let us pray always and never lose heart!

In Christ,

Fr. Fred