March 1, 2023 I hadn’t spent time with her in probably a year or more, so when I ran into an old friend while we were both out to dinner with other friends, we decided to schedule a time to get together. Soon after our chance encounter, we were exchanging text messages trying to schedule a time that worked around our busy schedules. I suggested a Tuesday gathering. “I usually go to 5:30 Mass on Tuesday,” my friend replied. “Want to join me for Mass before dinner?” So that’s what we did. We gathered for Mass at St. Mary’s in Massena and dinner at a favorite local restaurant on Fat Tuesday, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. We gathered at the Lord’s table and we shared in His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. We shared a time of close encounter with our Lord. Then, we went to that restaurant and spent over two hours eating the pile of appetizers we ordered and chatting, catching up on changes in our lives and where we think God is calling us to move next. We had a close encounter with each other. It seems like close encounters often happen when we “Gather at the table,” the theme of this year’s North Country Catholic subscription campaign. We gather around tables with our loved ones, family and friends, to share sustenance and conversation. We gather around tables to celebrate weddings, to celebrate lives, to celebrate countless events in our lives. We gather around tables to offer support to one another in times of struggle and grief. And we gather around the table of our Lord, the altar, as we share with each other our encounters with the Lord. We share a lot when we gather around tables. Here at the North Country Catholic, we “gather at the table” to share the stories of how people are following God’s call in their lives here in the Diocese of Ogdensburg. We share information from Bishop LaValley about new developments and changes. We share what’s happening in the nation and in the world. We thank you, our subscribers and supporters, for gathering at the table with us. We thank you for your prayers, your feedback, your story ideas and your notes of kind words. We look forward to continuing to “gather at the table.” |
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