From the Desk of Father Martin - June 30, 2019

Praised be Jesus Christ! “And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches,” (2 Corinthians 11:28). Back in January when I was visiting the dentist I was asked by my hygienist if I ground my teeth at night. While I assured her that I don’t, she explained that my teeth are not as crowned as they once were . . . which led to her next question about whether I clench my teeth. And upon observation over the past 6 months, the truth is that I do. When I started this behavior is anyone’s guess. The reason I quoted Saint Paul at the beginning of this bulletin article is to suggest that there’s a correlation between stress and parenthood. When I became a pastor in 2011, while I don’t think I noticed it at first, gradually I entered a world familiar to all parents: the world of worrying about children. As far as I can tell, this is a phenomenon that will probably only end in death. Saint Paul clearly felt it, and if my teeth are any indication, then I must have felt it too. But such anxiety, stress, and fear are not always terrible things to be avoided at all costs. Given the fact that Jesus said we must deny ourselves and take up our cross to follow Him, it seems that He knew our love for others would be a real burden that would take its toll on us. In our world today so many want to lay down this cross, whether by pushing to legalize drugs or by wallowing up to the trough of materialism. Thank God for His gift of faith, which more than any other reality in the world has the capacity to trans- form our suffering into true holiness. Think of the wrinkled face of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta – those many worry lines were produced by a lifetime of love for God and His most abandoned people. True love costs a lot, and none of us is up to its demands. Only with God’s grace can we bear the suffering that comes with loving someone. The good news is that His grace is available to us, preeminently in the Sacraments. As my time at Christ the King and Saint John’s now comes to its end, people have sometimes said things to the effect that they’re not sure how things will go on once I leave. And honestly, that has been a source of fear and anxiety for me, as I’ve worried that maybe I didn’t do enough to assure a seamless transition. But a friend of mine said just the right thing at the right time when he reminded me that the graveyards are full of irreplaceable people. In other words, by God’s grace life will go on. The faith in these parishes is very deep, and no matter who the pastor is or who the Bishop is, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” (Hebrews 13:8). I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how it felt to arrive here with hope but also a lot of naiveté. And along with that I remember the stories of how Father Stoetzel cried before leaving for his new assignment. Yes, all parents, both biological and spiritual, must bear crosses and some of the most difficult ones have to do with detachment and change. But Father Stoetzel was wise to include in his final bulletin column these words spoken by Jesus Himself: “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God,” (Luke 9:62). So in imitation of my predecessor, I too will refrain from returning to these two parishes that I have loved with all of my heart. The Lord has asked me to follow Him wherever He goes, and with His help I will try to do that. You will al- ways be welcome to visit or write and I include my new address below for those interested. Thank you for being so good to me, for your constant prayers, and your generous love. Even if my teeth are flatter than they once were, you were worth it!
1104 South 9th Avenue
Wausau, WI. 54401
715-842-4543
May God be praised for giving us these wonderful years together! 
Your friend in Christ, Father Martin 


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