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A message from Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.
As September rolls around and summer begins to fade, nature introduces us to the beginning of the Fall season: The air begins to change; days grow shorter; the brilliant greens of summer slowly yield to the golds, oranges and reds of autumn. We recognize, once again, that God has woven change into the fabric of creation. Nothing remains exactly as it was, yet nothing is outside His loving providence. As one season ends, another begins, inviting us to embrace what God is preparing. And so it goes.
September always makes me think of the words of the Book of Ecclesiastes (3:1-8):
There is an appointed time for everything,
and a time for every affair under the heavens.
A time to give birth, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;
a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew;
a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
In my mind I can also hear Neil Diamond’s iconic “September Morn” and so many other nostalgic songs that refer to September. I am sure you can, too. These tracks demonstrate how September symbolizes more than a calendar shift: September serves as a rich emotional landscape for reflecting upon both what we have lost and what we choose to remember.
September often feels like more of a “new year” than January. Children return to school, parishes resume full activity, choirs gather, religious education begins and families settle into their routines. It is a fitting time to ask: Where is God calling me to grow this year? What fruits will the Holy Spirit produce in my life? Can I, will I, grow in charity, patience, generosity and hope? Am I willing to make the effort?
Look around and observe nature. Autumn teaches us that as leaves begin changing and the days grow shorter, change is truly part of God’s design. Every changing season has its purpose and so does every changing season of our lives. Before the starkness of winter arrives, autumn invites us to pause and give thanks for the harvest of God’s abundant blessings — the gifts of family, faith, parish life and the beauty of creation.
The Church’s liturgical year gradually turns toward the last things and ultimately toward Advent. The fading of nature, however, is never the final word. Christians know that beyond every autumn and every winter lies a springtime also prepared by God. In the meantime, remember God’s word: “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.” Let’s keep that in mind this September.