Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 22, 2020 -- THREE
Spiritually Speaking
Misery – Mercy and
Mystery
By Fr. Thankachan Joseph SDB, Pastor, St. Patrick
Church, Heppner
The universal church celebrated the second Sunday
of Easter as the “Feast of Divine Mercy.” This particular
feast reminds us about divine love, care, and concern for
each one of us. The Gospel reading of the day reminded
us of the quarantine the disciples experienced during the
first Easter morning.
In the Gospel of John 20:19 we read: “It was late that
Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered together
behind the locked doors, because they were afraid of the
Jewish authorities.” The risen Lord sees the misery and
fright of the disciples and understands the incarceration of
the apostles and enters into their lock-down experience.
Presently, the whole world has been experiencing
quarantine for over a month due to the rampant spread of
the invincible COVID-19. The threat of COVID-19 has
shut down our economy, our freedom of movement and
coming together - everything is in a stand-still condition.
Many of us are behind closed doors because of the
virus but are also going through emotional misery because
of our shame, guilt of the past, brokenness, disappoint-
ments, failing to reach ambitious goals. We need to look
into ourselves, into how we can find ways and means of
overcoming unhealthy feelings of depression, anxiety,
hurt, loss of self-worth and hatred. In these miserable
conditions He comes with His Mercy.
The present pandemic reminds us that there are no
differences or borders among those who suffer. The
virus shows no discrimination. This particular epidemic
has profoundly shaken us all by what is happening all
around us. The time has come to eliminate inequalities,
to heal the injustice that is undermining the health of the
entire human family. The second week of Easter’s second
reading brought us an understanding of the early Chris-
tian community described in the Acts of the Apostles. It
received mercy and lived with mercy, “All who believed
were together and had all things in common; and they
sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to
all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:44-45) I am watching these
days how people are reaching out to the needy in various
ways. The Lord needs you and me to express his love and
compassion to the world.
I hail from India and I am also watching how my
own friends and colleagues there are reaching out to the
poor and the marginalized in their own locality and going
out in public risking their lives, empowering, consoling
and strengthening the weak and the lonely. In the present
situation, the Lord is inviting each one of us, to stretch
our helping hand and reach out to someone who is in
need of service.
Saint Faustina, after meeting Jesus, wrote, “In a soul
that is suffering we should see Jesus on the cross, not a
parasite and a burden... [Lord] you give us the chance
to practice deeds of mercy, and we practice making
judgements.” (Diary, 6 September 1937) Yet she herself
complained one day to Jesus that in being merciful, one
is thought to be naive. She said, “Lord, they often abuse
my goodness.” And Jesus replied, “Never mind, don’t
let it bother you, just be merciful to everyone always.”
(24 December 1937) To everyone: let us not think only
of our interests. Let us welcome this time of trial as an
opportunity to prepare for our collective future.
This particular period of shut down is actually in the
plan of God. In Genesis 7:16 we read: “A male and female
of each kind of living being went into the boat with Noah,
as God had commanded. Then the Lord shut the door be-
hind Noah.” This present period is for our transformation
and purification. He wants us to be a new creation with
him after this period of shutdown. God has a clear plan
for all his doings. This lockdown we are experiencing I
don’t think is merely by chance.
God plans everything well in advance - which is very
clear from the multiplication of the loaves. He was sure of
what he was going to do. He tests Philip in these words,
“Where can we buy enough food to feed these people?”
(John 6:5) He planned it and he had a solution to it. The
Lord is not like us; we look for solutions when we face a
problem, whereas God is the creator and he has a solution
to a problem.
The Lord invites each one of us to face the misery
that we are experiencing right now with hope and cour-
age, for there is a solution. The Lord is always faithful
to his promise, “I will be with you always, to the end of
the age.” Mathew 28:20 In these miserable situations
of ours the Lord always comes in and supports us with
his peace, mercy, compassion and tranquility. He does it
through various ways. Those of us who experience this
mercy of the Lord, by reaching out to others with mercy
and compassion, take part in the mystery of Christ.
District increases meals served to
students
Above: Children meet the bus to get their meals.
Right: District staff prepares meals for area children.
Like all school districts
in Oregon, Morrow County
School District is grappling
with many issues related to
the COVID-19 pandemic
and the subsequent state-
wide school closure. Dis-
trict staff are navigating in-
formation from state agen-
cies, creating a distance
learning program, helping
families with internet ac-
cess and getting teachers
connected with students,
among countless other tasks
and priorities.
They are also feeding
students – a lot of them.
According to Marie Shim-
er, Director of Educational
Services, during the first
week of the closure back
in March, the district was
serving 300 students a day.
During the week of April
13 th , each day they averaged
just under 1,500 students a
day. In the first five weeks,
they have served over
21,000 meals to students.
Morrow County School
District has schools in three
different communities,
Boardman, Heppner and
Irrigon. Meals are served in
all three, at Sam Boardman
Elementary, Heppner Jr/
Sr High and A.C. Hough-
ton Elementary. At those
school kitchens, meals are
served on a grab-and-go
basis where students pick
up breakfast, lunch and a
snack each day. On Fridays,
students get meals for three
days. Meals are also handed
out along bus routes in all
three communities, so fam-
ilies can meet the bus along
the route if it’s not conve-
nient for them to travel to
the school buildings.
So, who is preparing
the food and handing it
out? In addition to regular
food service staff, the dis-
trict has tapped all types of
district employees to help
with meal production and
delivery, custodians, clas-
sified employees, district
staff, teachers and coaches.
Community partners like
Head Start, CARE, Mid Co-
lumbia Bus Company and
Migrant Education Program
staff from InterMountain
Education Service District
are also helping.
“During this uncer-
tain and trying time for
so many of our families,
meals are essential. Yes,
it’s mandated by the state
of Oregon that districts do
this, but even this small
connection to their schools
and telling them they are
missed is helpful for kids,”
said Shimer.
BEO Bancorp and its
subsidiary, Bank of East-
ern Oregon, announced 1 st
quarter 2020 consolidated
net income of $1,110,000 or
$0.94 per share, compared
to $1,094,000 or $0.92 per
share for first quarter 2019.
Total assets were $485.4
million, up 3.65 percent
year over year. Net loans of
$423.6 million were up 24.5
percent from the same peri-
od in 2019, while deposits
were at $432.7 million up
2.66 percent year over year.
“The positive results for
1Q2020 are overshadowed
by the current events asso-
ciated with the COVID-19
pandemic. The illnesses and
loss of life across our nation
and the world cause us all
to realign our priorities
and the things that we hold
dear. We are fortunate to
live where we do…a place
where people look out for
each other; a place where
businesses band together
to do the right thing by sup-
porting one another. While
none of us know when the
travel restrictions and the
stay home orders will end,
we do know that each day
brings us closer to whatever
the ‘new normal’ will be,”
said President and CEO Jeff
Bailey.
Chief Financial Offi-
cer Mark Lemmon said,
“Shareholder equity is up
6.8 percent over the past
year; Return on Average
Assets and Return on Av-
erage Equity 0.91 percent
and 11.72 percent respec-
tively.” Lemmon added,
“The Federal Reserve has
dropped interest rates con-
siderably over the course of
the quarter to try and offset
the negative impact on the
economy brought on by the
pandemic, but the bottom
line is that the jobless num-
bers will dictate how long
the economic slowdown
lasts.”
Chief Operations Of-
ficer Gary Propheter said,
“Loan growth has come
from across our system,
but more so from Pasco,
Hermiston, Pendleton and
La Grande. Deposits are rel-
atively flat in comparison.”
“As part of the govern-
ment’s economic stimulus
package, the Small Busi-
ness Administration has
provided loan programs
with very favorable terms.
By partnering with SBA,
we were able to help a sig-
nificant number of custom-
ers across our footprint. It
is another example of doing
what our bank has done for
over 75 years. We continue
to work with our neighbors
and friends during these
trying times. I truly ap-
preciate the dedication of
our customers and the hard
work of our employees, as
we move forward towards
brighter times,” concluded
Bailey.
BEO reports first quarter earnings
Chamber Chatter
Area residents are re-
minded to complete their
2020 Census information.
This information is kept
confidential but makes a
difference in the funding
that Morrow County re-
ceives to help the county,
communities and individ-
uals. You can do it online
at www.2020census.gov
and it only takes about five
minutes.
Willow Creek Valley
Economic Development
Community and Public
Enhancement Grant ap-
plications are still being
accepted through Friday,
April 24. For a form, con-
tact the Heppner Chamber
or go to the website www.
heppnerchamber.com and
click on the “Economic
Development” tab to print
off a form.
Until further notice the
Morrow County Transfer
Stations will be open for
free dumping on Saturdays
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (or
until full) and closed on
Sunday. Take advantage
of this great opportunity
to clean up around your
house, yard and dispose
of it free. For additional
information, please contact
Morrow County Public
Works, Monday-Thursday
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at
541-989-9500.
The US Chamber Foun-
dation Grant Save Small
Business Fund is a $5,000
one-time supplemental cash
grant. To learn more and
to apply for a grant, visit
savesmallbusiness.com.
Joel Peterson
MORROW COUNTY COMMISSIONER 1
Experience & Integrity
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