A timely exhortation from my daughter

My daughter posted the following on Facebook today:

“I frequently wish that we would all just stop, look around, and realize we're all in this together.”

I agree with her to this point, but to make things better, we must go further.

 Here is a little food for thought:

We live in difficult times with many of our brothers and sisters suffering around the world because of unemployment, inability to pay monthly bills, and failure to afford either a decent education for our children or adequate health insurance for our families, to mention just a few of the many issues resulting in despair and hopelessness today. I think my daughter’s statement above was prompted by the Holy Spirit Who dwells within her (as He does in all of us who are baptized in Jesus Christ)simply because of the timing of it.  The first reading at Mass for All Saint’s Day provides encouragement to individuals, families, and whole communities experiencing such difficulties.  John has a vision (Revelations 7:2-4, 9-14) of a multitude of people, impossible to count, “from every nation, race, people, and tongue… These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress.” John’s vision of the salvation of many who experienced difficult, nearly unbearable suffering is also a message for us today. Suffering is not the end: God promises that all suffering will come to an end! His son sacrificed his life so that we may live.

I realize that at times, such a message can be misunderstood as a cheap consolation, giving hope for a joyful afterlife without addressing the current suffering and working towards a just society modeled after Biblical and Christian values. Karl Marx criticized religion for exactly this reason and called religion the opiate of and for the people: religion serves to dull people into acceptance or their fate because of a belief in a perfect afterlife; people need religion to survive extreme suffering and those in power promote religion to prevent the marginalized from rising up against the sources of suffering and those who benefit and profit from such circumstances.  As Christians, we have to admit that our faith communities and their leadership have often been and are even today at times guilty of accepting social conditions that are contradicting Biblical and Christian values. We, as Christians, often failed those who are suffering and ultimately Christ when we are schmoozing with those in power, defending unjust social structures that privilege some and disadvantage others and avoiding translating our faith values into policies.

However, John’s vision clearly states that active involvement here and now is crucial for salvation. One of elders in his vision says that those who survived great distress “have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb." In other words, they not simply accepted their salvation through “the Blood of the Lamb,” through Christ’s sacrifice. They “washed their robes,” they became actively involved in their salvation. Salvation is not passively accepted. Action and involvement are crucial for salvation. Or, as the second reading for All Saint’s Day says, God’s children are what they are because they made themselves pure. (1 John 3:1-3) The Gospel (Matthew 5: 1-12a) very explicitly states what this means. Christ, in His sermon on the mount, praises the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, those who are the clean of heart, and the peacemakers. The Beatitudes make it clear that we are called to become involved in our communities, in our society, and in the affairs of the global community. This is perhaps best expressed through Christ’s reference to “righteousness,” which in the Sacred Scriptures refers to serving the marginalized, weak, and poor; to speak on behalf of those who have no voice; and to work for a fair and just society modeled after the teaching of Christ. This is what many of the saints, who we remember on Thursday’s Solemnity of All Saints, did through their prayer and action.

Let us pray for ourselves, our faith communities, and our Church that we may not betray those who are in need. I submit that those most in need in these troubled times are the unborn children who are ripped apart in their mothers’ wombs.  How many productive, faith-filled brothers and sisters were lost to that horror!

 

Let us pray that our communities may never be the opiate of and for the people but, inspired by the Holy Spirit, identify ways to transform our society through Christ’s teaching, become engines of promoting fairness and justice in our society and globally. 

Nobody said it would be easy!

Jesus tells us (Luke 13: 22-30) to be different, to not follow what everyone else is doing and go with the flow of society, but rather to stand strong in our faith and strive to be holy servants of God. How do we do this?

Ephesians 6:1-9 states “Honor your Father and Mother,” and “As slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, willingly serving the Lord and not men.” These are two great examples of ways to “strive to enter the narrow gate.”

Be the one who wakes up a few minutes early to begin your day with the Lord, amidst a crowd be courageous, and pray before your meal; take some time during the day to be in silence with the Lord, smile at whomever you meet along your path, pray for someone going through a hard time, spend time talking with a friend, call a family member and remind them how much you love them, thank God for the blessings in your life, do whatever it is God is calling YOU to do that day to serve God, and strive to be holy.

We can bring serving God and doing His will into our workplace. And that way, we can offer whatever we do on a daily basis to God, as our sacrifice to Him. United with the cross of Jesus, our simple, perhaps mundane tasks throughout the day can take on a redemptive value. That means God takes them and uses them for His purposes in a mysterious way throughout His body, the Church. That means your work can really count for something eternally important!

St. Paul bids us to "willingly serve the Lord and not men."  There may come a time when serving the Lord may be in conflict with serving men and this world. When this comes, be not afraid! Remember to Whom your first allegiance is, and do not disappoint our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Lord will give you the grace you need to discern His will, and then give you the courage to do it.

Jesus gives us a warning in the Gospel (Luke) that we must do this each and every day, because “some who are last who will be first and some who are first will be last.” We can’t be God’s servants on Sunday only and expect to enter through the narrow gate of salvation. We can’t have been God’s servants yesterday and choose not to from then on thinking that one day is good enough. To be a servant of the Lord is a way of life and a purposeful mindset.

The blind shall see....

I’m not sure if it was just coincidence or a prompting by the Holy Spirit that led me to notice the lady with the white cane walking toward the church this morning.  Or the other blind woman who received Holy Communion as her guide-dog led her in the procession line.  I had never noticed either parishioner before—rather, I recognized them, but had not realized they were sightless.  Since I am not inclined to believe in coincidence, I think it was a call for me to meditate a bit more on today’s readings.

In Mark’s gospel today, Jesus restores sight to a blind man named Bartimaeus. On hearing that Jesus is coming, Bartimaeus drops his cloak, probably his only possession, and springs up off the ground to meet Him. The gospel doesn’t tell us so, but I imagine Bartimaeus as a man of maybe 40 or 50.   Being 40 or 50 in those days, he was probably not very spry. He’s probably pretty dirty because he’s been sitting on the ground begging, and to top it off he can’t see! So when he literally leaps up and goes parading off, in what he must be hoping is the right direction, I am struck by the determination of his faith.

As Christians we are called to toss aside our material possessions, jump off the ground, and teeter off in the direction of Jesus’ voice. We are called to acknowledge our own weaknesses so that we can lean upon the shoulder of Christ and let him provide the compliments to our inadequacies. God says in Jeremiah 31:7-9, “They departed in tears, but I will console them and guide them.” Regardless of the weaknesses we struggle against and the other obstacles in our lives, faith helps us to find God in even the most desolate of moments so that we may find strength through Him.

I am led by the Holy Spirit tonight as I write this to think of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  As we enter the confessional after a thorough examination of conscience, we are sitting by the side of the road shouting, “Son of David, have pity on me!”  As we confess our sins to the priest in persona Christi we throw off our cloak of sins and run to Christ for healing.  In the prayer of Absolution, Christ is telling us “Go in peace, your faith in My mercy has cured your blindness.”  Then He bestows upon us the strength of Sanctifying Grace through the Holy Spirit to help us amend our lives and live in a manner pleasing to Him.

Peace be with you all.

Acknowledgements through action, not words

I continue to get emails from well-meaning friends, acquaintances, and even relatives that not-so-gently urge me to forward (what is in their opinion) their very important, spiritually relevant message as they remind me:

Jesus said to His disciples:
"I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.  But, whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God." (Luke 12:8-9)

What is denial of the Son of God? Surely it isn't just saying the words: "Jesus is not the Incarnate Son of God!" But rather, it involves behaving like Jesus' teachings are irrelevant.

There's an old saying, "Actions speak louder than words!"  So, we must be careful that our behavior in no way contradicts what we say we believe.

In order to call ourselves Christians, we must acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior. Some days, it will be easy.

Going to Mass each week we feel comfortable calling ourselves Christians and naming Jesus as our savior. We wear our crosses and go to Bible study where it is easy to call Jesus the Son of God, where we feel comfortable pronouncing our faith.

Do we treat Jesus with the same reverence when we go out on the weekends? Do we acknowledge Christ when we are out with our friends? Do we defend his name when asked why we remain in the church? Do we call ourselves Christians when it is not comfortable or the popular thing to do? Sometimes the right choice is not always the popular one. There will always be instances in our lives in which we find ourselves comfortable, then uncomfortable. If you called someone your best friend yesterday, would you stand up for him if he was being bullied today? Would you say you were proud of your son one day, then bail him out of jail the next?

We are called to treat these situations just as we are to treat our relationship with Jesus. We are not called to be like the disciples who were with him when he was popular then against him when he was a criminal. We are called to be like John and call him our savior until the bitter end. It will be difficult. In order to nurture our relationship with Him, we might challenge ourselves to implement daily prayer. We must live the gospel in our words and actions, treating the least of God's people as we wish to be treated. Perhaps most importantly, we must defend him in conversation when called to do so. Like many things in life, being a Christian is not always easy, but rewarding in the end. If we wish to be acknowledged on judgment day, it is our duty to acknowledge Jesus as God—though not necessarily by forwarding e-mails.

Family ties and Inspirational intercessors

For the last few years, I’ve written on October 17^th about my grandmother and my sister, who were both born on this date.  Well, I haven’t really written about them but rather wished them a happy birthday and asked for their prayers. 

When I went to Mass this evening, my intentions were on their behalf.  I thanked God for blessing me with both of them.  (Don’t worry Mom, I’m not delusional—I’ll explain it more as I go along). 

I was listening to a radio program this evening in which young people were asking Cardinal Dolan of New York questions of faith.  One of the questions was “How can I evangelize—or for that matter even keep my own faith strong—when I have to work among men who have no interest in God in general or religion in particular?”  His answer was (in a nutshell) to show his co-workers his faith through his joy in knowing Jesus.  I immediately thought of my grandma.  Every time I ever heard her speak of our Catholic faith, I could feel her joy.  I can’t ever remember her raising her voice or using harsh words.  What I remember most is her commitment to Christ, her prayers, and her humility.  She is the example of non-verbal evangelization Cardinal Dolan was speaking of.   I credit her and my mother most for introducing me to what a prayer life should look like and what I should strive for. 

What I credit my sister with is much more spiritual.  This may sound strange, but ever since I found out about Dorothy, I’ve felt a bond—by that I mean a “sixth sense” sort of bond.  It’s like she has been charged by God with watching over her family from Heaven, and praying for us when we need “saint-strength” prayers.  She was only alive for a few minutes after birth—just long enough to be baptized.  Since she didn’t live very long, she couldn’t possibly have sinned.  Her Original Sin was washed away by her baptism.  So my belief is that she is in Heaven right now, helping us through her prayers to grow closer to our Savior.  There have been many, many times in my life when I have faced doubts about my faith.  Then, a thought of Dorothy will intrude on my thoughts and erase my doubts.  Earlier today, I was listening to a radio program focusing on twins and how many of them share a sort of “sixth sense” bond.  They can be on opposite sides of the country and all of a sudden they both get an idea or thought at the same time.  Or one will be ill and the other will know it without being told.  Strange stuff.  But I believe it, because I think I have a “twin” of sorts—my “Irish twin” (without the derogatory meaning).

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Happy Birthday, Dorothy!

What time is it? **

I like to find a quiet place to pray, as there are fewer distractions. I can compose myself better and it seems there is a better chance that I can "hear" Jesus.
That's where the Disciples find themselves in the 9^th Chapter of Luke – alone, in a quiet place with the Lord.
Jesus asks them a question: "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
In prayer and in our lives how do we reply?
If we answer as Peter did: "The Christ of God" (Luke 9:20), we'd better also think of the cost: "The Son of Man must suffer greatly" (Luke 9:22)
Jesus doesn't want us to tell others who He is, but rather to know that in our hearts and to see Him in our daily lives and to live as He lived no matter what the cost.
"There is an appointed time for everything."

**Now is the time for the Lord.

Find the laziest person around (notice me raising my hand), and he’ll show you the easiest way to get something done.  I had a grandiose idea to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church in its entirety during this upcoming Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI.  Today I found a website being “tweeted” and “re-tweeted” all over “Twitter” that will accomplish this goal!  The Holy Spirit came through for me yet again!  Won’t you join me?   Just click on the widget at the top of the column at the right and you will be sent portions of the Catechism every day by email.  It cost nothing.  Just a little bit time each day to reflect on the beauty of the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church.

Gratitude for forgiven debts

One of my favorite Gospels is when Jesus is invited to a dinner party at Simon’s house, and a woman provides a service that His host had failed to offer. (Luke 7:36-50) The other guests at the party were scandalized because the woman was considered by them to be a “sinner”.  They murmured among themselves that Jesus should have known! Jesus responded first by pointing out His host’s lapse, and then by telling a little parable about two individuals forgiven debts, one small and one large, and asks His host which would be more loving. The host correctly answers that the one forgiven the most would likely be the most grateful and loving. Jesus then tells the assembled guests that the woman’s sins have been forgiven. The guests are shocked and wonder how Jesus could presume to forgive sins, which is something only God can do.

But here’s something I’m betting a lot of people don’t understand about this episode. The story doesn’t say that Jesus did the forgiving, and the parable that He told makes it clear that the forgiveness preceded the woman’s gratitude. Jesus tells His fellow guests that He could tell that the woman had been forgiven (past tense) by virtue of the loving service she provided. She couldn’t have done it had she not already accepted God’s forgiveness.

When we are forgiven much, we tend to return love for forgiveness. Think how grateful we are to someone who says “I’ve got this” when at Starbucks or at lunch, or who with little or no complaint allows us ahead in line. Think what relief we have when we apologize for some small fault and the person we're apologizing to says, "It was nothing."

How much more then should we love the Person whom we have killed by our faults, the Savior who forgives everything, completely! How much can we love Someone who has forgiven before we even ask it of Him? Our debt to Jesus is a debt of profound, complete, all-encompassing love and a greater debt because we have been forgiven so much.

An exercise that can't hurt

Anyone who reaaallly knows me knows that exercise is not high on my list of things to do.  There are many reasons why I should, but only two why I don't--I'm so out of shape it hurts to exercise, and I love to eat.  However, I can exercise my faith and spirituality and humility.  There are no excuses for not exercising those.  That can't hurt, can it?
 
Sister Mary Martha teaches us a pretty good way to exercise humility.
 
Thank you, Sister, for writing my entry tonight.  I, too, have been a little remiss in writing as often as I should.  (I'm sorry, but you brought it up!)

Thanks to those of you who are still reading this humble little attempt to spread the Good News.

I love a good challenge, as long as it's not physical--that was for the younger me.  And this will be a challenge.  And I hope--as it was for Sister Mary Martha--a life-changing eye-opener that opens me up to some of those physical challenges as well. I'll be honest.  I may or may not report back on my results.  But if I do, you can thank me later.

In the meantime, Thanks be to God.  That's really the crux of all of this, isn't it?

Without God, we're sure to sink!

I have tried my best to stay clear of politics on this blog.  My intention has only been to ponder the Word of God and share my thoughts with you.  I will try to make this my last political statement in this forum.  I made the decision to opine on politics because of  because of THIS DISTURBING UNREPORTED NEWS  that quite frankly scares me. And in all humility, my faith gives me enough courage that I don’t scare easily.  I am frightened for my family, my friends, and my country--from the youngest (those still in the womb) to the oldest, who handed this great country on to us only to see it come to this!

 

What scares me most is that I have friends and family who just don’t get it!  Life is eternal, folks!  Where you spend it is YOUR choice.  God does not punish us.  God does not send people to Hell.   They CHOOSE to go there.  He will give us what we ask for.  Will you choose eternal life in HIS presence or eternal longing for HIS presence?  He doesn’t force us to love Him.  I love Him for Who He is and what He has done for me.  I have been nothing but blessed in my life, despite the ups and downs.  How about you?  Please make an honest examination of your conscience.  Isn’t there room for the God who created you?

Then, join me in THIS NOVENA starting today, up until Election Day 2012.  I will post the novena on the side bar until then.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners NOW, and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

   

My Almighty God Bless us.  In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Never was heard a discouraging Word

Wouldn’t you love to have been able to actually hear Jesus speak?  What was it about Jesus that people felt he spoke with authority?  What convinced them of his power?  What was there about his word?  We have the gift of scripture, so we can know what Jesus said.  And from scripture, we can know who He is.  Would I be willing to trade that gift to be able to hear Christ speak?  I wonder.  If I heard Him speaking directly to me and if He was saying things I didn’t want to hear (but I needed to hear for my salvation!), would I listen?

Words.  What power they hold! Encouraging or discouraging.

We ran a contest this month at work for a select group of managers who needed to improve their performance in a particular area.  We allowed the managers to select the standard to be met based on their own confidence in their abilities to reach the goals.  The goals were quite modest in my opinion.  I would have loved to see a higher goal set, but it appears that I have more confidence in their ability than they do.  We discussed the game plan that would help us achieve our newly set goals and agreed to stick to the plan, even if we ran into obstacles. 

We were tested the first few days into the contest.  Our performance did not improve.  In fact, it worsened from last year.  We had dug a hole so deep even our low goals seemed way too high.  My boss and I were commenting on the performance daily (“To keep the focus up”, we told ourselves).  Our comments at first were of encouragement and confidence.  After it was apparent this tactic was not working, and a couple of the managers were grumbling that we needed to lower our goals or their teams would become discouraged and quit trying altogether, our comments became more sarcastic and less than charitable.  We thought of lowering the goals to a break-even level, but that would have made the whole idea of the contest meaningless.  Instead, we decided to keep the goals we had set, look for reasons for our reverses, and change our behavior.   We looked at the game plan we had written at the beginning of the contest and felt confident it was the right direction to follow. We returned to more encouraging and charitable comments on the daily progress.  

We then took our plan directly to the individual team members one by one and made sure they understood their part of the plan.  We did not meet our goals—sort of.  What we did manage to do was to climb out of the hole we had put ourselves in and finish positive over last year!   The boss is so happy with the late surge he decided to reward the managers anyway.  (However, instead of a steak barbecue cooked by the boss, all we will have is hamburgers and hotdogs—and I will be the “chef”).  What the experience told us was that if we had followed our plan from the beginning or at the very least followed most of it better, we may very well have blown the modest goals out of the water.  I think the managers learned something.  I know I did.  They want to repeat the contest this month and have already set higher goals!     

The world’s standards seem so low at times and yet, whenever we run into a standard that causes us a problem, the solution seems to be to change or lower the standard.  Then there are God’s standards - which seem impossible.  Love your neighbor?  I even have to love that so-and-so down the street?  Love my enemy?  Really?  And yet Paul says we have the mind of Christ.  I know I’m a sinner and I know I’ll fall short of God’s standard.  So, should I repent and try to do better or simply change and lower God’s standard?  Well, since God’s standards cannot be changed, the Good News is that we worship a loving, forgiving God who welcomes our repentance.

One of my problems is I always want to sit in judgment of the world (and its inhabitants).  I need to realize that the judge position is already taken and my job is to simply live in obedience to God’s Holy Will.  Simply?  Right.  So much easier said than done.  I have to realize, it’s not about me, it’s about Christ and to keep my focus on Him. 

Humility

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God” –(Matthew 23:30)

Seems impossible, doesn’t it?  I heard an explanation of this passage on the radio the other day that makes sense.  I don’t know if it is true, but it does help make more sense if you believe Jesus is not talking about wealth or poverty here—at least not worldly wealth or poverty.

In the time of Christ, the “eye of a needle” referred to small openings in city walls that were sometimes used after the main gate had closed.  They were so small, however, that in order for a camel to enter, it had to bend down on its knees and crawl through to the other side.  In this image, Christ is not talking about an impossible occurrence, albeit a difficult one.  Instead, He is preaching to us the importance of humility.

When we are asked to ponder the characteristics of a hero or heroine, we often come up with things like strength, courage, bravery, and honor.  Sometimes we may include love, trustworthiness, and faithfulness, but humility is not something we hold in high esteem.  Humility is for those who are not “man enough” to fight through a difficulty or trial.  Humility is for those who are weak.

And yet, humility is what separates Christians from all others.  It is the greatest weapon in our fight against the devil.  As St. Vincent de Paul tells us, “For as Satan does not know how to employ humility, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.”  When we act out of true humility, the devil is powerless to oppose us.  We each must strive to become nothing in the eyes of the world, so that we might stoop to serve the lowest in our lives.  We should pray to be delivered from our fears of being ridiculed as well as from our desires of being honored and extolled.  In addition, we must also pray for the grace to desire that others become more esteemed and praised than our own selves.  The Litany of Humility is a beautiful way to do just this.

In all things, though, we must pray.  We must be willing to let God speak to us in the quiet of our hearts for, as Mother Teresa teaches us, “If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you.  Then you will know that you are nothing.  It is only when you realize your nothingness, your emptiness, that God can fill you with Himself.”  Just as a camel can only pass through the eye of a needle on its knees, so too a rich person can only enter the Kingdom of Heaven on his knees before his God and King.  Just as Indiana Jones discovers in The Last Crusade, “The penitent man will pass before God,” and he does so on his knees in prayer.

 

Blessed are the Poor of Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God. –(Matthew 5:3)

Queen of Heaven

While browsing the Internet tonight, I found the following meditation on the Assumption.  I really have to share it:

Mary looked over at John writing at his table and smiled. He had always looked so young and the years had not aged him very much. She could understand why Jesus had such a special place in his heart for John, with his gentle ways and his easy love for people.

She gathered her cloak around her against the cold and closed her eyes as she thought about the many years of her life. So much of it was beyond understanding and yet she believed it and accepted it. She had been given a courage, faith and humility that could only be a gift from God. How else could she have overcome her fears and said "Yes" when Gabriel asked her to be the mother of the Savior? Her son, Jesus, had been a wonder in her life. She had not always understood all of what he did but she knew he had a special role on earth. Their hearts had been bound together in faith and an unbreakable love. She had watched him leave home, teach, heal and challenge the authorities. Her heart had been pierced with such sorrow when he was arrested and tortured and finally put to death. Her faith in the Father had carried her through those days, and the incredible joy-filled days that came after.

"Imma?" John, said using the most intimate form of "mother." He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You are so quiet these days." She smiled at him with affection. "Dearest John, my life has been long and I have so much to be grateful for. These years together have been so full."

It was true. In the weeks after he had risen, Jesus had spoken to them of a new order, a new way of life. She had resisted the urge to cling to him and not let him go again. She had to trust. "I will be with you always," he had said. In her heart, she knew it was true and once again opened her life fully to God's will. She watched with joy as he was taken up into the clouds. In the years that had followed, his message and life had given hope and meaning to a growing number of followers. She had spoken to so many of the disciples and followers in those times.

Jesus was in her life, too, in a vivid and very real way. She felt his presence with her as she grew tired. She spoke to him from her heart constantly, just as she did when he was on earth. She felt a strong connection that was as unexplainable as it was real. She closed her eyes again in thought.

"Imma," came the familiar, loving voice. "Blessed are you among women." She knew it was different. She was not in John's house but with Jesus, standing in a place that filled her with a different kind of joy. "My son," she said softly as they embraced. She felt his cheek firmly against hers.

She did not know how or why. There were no questions and no answers for this. He had promised her she would be with him and the Father. She touched her body in wonder and knew she had been drawn to a different place by power not her own. It was her same body and yet different, more vibrant.

"You said 'Yes' to the Father's request, Imma," Jesus said to her. "Your life was prepared in a special way and you followed it with such faith. You made my work possible."

She knew that somehow she was experiencing the resurrection in a way others would have to wait for. As she had so many times before, she paused and opened her heart in prayer. "The Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his Name."

Moving mountains

The city has been redirecting some underground drainage pipes throughout town.  They informed (they didn’t ask—they “informed”) us that they would be accessing a small portion of our property for about a week as the pipes would be buried right next to our office building. 
Well, it’s been about two weeks and they are just finishing up.  But it’s been kind of cool, in a way.  The little boy in me has been fascinated by all the different machines they needed to dig the trenches, move the dirt around and then fill the holes back in.  My boss and co-workers (but for some reason only those of the male persuasion) have been as fascinated by the sheer power the “earth-movers” possess as I have been.  We were also awed by the skill it takes to operate those machines. Even with all that skill and power, though, it still took almost two weeks to move 100 feet of dirt.  I found myself day dreaming a couple of times wherein I was “moving mountains.” And I was moving them a lot quicker!  Then I realized I don’t need any cool mechanical help.  What I need is faith.

Christ tells us that with faith the size of a mustard seed, we could move mountains.  A mustard seed is the smallest of seeds and yet, when fully grown, it becomes the greatest of plants. A mustard plant is a weed, and with one seed, an entire field can be ruined because a mustard plant will quickly spread and take over an entire field. So it is with our lives. If our faith was like a mustard seed, it would spread throughout our lives, finding its way into every corner of our lives. If we even crack open the door to our hearts, God will fill us with His love and transform every aspect of our lives.

 “Nothing will be impossible for you,” is all that Christ says. We will be able to move mountains.  Think about that!  There are two ways to move a mountain. First, we could move the entire formation all at once, but I don’t think that was what Christ is referring to. Instead, I think He is telling us that we will be given the graces to move mountains one rock at a time. We all have mountains in our lives that need to be moved because they stand between us and our ultimate destination, the Kingdom of Heaven. Having faith in Christ allows us to love Him more, so that we might begin to move those mountains between us one stone at a time. It may seem like an endless task, and Satan will tempt us to think that our work is entirely futile, worthless, and point us toward despair, but if we are sound, unwavering, and persevere through those difficult times, we will find ourselves at our glorious end, being welcomed into the new and eternal Jerusalem.

There is always a greater purpose!

Let’s face it, life is never a simple drive down to the grocery store; we often get lost in the unexpected detours of our lives, and we are so thrown out of our comfort zone that sometimes we forget that God has been watching us all along. It’s hard to know that despite all that has gone wrong in our lives, it all happened for a purpose: for the glory of God.

Peter must have felt that way when Jesus proclaimed him to be the Rock of the Church (Mt 16:13-23). We often ask ourselves, “Why me?” or “What makes me special?” when God presents us with an opportunity that we didn’t expect or we don’t think we deserve. But the truth of the matter is that we are special. We are loved. And most of all, there is a plan for each of our lives.

Through the Sacraments, God makes a covenant with us that He will never leave us, abandon us, or forsake us. He promises that He will always watch over us and will be there whenever we need him the most. This is a truth that we should remind ourselves of whenever life gets tough. We are each carefully chosen to walk a certain life, so don’t worry, because God is holding us when we feel like we are falling.  The best advice I can give anyone is to frequently go to confession and receive Jesus in the Eucharist.  He IS with us!  He wants us to be with Him.  If we feel He's not there, it may just be that we don't recognize Him.

God tries to reach unbelievers by the faithful around them. But, God will not force them to believe, and there are those who refuse to believe in God or His Redeemer-Son. For faith to take root, unbelievers must hear the word of God and see it in our daily Christian example.

Take a leap!

How many times in life have we felt overwhelmed and wondered if we could meet all the expectations we or others have placed on us? Sickness, financial issues, family dynamics: all are examples in life which might overwhelm us at some time or other.

Leave it to St. Peter to help us see how we deal with these surging waves of reality! The gospel describes St. Peter impetuously getting out of the boat and attempting to walk on the Sea of Galilee toward Christ. Love moves toward the Beloved. With his human tendencies, Peter became fearful and distrusting, and began to sink. His beautiful plea, a prayer we all can use, saved him. He cried out, "Lord, save me!" and immediately Jesus stretched out His hand, caught him and said to him, "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31)

We might criticize St. Peter for doubting, but with his loving, guileless nature he had enough faith in Christ to at least step out of the boat. The other apostles had remained in the boat. At certain times a responsible Christian life requires us to step out of our usual comfort and security. When this happens, we should remember St. Peter, walk toward Christ with open arms and cry out, "Lord, save me!