Serenity comes from the Wisdom of God

The readings from Sirach and Mark on Monday remind me of the "Serenity Prayer".  You know the one I'm thinking of--although you may not know the WHOLE prayer:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
This is usually where the Hallmark cards and souvenirs end the prayer--but there is more:
Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.  Amen.

I am also reminded of Proverbs 3:5-6:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.

What is the wisdom of God? Is it that there is order and not chaos in the heavens? Is it that molecules and atoms behave in a designated way? Is it that the trees know when to bloom and animals know when to bear their young? Sure, it’s all of these, but this doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the effect of God's wisdom on His creation.

What kind of wisdom clothes us, the most beloved creatures of God's creative hand? Certainly we are clothed with more wisdom than we are aware of and sadly, more than we accept and put into operation. Often, it seems, we have stripped ourselves of God's wisdom, preferring instead what we consider a better way, our way.

Naked and bereft of God's help, we eventually destroy what was created as good. We alter the divine balance that which holds creation together in harmony; we meddle and wrongly misuse the intelligence He has given us.

But we needn’t be despondent! God has not abandoned us or stopped loving us. Instead, He is always present, waiting and extending His almighty hand to re-clothe us in the garment of His wisdom. All we have to do is grasp His extended hand and cover ourselves in His glory.

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus helps a young boy and his father by casting a demon out of the boy. But in order to do so, He requires the father of the boy to have faith. Only because of the father’s faith did Jesus help his son. I often find myself going back to confession again and again with the same exact sins that I ask the Lord why He can’t just cure me and take my compulsion to sin away. This reading holds the answer: God allows us to live as we do with the constant temptation to sin because He wants us to work on our faith. He wants us to exercise our God-given wisdom.

But what does Jesus mean when He talks about faith in the Gospel? One can define faith as acceptance of Jesus’ free gift of saving grace, offered by His death on the Cross. But accepting His gift requires both believing in His grace and living it as well. What we believe should mirror how we live; that is what Jesus is trying to accomplish through letting us deal with our own sinful desires. Through our struggle against sin, we learn that only through God can we become ideally human and truly “made in His image.”

Prayer is another aspect that is present in this Gospel, even if it is just barely mentioned. At the very end of the reading, the disciples ask Jesus why they were unable to drive the demon out of the boy themselves. He replies, saying: “This kind can only come out through prayer.” Prayer is very important in our pursuit of faith. If faith is the acceptance of God’s saving grace through our belief and actions, then we need to have some form of relationship with God to fully understand what we believe and how we act. Through prayer we can communicate directly with God, and He will always answer our prayers (although not always in the way we think we want or expect Him to).

So from all this we find faith has three aspects: belief, lifestyle, and prayer. Our belief serves to inspire us, our lifestyle maintains us, and our prayer gives us direction. If we have faith in our lives, the Wisdom of God tells us anything is possible and God will steer us in the right direction.

Go for the gold!

"Go for the gold" is not just for Olympic contenders. It's for all of us. People need challenges in order to grow.


God, speaking through Moses, says to the whole house of Israel, "Be holy, for I the Lord, your God, am holy." It's a call to love one's neighbor as oneself, and not to hold any kind of grudge, or even to seek revenge.

Jesus makes it clear that He has not come to destroy the Law that His Father laid down centuries before, but that He came on earth to fulfill that law. His new law and covenant will go even further. "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" kept the Jews to exact justice in righting a wrong. If a neighbor knocked out one of your teeth, you could only knock out one of his teeth in retribution! If a Roman soldier commanded you to carry his baggage for a mile, which was allowed by law, then Jesus' followers were to go with the soldier for two miles. We have all admired people who "go the extra mile" for someone.

Jesus' listeners must have scoffed at Jesus when He told them not only to love your neighbor, but to love your enemies as well! While that may have seemed absurd foolishness, we all know that keeping our distance, and viewing our enemy as somehow subhuman, doesn't get us anywhere. However, treating him with compassion can often bring about reconciliation, and even turn our enemy into a friend.

How can we ever possibly get the grace and strength to follow all this advice? St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians tells us how. First, he tells us that we are stronger and holier than we think. "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" Incredible! Talk about bolstering our confidence in ourselves to become perfect! Then St. Paul tells us not to be worried if society thinks us fools for acting on Jesus' advice. "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God. . . ." When we act according to God's wisdom, then we belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God!

If we go for God's gold, then we can't lose. Not only will we grow instead of stagnating in complacency, but we'll land ourselves right into the joy of God's heaven!

Faith and Trust

In Hebrews, the author says that Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.


Faith. In Hebrews we hear that God rewards those who seek Him. And without faith it is impossible to please Him. Faith. It always seems our faith is being tested. And at times it seems to be a hard-to-find and rare commodity. The secular world doesn’t care about faith. The world strives to shape us by material and physical things. What good is faith? We want proof. If you can’t see it or hold it in your hand, then what’s the point? So, why do we care about faith? Why does God care about faith?

Some questions simply cannot be answered by our material world.

Mortality. I honestly am not afraid to die, but this got me thinking about my mortality.

I keep thinking about my brother Bob who recently passed away. I thought about the notion that some morning I just won’t wake up. What then? What happens when we die? Is that it? Fade to nothingness? Slide into oblivion? Our moment on earth is just a meaningless blip that blends into the timeline of history as though we never even existed? God promises otherwise. My sister-in-law Marilyn says Bob had the most peaceful look on his face when she found him “asleep” in his bed the morning he died.

We can’t see into the future. We don’t have evidence that there is anything else. So why would we think otherwise? Why should we trust God? I want proof! God presents scripture. No, I mean real evidence. God presents witnesses from the disciples to those around us who testify to God’s work in their lives. I need to know! God says, let’s sit and talk a while. Isn’t it funny? As much as I want proof, I also realize that establishing 2+2=4 does not produce a fuller life. A relationship with God produces a fuller life. And faith and trust are key to that relationship. And if I know this, why is faith and trust such a challenge?

The disciples didn’t understand the transfiguration and had no clue what Jesus meant about rising from the dead. And yet they continued to follow Jesus. Why? They recognized how valuable a relationship with Jesus was in their lives. They had faith and trust.

It’s not that it’s wrong to have question or doubts. God gave us a brain. But we have to be wary of being drawn into the world’s way of thinking. If we view ourselves solely by the world’s standards we will conclude we are unlovable. God says again and again how much He loves us.

My prayer today is for those of us who struggle with faith and trust. That we could release some of that struggle and reap the reward of a better relationship with God.

Fodder for muttering--sorry, I couldn't resist the pun!

I was driving next to a field of grazing cattle when the word “fodder” came to my mind. I thought “fodder” was a funny word to use for cattle food, when I realized it also means material for stimulating response or creativity. I said to myself, “I have to work the word ‘fodder’ into my blog entry tonight.” Father, fodder. Mother, mutter. Sometimes I crack myself up, and I don’t even get embarrassed.


Anyway, here’s the fodder for tonight’s mutterings:
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When driving to work at 5:30 this morning, the full moon rising in the Western sky was huge! The sight told me I’d better psyche myself up for a day full of weird customers, and I was right. They just kept coming in, each one a little bit more bizarre than the one before. I was so exhausted dealing with the strangeness of it all that I made arrangements to leave work by 4:00 so I could go to Adoration and Mass. I haven’t been able to attend a daily Mass in almost a month because I’ve been so busy. Part of it was because I just didn’t “feel up to it”. But today’s events made me realize that maybe the reason I’ve been having such a hard time lately is because I haven’t been going to Adoration at least once a week or daily Mass as I have been trying to do for about 5 years now—I feel like Jesus was telling me, “You want to know what it’s like without me? I’ve shown you! What are you going to do about it?”

The minute I left work though, a pain shot through my back that almost sent me to the ground. I said, “Oh no you don’t Satan, I’ve already made a date with Jesus!” I couldn’t get to the church fast enough!

When I got there, I picked up a leaflet that had “12 Scriptural reasons to attend Adoration” and “12 Church teachings that encourage Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament”. I will try to cover those over the next few days, but for now I’d just like to relate my experience at the church. I hurt so bad that I couldn’t genuflect or kneel without grunting out loud, so I took a seat at the back of the chapel and began to say my rosary. As I was reciting the rosary, I was watching the priest set up for Mass. He was bringing out all kinds of things that he doesn’t usually bring out, like kneelers and the bells for communion, and a paten for holding under the chins of the communicants. I wondered, “What’s going on?” The priest at this particular parish is very orthodox and traditional, so I thought he was just bringing back one more tradition for the parishioners to enjoy.

Just then, a very well-dressed and well-groomed young man (about 14 or 15-years-old) came in, genuflected on both knees then took his place in a pew. He very piously made the sign of the cross and began mouthing some prayers fervently. It was such an uplifting sight! After about 15 minutes (15 minutes before Mass was to begin) he got up, genuflected on both knees again and headed for the sacristy. You don’t normally see an altar boy at daily Mass, but if you’re going to have one, this is the guy I’d want!

Mass time! Here comes the kid, leading the way for the celebrant, who goes straight to the altar and starts in with the Latin, facing the tabernacle! It’s been a good 40+ years since I’ve attended a Mass in Latin! The reverence was palpable—I felt it to the very core of my being. I couldn’t help but be drawn in by the solemnity of it all. I was so confused though, that I found myself kneeling (back pain and all) through most of it! And the altar boy was so confident in his Latin! I was impressed and kind of jealous at the same time—I was never that good. When the time came for Communion, it was just like the old days—we knelt on the kneelers that had been fashioned into a “communion rail” and received our Lord on the tongue as the priest said in Latin to each communicant “Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi custodiat animam tuam in vitam aeternam. Amen.” Translated, this is “May the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve your soul unto life everlasting. Amen.”  Wow.  That statement brings it home!

And yet, as I reflect on the solemnity of the Mass I attended tonight I am also a little ashamed to say I prefer the Mass as we have been saying it for the past 40 years or so in the vernacular. With the right mind set and faith, the “ordinary form” of the Mass is just as reverent. I actually like the way the priests on EWTN use a mix of Latin and English to maintain the reverence and tradition and at the same time keep it understandable. Reverence is all in how one approaches our Lord. I will continue to pray for those that don’t so that they will come to believe and be drawn into the wonder that is the Mass.

A fresh look at Mark

I can't blame this last week's absence from the "blogoshpere" on sickness.  I have just been really busy and so tired at the end of the evening I don't have the energy or the desire to write.  But I felt tonight that
I must force myself to spend a couple of hours to read some scripture for tomorrow's Mass and write a reflection in addition to posting some pictures of our trip this last weekend to Monterey on Lily's blog.  It's not a complete set of pictures, but the only ones I could cull from the pictures the girls put on Facebook.  We had a great time and I actually spent a couple of the days on the 6th green and 7th tee at Pebble Beach with just Marilyn.  Then on Sunday, she and I took Lily to the Dennis the Menace park there in Monterey while Alicia, Sarah and Tony went to the tournament.  Family.  God sure blessed me in this department, especially.   Anyway, on to my reflection for today. 
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Mark’s account of the healing of the blind man of Bethsaida is unique because it is one of the rare episodes that appears only in Mark, and it is also unique in that it seems to take Jesus two tries for the healing to be completed.


All four gospels attest to that Jesus performed physical healings. But the evangelists are also interested in the deeper meaning of those physical healings. They also symbolize spiritual healing. This is especially easy to understand in the case of healings from blindness. In the episode immediately preceding the healing of the blind man of Bethsaida, where Jesus is portrayed as scolding the disciples for their failure to understand His reference to “the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of the Herodians,” He asks, “Do you still not understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see?” Clearly, He is not referring to physical blindness here. He is using sight metaphorically, the way we do when we ask, “Do you see what I’m saying?” It is the”sight” of understanding.

Once we make that connection, we can deduce why Mark placed the odd two-stage healing of the blind man of Bethsaida right before Jesus asks the disciples about who people think He is. The healing parallels exactly the situation of Peter. When Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter gets it half right. That is, he correctly identifies Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, but he fails to understand what Messiah means in Jesus’ case. When Jesus mentions rejection and death, Peter rebukes Him. In other words, Peter shows that he “sees” half way. Indeed, throughout the next two chapters of Mark all the of disciples show that they are, to a great extent, spiritually blind. The second time Jesus predicts His passion and death, they argue about which of them is “the greatest.” And the third time He makes the same prediction, James and John ask for the top spots when Jesus comes into His kingdom (10:35-37). After each of these misunderstandings, Jesus teaches them what it means to truly follow Him (to bear one’s own cross, to serve one another). But they remain clueless. Finally, we come to the second healing from blindness in Mark, the healing of Bartimaeus (10:46-52). Jesus asks him the same question He had asked James and John, “What do you want me to do for you?” Unlike the disciples, this man knows he is blind. He says, “Master, I want to see.” “Go your way,” Jesus tells him. “Your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Him on the way.

I think Mark has framed this whole section about training the disciples with the healings from blindness for two reasons: (1) to show how the disciples needed to be healed from their blindness regarding the true nature of Jesus as the Messiah, and consequently about what it means to be Jesus’ follower; (2) Mark expects his audience (including us) to identify with the blind disciples and to face the fact that we, too, may need to be healed from our own blindness regarding who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him. I know after I read Mark 8 through 10 today I saw Jesus and myself in a fresh way.

Isn't it a shame?

Occasionally—OK, who am I kidding?—Lily, testing the waters of independence will say “no” to Mommy or MarMar or me.


When she realizes it will do her no good, she looks at us as if we’re going to punish her somehow; maybe when she’s old enough to actually know she’s disobeying, but not yet. But when I see this, I see the effects of sin as they are shown in Genesis. The first effect of sin is shame: after Adam and Eve had sinned, they found leaves to cover up their nakedness because of their shame. The second effect is fear. When God called for Adam and Eve in the garden they ran and hid. Because of their sin, shame and fear entered the world and those ramifications are still linked hand in hand with sin. It’s sad to see that the human weakness for sinning and disobeying God is instilled in people when they are so young. We are deprived of the original holiness and justice that God intended for us to have at birth, and instead we’re born with original sin. Isn't that kind of depressing? However, God loves us so much that even though our relationship of trust with him was broken, he gave us means through Baptism and Reconciliation to wash away our sins and receive his unending mercy.

The Gospel reading, while not apparent to me at first glance, goes hand in hand with the story in Genesis. Christ’s miracle with feeding the four thousand people shows how Christ rewards people who persevere in following him and he shows his unending love. God loves all of his creations, and if we follow him and devote our life to him, he will make sure our needs are met. The feeding of the four thousand shows God’s immense love and mercy. By feeding all those who had followed him to hear his word, he made sure that they were provided for. This shows that God will make sure that we’re taken care of if we follow him; through the losses or hardships we incur during our devotion to him, he will take care of us. If we seek to glorify him, we shall be fed by him, because it is not his way to turn people away empty-handed when they look to him for bread. God did and always will continue to invite us to come to him to obtain his mercy and grace in our time of need. And by feeding the four thousand, God shows that with him, nothing is impossible.

Today we are called to ask ourselves, have we confessed our sins in hopes of receiving God’s unending mercy? And have we truly dedicated our lives to following Christ?

It's a wonderful world

Well, I’m back! The long drive to Bakersfield was softened somewhat by the beautiful nighttime sky, clear of clouds or fog for the first time in months! As I was thinking about beauty and saying my rosary, a song played in my head, like background music. Louis Armstrong describes skies of blue or dark sacred skies, then sings, “What a wonderful world.” I was surprised (pleasantly) to find that this all fit in with tomorrow’s readings at Mass. The first reading’s description of the first four days of creation is beautiful imagery and we, too, can reflect on the wonderful world we live in. We are so often bombarded by the all-too-present pain, misery and ugliness to thank God for what is good and beautiful in the world and in the people we see every day. I do have faith that people are good and beautiful, but I also know that goodness must start with me in my every day thoughts and actions.


In the gospel, we get a glimpse of the faith of those who wanted to only touch the tassel on his cloak to be healed. We have that opportunity every day to believe, to give ourselves over to God and to be healed in our hearts. My faith has centuries behind it with tradition and history. The people who came to meet Jesus and the apostles at the boat dock, at the meeting place, at the mountain didn’t have that certainty. They just had faith.

As I reflect on the wonderful world, I turn to the psalm. May the Lord be glad in his works. May the Lord be glad in me. Let me open my heart to the healing power of love and faith. It’s a wonderful world. And I’m feeling better.

Back to blogging--well, tomorrow, anyway!

Sorry for my absence this last week.  I came down with a cold.  As any of you who know me personally know, this leads inevitably to bronchitis.  As most of you know also, I refuse to believe it will happen until I have to take time off of work and see a doctor for antibiotics and other medications.  That’s what happened.  I fought it off until Thursday this week, when the coughing, wheezing, headaches and sinus problems got so bad I couldn’t function properly.  After seeing the doctor though, and taking a couple of days worth of medicine, I feel strong enough to continue my routine for a while—but not a full meditation—that will have to wait for tomorrow.  I just felt an explanation for my absence was in order.

Teacher, doesn't it matter to you that we are going to drown? (Mark 35:38)

Sometimes it's economics, sometimes it's interpersonal relations, sometimes it's health. But every one of us has had times when we have cried out, "Lord, don't you care that I'm drowning?"
The answer is, of course He cares. He cares deeply, far more deeply than we can see. Sometimes our "drowning" is part of His salvation. By living through what we do, we are raised up with Him.

In these times of crisis we must keep in mind the calmness, serenity, and care of the Lord who watches over us. Jesus blesses us, keeps us, and loves us. He cannot do otherwise. He is the God who loves us.

Spend some time with Him. Ask Him why He loves you, and then listens as He answers. You will be surprised at what He has to say.

A CW song idea

Because I am in Bakersfield, the hometown of Buck Owens, I can't go anywhere without hearing country-western music. So naturally, when I was trying to put a finger on how I feel this week, I couldn't help but come up with a country-western song title--"Sometimes You're the Hammer, Sometimes You're the Nail".

I am definitely the "nail" this week.  Nothing I have planned has run smoothly, and problems just keep "hammering" at me.  Please pray that things go a little easier the last few days of the week for me.

Living by faith

O, to be like one of the disciples, to whom Jesus explained everything in private as the Gospel lesson in Mark tells us. What did He tell them about the Kingdom of God that He did not tell the crowds of ordinary people to whom He spoke through parables? Did He make God’s message clearer to them? I don’t know the answer to that. But what can be much clearer than the image of a tiny mustard seed growing to become a large plant or a kernel of corn growing to a plant that yields a thousand fold in the harvest? Even a child can understand these images of the Kingdom of God as a reality that expands miraculously as our faith grows.


But can we simply live by faith? While the idea is not complicated, the practice seems to be for most of us. We lose our confidence and our faith dims. We struggle with suffering and we draw back, seeking more certainty, more details, and more reassurance. But the Old Testament lesson and the Psalm tell us that during times of affliction, we should be even more confident that God’s will and the Kingdom of God are our refuge. Even while suffering, we need to endure and continue to do the will of God to keep our lives on track. Trusting in the Lord and doing the will of God will make our steps surer and give us more confidence in God’s promises.

We will experience times in the midst of life’s distresses where we will lose our confidence in ourselves and our faith. Those distresses could shake our beings and threaten our sense of our very identities. When that happens, we should draw on our baptism experience and the promises God made to love us and care for us as a member of the body of Christ. Drawing closer to HIm is how we can experience the Kingdom of God and live by faith in confidence and without fear. That enlightenment also means that we should readily and without judgment welcome others into the Kingdom through our church communities. We were reminded that if we would love each other and reassured each other of God’s love, we would see the Kingdom of God grow miraculously. Today I pray that church communities everywhere could confidently love all who seek the Kingdom of God.

God's light is a bright light, indeed!

In Mark’s Gospel (Mark 4:21-25) we are called to let our light shine. What is this light? Do we really have anything to offer, to make any difference in this world?


This light, for one thing, is nothing that we have put together ourselves. It is the many blessings and graces that God has bestowed on each one of us. When we open ourselves to the working of the Holy Spirit, things of the ordinary take on new meaning, such as the things we see and the things we hear. We see the miracles of God each day in a very simplistic and profound way. We hear God's voice in Sacred Scripture as well as through the prophets of yesterday and today.

All these things we receive from God and are called to humbly share with others, to let our light—God’s light—shine forth upon the world. It does make all the difference in the world, to share and let shine the glory of the Lord. It dispels the darkness of all things.

Faith is a gift to be shared

Faith comes to us as a gift, but we must take custody of this gift and nurture it. The gift can grow cold and unused if we are not careful, or we can make it a source of warmth and light for others. Good, praying mothers like Eunice and Lois—the mother and grandmother of Timothy—are the source of nurturing love that extends its warmth, light, and power through generations. (I am blessed to have one of those mothers, too. Thanks, Mom!)

The Gospel of Mark (Mark 4:1-20 ) has a familiar passage about the sower and the travails of growing things in difficult soils. Some may view this story as a rather immutable judgment about different kinds of people. But that’s a rather dire picture, if you ask me. If we look honestly at the course of our own lives, we know that sometimes the fruit is bitter and not so desirable, and few can claim complete triumph over weeds that creep in to our fields. I have come to understand that any of us can experience each of these conditions in the parable from time to time. And we also need to remember that God can break up rock, provide water, and even apply herbicide on the thorns; despite these conditions, it is still possible to break free and be fruitful.

As I write this reflection, I think the past couple of days were such that the soil of my heart was being tilled. Did you ever find yourself grumbling about various problems, indignities, and struggles of life, all of which interfered with your own plans for the day? I felt pressed for time, other demands were going wanting, I had things to do! Add the fact that I do not particularly like hospitals or long drives. But I kept on going, intent on resuming my own agenda.

You know what? After getting back to my “regularly scheduled programming” today, I encountered customers and co-workers who had bigger inconveniences than mine. Suddenly my own agenda did not seem quite so important. I was grateful for the gift of spending time with Mom, even if it was in the hospital!

I often resist exposure to the suffering of others. Yet somehow that exposure is needed to remind us of our common humanity and our common need for grace. Grace sometimes comes to us in our suffering, but sometimes suffering even brings grace to others in ways we do not understand. It made me think anew about this parable, causing me to realize that the good soil we need is not always where we think it might be, and the “weeds” we sometimes want so desperately to cut away may in reality be herbs that we need to heal us.

So I’m grateful for those who help to transmit gifts of life, faith, and hope--whether knowingly or unknowingly. And may God open our eyes to see Him working in our midst.

Flowers for "Papa"

For several weeks (at least since before Christmas!) I have been carrying around in my car some artificial flowers that my mother-in-law asked me to place on my father-in-law's (Papa) grave.  The task fell to me because I've been going back and forth to Bakersfield quite a bit and when I travel along I-5 I go right past the cemetery where he is buried.  Also because Patty (my MIL) is not able to travel as far or as frequently as she used to and she knows I visit Papa's grave pretty often to pray for him and my uncle and a church friend who are all buried there. 

Mission accomplished!  By the Grace of the Holy Spirit, that is!  I had planned to leave Bakersfield for home earlier today, but one thing led to another and I didn't get out of there until the afternoon.  I thought I might still make it before the cemetery closed at 5pm, but it was going to be close.  And I was driving a large truck while towing my van behind me--not very good if I had to maneuver in tight spaces or worse, make a u-turn on a narrow road! 

I had not reached Santa Nella (my exit) by 5pm and the sun was setting fast.  I was still 10 minutes away.  I said out loud, "Oh well, I guess it will have to wait AGAIN!"  I immediately heard that "inner voice" say, "You should go anyway.  Ask the Holy Spirit to keep the gates open a little while longer or at least give you a place to turn around if that's not possible."

So I said a prayer to Jesus through the Holy Spirit saying, "Jesus, I trust in You.  I believe You want me to visit Papa, say some prayers for him and leave these flowers for Patty.  But if not, I'll understand.  But I'd really like to do this!"  In hindsight, it sounds like a small child asking his father for a favor.  And like any loving Father, He listened and made a decision.

At 5:15 I headed down the narrow road toward the gate.  As I approached, I noticed the sign that said "Cemetery Hours--8am to 5pm"  and "Gates will open and close automatically".  Just beyond that sign, I saw that the gate was still open!  As I drove through, I thanked Jesus for understanding my wishes and went directly to Papa's grave and left the flowers.  I said a quick prayer for him and for all who are buried there, especially my uncle Lawrence and friend Joe McDonald.  I saw no one else around any of the grave sites, nor did I see any maintenance vehicles or evidence that anyone was on the property. But I didn't want to press my "luck" (even though I believe it was Holy Spirit looking out for me) and get stuck inside the cemetery, so I left for home. 

I have been to the cemetery before right at closing and the gates do close by themselves right on the dot.  I think they're on a timer.  Maybe the timer was broken, and maybe not.  In any event, I felt I had to write of this experience today and thank my Lord one more time for His hand in this.

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Decisions, decisions

Have you ever noticed that when there was something really important to be done, Jesus went one of two places: the mountain or the desert? As He was getting ready to name the apostles, He went up the mountain for a time to pray and to be certain that what He was doing was in the Father's perfect will.


In doing so, He set the example for us. If each of us would take the time to go a little way apart and pray before any important decision in our lives, I think we might be surprised at how much improved our lives might be.

You might rightly point out that a great many of us have neither a mountain nor a desert nearby to retire to. And you would be right. As with all such inconveniences, we would need to make our own desert. It might be a corner of a study or it could be the path we take to walk the dog. It might be an hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament, or the time we devote to gardening and taking care of our homes.

Wherever it may be, that time spent in prayer will bring about the greatest fruitfulness that your life has ever seen. The decisions you make, whether right or wrong, will give you greater peace of mind and heart than you have ever experienced. The next time an important decision must be made, try it.

I think the Apostles set the standard for us. They went up the mountain with Jesus, “that they might be with him.” They followed Jesus away from the hustle and bustle of their lives to hear what He had to say. And upon hearing Jesus, they went forth to preach; the apostles just listened and acted, no questions asked. It is not enough to simply check in with God and get His two cents; we are called for more. His call is two-fold. We are called to discern God’s will for us through prayer and communion with Him, and then follow the call. Are we really prepared to do this, though?

This is where the importance of a strong prayer life comes into play. Without it, we neither will have the patience to hear God’s call, nor the strength to follow it. It’s been three weeks from the start of the New Year, when many people make their resolutions for bettering their lives. But few of us take steps to make real improvements in the area that really matters, in our relationship with God. It’s not too late.

Make this be the year that we really make God our first priority. Maybe we can stop in at church more to pray during the week, attend one more Mass each week, or go to confession more often. Frequent the sacraments. If we take some real, concrete steps in strengthening our relationship with God, living for Jesus won’t be a radical way; Jesus will be the real way.

What to do while waiting for the inevitable

It was tough to concentrate today. We had very special visitors in our area today—all of the top echelon of our company was touring our stores checking for compliance on company programs, policies and procedures.  While I would like to think I don’t worry about such things, I do.  Not because I'm afraid of losing my job, but because I want to do a good job.  The anticipation of the visit and the knowledge that my and my team's observance and adherence to company policies would make the visit either a success or a failure played a big part in my reflections on tomorrow's readings today.  How did we do?  Except for a few really minor, easily correctable issues, the visit went well.  So we're done.  No more worrying about "the visit".  Until next time.  And I know that will come sooner than I expect.  I have to keep teaching and reteaching the "company line" until then. Even more importantly, I have to set the example.  If I let up, the next visit may not be as successful. 

Advent is over. Christ has come! The waiting is over—or is it?  No, we’re not done waiting because we also await His second coming and our entrance into the heavenly kingdom. The first reading shares with us Jesus’ position as the High Priest in heaven, which He obtained through His crucifixion and resurrection. His position and power in heaven are comforting. We know He will be there in the end, having prepared the way with His death.

Yet we must first accept Christ, we must do His will. We cannot sit idly by and just wait for heaven to come to us. The Psalm reminds us that we must proclaim His justice to the world, to the vast assembly, in order to do His will. I’ve reflected on my own work for the Kingdom, asking myself, 'what exactly have I done? Am I doing enough with my prayer, service and advocacy on behalf of the poor and oppressed?' The Psalm answers this – I’m not doing enough. When I seek justice I restrain my lips, we all do, we don’t want to step on toes or incite conflict.

We can’t do that. We must not restrain our lips when we announce Christ’s justice. He didn’t restrain His lips. This is why people descended from the surrounding cities to hear Jesus speak at the sea. People were drawn to His ministry, not because He held back His voice, but because He proclaimed the truth and challenged those who were subverting it.

As we await His second coming we are asked to proclaim His justice in the interim. We are not to go about this timidly but loudly, proclaiming to the vast assembly of those here on earth that our high priest in heaven, Jesus Christ, wants a just world for His return. While I find it comforting knowing that He is there for us, we must make ourselves uncomfortable, we must unfasten our lips and advocate for justice, regardless of the situation.

Prayer must be preeminent

Sometimes it's difficult to understand Holy Scripture; we think we understand some of what is written, then there comes a line or two that really doesn't seem to go with what proceeds or follows.
Take, for instance, unshrunken cloth and new wine skins.  Is it a commentary, of sorts, on the value of new things? Or is it rather a lesson on the importance of having some "order of precedence" in our lives: that is, doing what is most important and fundamental before charging ahead with things that are not?

Prayer must be the preeminent activity in my life, lest I damage the cloak given for my salvation or have an old tired-out heart unprepared to receive the ever-new love of God.

The wisdom of the Church

At the beginning of this year of grace, the Letter to the Hebrews gives exhortations and practical instructions on living the Christian life. For Jesus, the High Priest, who has been "tested in every way through what He suffered, is able to help those who are being tested" (Hebrews 2:18).

How grateful I am to be tested. I go to the foot of the Cross, the place of His greatest test and manifestation of glory, the place of the Priest, the Altar and the Lamb of Sacrifice. And there, I gaze up and see Him, the Word of God. Our blessed Lord Jesus, the Word of God, described by John as the One through Whom all were made, is "living and effective, sharper than any two-edge sword."

I gaze up with no fear, but bearing shame, for He knows the account I must give. "Everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to Whom we must render an account." Only with humility as my guide, can I tell the truth and then He can minister His mercy and healing compassion. What parent does not know that correction best follows confession by the child?

What joy there is in knowing that "we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God." We realize that the Word of God is first and foremost Jesus, the Word made flesh, the Emmanuel. Our vision and hearts of love are lifted up to Him on His throne, which we see as the Cross. So, sinner, "let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help."

He is right here to help, right now. Call on Him.

THE At The Foot Of The Cross PRAYER

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

I will go to the altar of God.
To God who gives joy to my youth.
Judge me, O God,
and take up my cause against the nation that is not holy.
Free me from the unjust and deceitful man.
For You, O God, are my strength,
why have You cast me off?
And why do I walk in sorrow,
while the enemy troubles me?
Send forth Your light and Your truth,
they have led me,
and brought me to Your holy hill,
and to Your dwelling.
I will go to the altar of God,
to God who gives joy to my youth.
To You, O God, my God,
I will give praise upon the harp,
why are you sad, O my soul?
And why do you trouble me?
Hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
the salvation of my countenance and my God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

A child's simple faith leads to certain knowledge

I have written before regarding my feelings about chain letters of any kind, especially if they involve receiving blessings and “good things” on certain days or times of day. Those make me feel “forced” to tell of my love for Jesus Christ to others simply to receive that one special thing I’ve been looking for. As any of you who are regulars to this site know, I need no such prompting. I did receive one this morning from my brother Bill that I will share. I am sharing it not because of the special favor granted by “passing it on to 5 of my friends” (although if it happens, Praise God!), but because it is a story that reminds us of the simple faith of a child.


The smell of rain

A cold March wind danced around the dead of night in Dallas as the doctor walked into the small hospital room of Diana Blessing. She was still groggy from surgery. Her husband, David , held her hand as they braced themselves for the latest news.

That afternoon of March 10, 1991, complications had forced Diana, only 24-weeks pregnant, to undergo an emergency Cesarean to deliver couple's new daughter, Dana Lu Blessing.

At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound nine ounces, they already knew she was perilously premature. Still, the doctor's soft words dropped like bombs.

'I don't think she's going to make it,' he said, as kindly as he could. 'There's only a 10-percent chance she will live through the night, and even then, if by some slim chance she does make it, her future could be a very cruel one'

Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described the devastating problems Dana would likely face if she survived.

She would never walk, she would never talk, she would probably be blind, and she would certainly be prone to other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy to complete mental retardation, and on and on.'No! No!' was all Diana could say.

She and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of the day they would have a daughter to become a family of four. Now, within a matter of hours, that dream was slipping away.

 









But as those first days passed, a new agony set in for David and Diana. Because Dana 's underdeveloped nervous system was essentially 'raw', the lightest kiss or caress only intensified her discomfort, so they couldn't even cradle their tiny baby girl against their chests to offer the strength of their love. All they could do, as Dana struggled alone beneath the ultraviolet light in the tangle of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would stay close to their precious little girl.

There was never a moment when Dana suddenly grew stronger. But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of strength there.

At last, when Dana turned two months old. her parents were able to hold her in their arms for the very first time.



And two months later, though doctors continued to gently but grimly warn that her chances of surviving, much less living any kind of normal life, were next to zero, Dana went home from the hospital, just as her
mother had predicted.

Five years later, when Dana was a petite but feisty young girl with glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable zest for life. She showed no signs whatsoever of any mental or physical impairment. Simply, she was everything a little girl can be and more. But that happy ending is far from the end of her story.

One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in Irving, Texas, Dana was sitting in her mother's lap in the bleachers of a local ball park where her brother Dustin's baseball team was practicing.

As always, Dana was chattering nonstop with her mother and several other adults sitting nearby, when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging her arms across her chest, little Dana asked, 'Do you smell that?'

Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, 'Yes, it smells like rain.'

Dana closed her eyes and again asked, 'Do you smell that?'
Once again, her mother replied, 'Yes, I think we're about to get wet. It smells like rain.'

Still caught in the moment, Dana shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, 'No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest.'

Tears blurred Diana's eyes as Dana happily hopped down to play with the other children. Before the rains came, her daughter's words confirmed what Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along.

During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Dana on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well.

Harden not your hearts

“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”


How often this refrain from Psalm 95 appears in the liturgy. And how often we ignore it assuming it doesn’t apply to ourselves as ordinary Christians. But it does!

The Good News of the Gospel is not complete with the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Good News continues onto the sending of the Holy Spirit by the Father and Jesus at Pentecost. Indeed, the descent of the Spirit upon the disciples is the culmination of the Paschal Mystery. Now through the Holy Spirit the Kingdom of God is present on earth!

And this descent has profound implications for Christian life. The Spirit totally transformed the lives of those disciples gathered in the Upper Room for fear of the Jews — the frightened apostles now became fearless witnesses of Christ. And the descent of the Spirit upon Christians through faith and baptism has equal implications. We are transformed and become new creations in Christ. Paul does not hesitate to dub us “Temples of the Holy Spirit” and “the Body of Christ.”

Through the Spirit we receive a new identity! How then are we to live this new identity? Paul exhorts us to respond to this new interior law of the Spirit of Christ written on our hearts -- and not simply to be observant of the external written law. And the Church teaches that this voice of God emerges within our consciences. Listen to this message from Vatican Council II from “The Church in the Modern World.”

“For man has in his heart a law written by God. To obey it is the very dignity of man: according to it he will be judged. Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of man. There he is alone with God, whose voice echoes in his depths. In a wonderful manner conscience reveals that law which is fulfilled by love of God and love of neighbor.”(paragraph 16)

God guides us directly through our consciences! We are invited to listen and to respond to God by attending to the deepest voice within us — God’s! And so we have the immense counter-cultural challenge of arranging our busy schedules to include regular rhythms of withdrawal from activity to be in silence and solitude with our God.

Our model for listening is Jesus himself. Jesus regularly left the crowds and went off alone to be with his most dear Father. In these desert places Jesus found communion with God and strength and guidance for his life. Recall especially the forty days in the desert after his baptism by John before beginning his public ministry and the prayer in Garden of Gethsemane before his passion and death.

Like Jesus we are called to listen -- and to respond -- to God’s voice: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

Why go to Mass? Out of Love for Jesus!

After work today, I wanted to spend some time in Adoration of the Eucharist.  Fortunately, there are two parishes (that I know of) which offer perpetual Adoration.  One is St. Joseph's, that I have written about so many times in this blog, and the other is St. Francis of Assisi.  I like St. Joseph's because they have a 5:30 pm Mass that ends my Adoration hour with a reception of the Holy Eucharist.  I had not visited St. Francis for Adoration before (although they have the only 6:30 am Mass in Bakersfield which fits in nicely with my usual Bakersfield workdays) so I thought today would be a good day.  I would be able to spend about 45 minutes there, then drive to St. Joe's across town for Mass. 

When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they now have a 5:30 Mass as well!  Just as I entered the chapel (Mary's Chapel) there was all sorts of literature and topics for one to meditate on while in Adoration.  One that caught my eye was THIS PUBLICATION .  It is approved for reading by the bishop of the diocese where the woman resides and is said to be without doctrinal error.  The pastor at St. Francis is ultra-orthodox and approved the publication in his parish, so I felt comfortable I wouldn't be offending our Lord by reading it.  We are free to believe or not believe the woman's testimony, but the content is certainly thought-provoking.  I know that I have plenty of room for improvement in my observance of the Mass, after reading it.

"....my OBSERVANCE of the Mass".  Did I just write that?  Maybe that's my problem!  I am not supposed to OBSERVE the Mass, but PARTICIPATE in it!  By the way, I just love this picture I copied off of the above-mentioned website.  It pretty much tells the story of what happens at every Mass, every day, in every chapel or church, everywhere in the world.  With God, all things are possible.

Sacramentals, anyone?

I was thinking about “sacramentals” today. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sacramentals are sacred signs instituted by the Church to prepare us to receive the fruit of the sacraments and to sanctify different circumstances of our lives (no. 1677).


They are the images, actions and blessings that are unique to our faith; those sometimes humble reminders of what the Catholic faith is all about, like the crucifix on our wall.

Sacramentals are varied, from blessings of consecrated virgins to articles such as relics and rosaries. Some, such as holy water, are used by almost every Catholic. Others are more personal, such as devotionals to a particular saint.

Sacramentals are not superstitions, holdovers from pre-Christian days, or Catholic substitutes for the longing of pagans to dance around trees and mutter spells. There is a part of us that longs for something tangible we can hold on to, something to look at, something to touch, something to sing, chant or recite, something that interacts with the senses. The sacraments, those sacred mixtures of matter and the Holy Spirit, fulfill that need. And so, in a lesser way, do sacramentals.

What is the difference between correct use of the sacramental and superstition? It has to do with an inner attitude, for superstition is second cousin to magic. The superstitious person says, "If I sprinkle holy water here, say these prayers and cross myself, I will make God or His saints do this for me." But the person using a sacramental properly says. "I want to be closer to God—to be constantly and effectively reminded of the power of His love and glory, of His protection, forgiveness and mercy. So I will cross myself when I pass a church to remind myself of His passion. I will make a novena to ask God's saints for their prayers. I will do these things, not because I am strong and have the power to make God and His saints do my will, but because I am weak, distractable and forgetful, and need to remind myself of True Reality."

Making lemonade?

There’s a saying, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!”  I don’t think the guy who made that saying up ever saw lemons this big!  Just for comparison’s sake, the “small” lemons on this tree would be considered “large” in the grocery store.   For another visual image, I'll tell you the large lemons reminded me of the ball that is used for rugby.  The woman who owns the tree says she cut one open and the “flesh” was white.  She was afraid to taste it.  I told her that was probably a wise move.  I also asked if she had seen any UFO’s recently.

It's not a good picture--it was taken with my cell phone through a glass door from about 10 feet away.

Focus

When I was shopping in a store that caters to industrial safety customers today, I saw a dry-erase board behind the counter that had poignant or funny quotes written on them. I found out, after asking the girl who was waiting on me about it, that some of the sayings were written by customers. I thought it was a neat idea! One of the statements that I thought was pretty funny was, “Some people are like ‘slinkys’. They’re not very useful but they’re fun to watch when you push them down the stairs.” Another that was food for thought was a drawing of a guy with one of those “finger gloves” that you see at ball games to signify “We’re #1!” But this guy’s glove had 3 fingers. He said “I’m number 3!” Right next to it was a list: #1---God. #2---Others. #3---Me. Pretty good. He obviously understands Matthew 22:38.
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I was so tired after work today that I actually thought I might miss Mass. I said to myself, “It’s not like it’s a First Friday!” as a means of justifying my reason for not going. Then I realized it IS the first Friday of January, so I went. I’m so glad I did. If I had not, I would not have heard the homily that the priest, an African Marian missionary, gave. He started out with, “Humans look for insurance. God delivers assurance.” It has given me a couple of hours of good fodder for meditation!
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Saturday, January 8 is the last day of the Christmas Season. The nativity scenes that have not been removed already from the Churches will probably be so before tomorrow, the First Sunday of Ordinary time. It always seems a little sad to see the end of the Christmas Season in the Church calendar. Yet it is not the end; there can be a new Christmas gift for us whenever we receive Jesus in the Eucharist. Jesus will “come” to us whenever we allow ourselves to be open to his presence in our prayers and in our daily activities. We can celebrate and treasure his coming throughout the year.

John the Baptist provides an excellent example of a loving openness to Jesus. John was very successful and highly regarded by his followers, but people began questioning when both he and Jesus were baptizing. He compared his relationship with Jesus to that of the best man who rejoices in the presence and joy of the bridegroom. John was able to celebrate Christ’s coming in all that he did. He clearly saw his own role as a supportive one.

In any type of ministry it is possible for us to lose sight of its true purpose. If the ministry is successful, it is very tempting to get caught up in the success and accolades from others while forgetting that the success was because of Jesus’ presence and direction. If the ministry is a failure, it is tempting to lay blame on someone else or on oneself rather than to examine whether Jesus was allowed to direct our actions. John the Baptist teaches us about a true humility when he identifies the need for him to decrease his own presence, and for Jesus to increase his. Can we do the same, always keeping Jesus in the front of all that we do? Can we be ever mindful that we are only instruments and that Jesus will direct everything that we do as long as we allow him to and get out of the way?

Today, let’s consider consciously setting aside time to sit with Jesus to discern His truth for our lives. Let Him delight in us, His children. Let Him love us where we are at and become the focus of our lives once more. Let’s ponder His love for us deeply today, wherever we are, whatever we do. Let the Lord increase Himself in each of us this day. Focus, focus, focus.

An amazing Love story (It's interactive, too!)

The greatest love story ever told: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. And through Jesus, we came to have eternal life. John says (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) that Jesus came through not only water but water and blood. These symbolize how we obtain life through the living water of baptism and also through the Blood of Christ, the Eucharist, which cleanses us from sin. Yet, to gain eternal life we first have to let Him into our lives and trust in Him. John stresses the efficacy of faith when he says that whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life. We have to ask ourselves if we truly and completely believe and trust in Jesus Christ during all times in our lives – the good and the bad. Do we turn to prayer in our time of need? Do we live our lives in Christ? Do we have complete confidence in Him?

There’s even more to this love story: God loves us so much that He forgives our sins when we ask for His mercy. In Luke, leprosy represents a physical example of the invisible reality of sin – the incurable disease that affects us all. Jesus saves us from sins. No matter how bad our sins may be, when we ask Him God grants us forgiveness because of the sacrifice of His Son. Like the leper who begged for Jesus to cleanse him, we too can ask for forgiveness. Jesus reached out and touched the leper – a person whom others were not even supposed to get close to, much less touch. But Jesus, who is completely clean and pure, reached out and cleansed his leprosy. Jesus can do the same to us: He can forgive our sins and cleanse us if we ask for His forgiveness. Luke also says that the leper fell on his face when he saw Jesus. We must all come down from our pride and self-righteousness all the way to the feet of Christ to be forgiven and cleansed. I am a sinner. I continuously fall, but God never ceases to forgive me and lift me back up. God shows His immense love by giving me mercy every time I come down from my pride and my sins to fall at His feet. And this is one of the most beautiful things – God never stops forgiving and He never stops loving. As St. Augustine said, “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” Jesus reached out and cleansed the leper even though there were hundreds of others. We are the leper. We can all ask for forgiveness and be cleaned. We must not forget the love and mercy that He shows.

Take time out of each day to reflect on God’s immense love for us and the eternal life that He has given to us if we believe and trust in Him. We are called to be like the leper: to let go of our pride and ask for God’s never-ending mercy. I heard or read somewhere that, “God is love. He doesn’t need us. But He wants us. And that is the most amazing thing.”

Very intriguing..

   You can find out more about this really intriguing picture at the Artist's website.

Love makes the world go 'round

The readings for Tuesday present the same theme over and over again: Love


Love is the bond that allows us to interact with each other, whether in the workplace, at home, or among friends. It is also this sacred connection that allows us to be intimate and to understand our Creator (as much as our finite minds can understand Him). And in the same way, just as God wants to continuously remind us that we are truly and uniquely loved by Him, we must also practice this same value with each other.

We are not measured by how much we do for one another, but by God’s grace. With Tuesdays readings in mind, I suggest we practice the same love we are given by God with our brothers and sisters (1 John 4:7-10). Whether it is saying 'hi' to an old friend, getting to know your boss a little better, or striking up a conversation with a co-worker that you see sitting by him or herself at lunch, let people know that they are loved. And just as Jesus fed over five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish, let’s practice giving to those in need, spiritually or emotionally. Remember, we may be imperfect and flawed, but in every moment we will always be truly loved by the One who knows all things.

In memoriam

As I was growing up, my mom's sister "Aunt Gennie" was always there when Mom needed her. In my mom's family of 10 kids, Mom was born 1st, then Aunt Gennie.  If I can get  Mom blogging again, I'll bet she has a lot of stories about Genevieve.  I can't tell you how many times Aunt Gennie came over to take us all to Mass.  Or to come and get my brother Tom and I and let us spend the day with her while Mom and Dad were busy with something else.  Or simply came over to visit Mom and keep her company.  She took my mom to the cemetery every day for the first couple of weeks after Dad died, until Mom told her she was OK with his passing and that they both needed to move on.  After the first Northridge earthquake in 1971, Mom and I took Tom over to her house because it just seemed safer to us than an upstairs apartment.  Eventually, she and my Uncle Phil moved into the apartment across the parking lot from Mom in Lodi and continued to help Mom and Grandma get to church, go grocery shopping and provide support, until they both passed away.  She was so kind and generous and giving.  When I saw that today was the feast day of St. Genevieve, a whole bunch of fond memories popped into my head, too numerous to tell of here.  Instead, I'll just post an icon of St. Genevieve that I found on-line today with an explanation of the icon:

The symbols associated with her are:

A loaf of bread because she was generous to those in need. (Just like my Aunt!)
A coin suspended around her neck symbolizing her consecration to God.
A candle which it said she used as she walked to church at night and which stayed lit despite the devil’s attempts to extinguish it
The clothing of a shepherdess because she grew up tending to flocks.

If you would like more information on Saint Genevieve, "google" her name.  There's a lot out there on her.  The biggest bit of trivia that hit me like a ton of bricks???  Her tomb is at the church of  Saint Etienne du Mon in Paris, France.  I don't believe in coincidences.  Etienne, as I mentioned a couple of days ago, is French for Stephen.  No wonder I'm so blessed.  It seems like every time I research something, the Holy Spirit sends me to resources to remind me that we are all called to be saints.

The big time?

Finally!  Another new flag on my flag counter!  Italy!  Do you think it may be Rome?  Wouldn't THAT be cool????  Or maybe even one of Marilyn's distant cousins?  That would be very cool, too! 

Accomplishments

I’m pretty proud of myself today. I finished a jigsaw puzzle I’ve been working on for about 6 months. On the box, it said, “3-5 years”….so I guess I’m ahead of schedule! (Sorry- I couldn’t resist!)

We, as human beings, are the authors of our own lives. We control the decisions we make and how we wish to live our lives. However, nothing would be possible without the help of God. God is our creator and He has put us all on earth to succeed in His name. “We receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.” (1John 3:22) This is very powerful and has great meaning as to how we should live our lives. God will do everything He can to aid us in our lives and He will grant us the ability to succeed as long as we show respect towards Him and His mission. "For I know the plans I have for you," said the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Part of God’s mission for us is to help spread His word to anyone and everyone who is willing to listen. The Epistle of John says that anyone who belongs to God will listen openly to us. We can have a great effect on another person’s life by simply spreading the loving Word of God. Jesus went all over to preach to the sick, poor, and oppressed, and His preaching affected the lives of so many, saved their souls and brought them closer to God. If we as human beings can help one person draw closer to God, then our dedication to the Lord and His mission will be a success.

Seeing Heaven in the "heavens"

Every so often, I go to one of the internet sites that display the Hubble photographs in order to get a sense of the immensity of God’s power concentrated in the tiny babe of Bethlehem.  I've posted a couple of them here along with descriptions of what I see when I look at them. 

The Trinity?

What humility God shows.  He who tosses stars and planets about like toys placed Divine Existence in the body and soul of a lovely little boy conceived by and born from the body of a young maiden of Israel. 



Madonna and Child?





Madonna and Child



Even more humility does God show to learn from us how to exercise his human limits – how to speak and walk, how to love as a human loves, how to build and destroy as a human does.  God, source of all that is, chooses to join us in our limitations as one of the poor.  This is the wisdom, the glory and the power of God . . . it shapes the human heart and shapes the universe of love. “No one has ever seen God.  The only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed God.”

Three Wise Men

Three Wise Men?



"He humbled Himself to become one of us"

A Child in the womb?

The saints and angels in Heaven giving praise to Christ (Center)?



I hope you enjoyed a little something different on this post.  I certainly enjoyed researching the photos and letting the Holy Spirit guide me in interpreting what I saw in them.