Hope-the secret dose.

Everyone has a Valentine, a love, today!

2012-02-14T07:50:00.001-07:00

And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
Deuteronomy 30:6

Today is a day to bask in love and you don’t need a boyfriend, or girlfriend, or spouse to celebrate! You are so loved!

God loves you with a love you can’t comprehend: it is so big, so everlasting, so forgiving, and so fulfilling. It is perfect love! How blessed we are to be loved like this if we just open our hearts and respond to God.

The book of Deuteronomy is referred to as the heartbeat of the Old Testament. It is all about being in right relationship with God and passing that on to the next generation. This book is quoted 82 times in the New Testament. Only the Psalms are quoted more. It is referred to indirectly 200 times! And, when Jesus is tempted by the devil, he quotes Deuteronomy.

It might be a great book to read in February. I recall my instructor suggesting that we put a little red heart in the margin of our Bibles whenever we saw the word “heart” mentioned in Deuteronomy. It makes a nice reference when meditating or “chewing” on the Word.

This picture of a flower illustrates the position our hearts towards God; hundreds of little sensors reaching out, reaching up to the Son of God! Joy, reverence, adoration are the attitudes of the heart toward God’s great love for us. So celebrate today that you are loved by your heart’s desire, and you are God’s desire!

Happy Valentine's Day. The daily heART blog link on the side is a special gift today, enjoy!

Wisdom-in the Letter of James

2012-02-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity.”

(James 3:17)

The search for wisdom is timeless, if we could only find the key… we can always turn to The Word, but tradition of the early church fathers came 1500 years before the Bible was printed for individual use. The Mass, and the sacraments, and the Church are the font of grace that the Bible flowed from for most of Christianity’s history! Perhaps our country has lost sight of this.

How does the book of Wisdom (7:22-23) line up with the Letter of James? It is very similar; wisdom is found in the humble who submit to God, and described as clear, unpolluted, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, intelligent and pure.

The epistle of St. Jude warns us of false teachers and their behavior. They are ones who reject authority, are immoral, and ungodly. There is such confusion today about what is immoral, and many people use the modern world’s scale or what their friend’s are doing as the guide, instead of the church’s guidance.

James encourages us to “keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)

Be in the world, but not of it. Keep striving humble thy will (desires) my friend: never give up!

Hope in our hearts

2012-01-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

"...their hope is full of immortality"
Wisdom 3:4

We should be able to name the cause of our joy in life for it is also the cause of our hope; eternal life with God, reunited with him in Paradise! Jesus Christ won this for us, if we respond and turn to Him, and follow.

My prayer book says "Our lives are surrounded with passing things; set our hearts on things of heaven,"

It is a good prayer.

(p.125 of St. Joseph Daily Prayer Book, copyright 2005)

New Year Resolutions 2012

2012-01-10T13:01:00.001-07:00

The eyes of the Lord are upon those who love him… He lifts up the soul and gives light to the eyes; he grants healing, life, and blessing.
Sirach 34:16, 17

New Years is a time of renewed hope, renewed effort, and checking the compass to assure that you are striving in the right direction. Perhaps your resolutions this year can be courageously established in God. We finished studying Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament with the book of Sirach (or by the Latin title, Ecclesiastics). It was the early Church’s school for the faithful to learn virtue.

A good first resolution is to take a look at the people you spend time with. Be kind to all,
“But stay constantly with a godly man whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments, whos soul is in accord with your soul, and who will sorrow with you if you fail.” Sirach 37:12
And, “The beginning of man’s pride is to depart from the Lord; his heart has forsaken his maker. For the beginning of pride is sin…” Sirach 10:12-13
Finally, “Birds flock with their kind; so truth returns to those who practice it.” Sirach 27:9

Maybe we could take time to take inventory of the friends and people we spend time with. Are they God-fearing friends who adore God, worship God, and give thanksgiving for their blessings? (The kind of people who recognize blessings for what they are, and not just as luck?)

May your New Year be blessed.

Feast Day of the Holy Innocents

2011-12-28T17:10:00.002-07:00

“In him [God, the Word] was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)

Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents, and we recall the innocent children slaughtered by King Herod, in his effort to destroy the Messiah King. He killed the innocents out of fear. He killed them because he imagined an innocent baby to be a threat to his lifestyle.

“A voice was heard in Ra’mah

Wailing and loud lamentation,

Rachel weeping for her children;

she refused to be consoled

because they were no more.”

(Jeremiah 31:15)

Alas, even today we try to destroy the innocent babes who are created in the image of God. 54 million innocents in our nation have been destroyed through abortion because of a perceived or imagined threat. The only difference is that King Herod is many in our nation; it is not one paranoid man who takes life, but many citizens, legislators and doctors in our nation. Oh, if they could but open their eyes to God’s supremacy and the dignity of human life from conception! Truth is not a matter of individual opinion.

The cause of our Joy! Merry Christmas

2011-12-27T08:41:00.000-07:00

Psalm 33

Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;
for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.
Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp,
with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs.
O sing him a song that is new,
Play loudly, with all your skill.

For the word of the Lord is faithful
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right
and fills the earth with his love.

By his word the heavens were made,
by the breath of his mouth all the stars.
He collects the waves of the ocean;
he stores up the depths of the sea...

...The Lord looks on those who revere him,
on those who hope in his love,
to resucue their souls from death,
to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
The Lord is our help and our shield.
In him do our hearts find joy.
We trust in his holy name.

May your love be upon us, O Lord,
as we place all our hope in you.

(The Psalter)

It is always awkward to say "Merry Christmas" to someone I know who is grieving. I feel I have to explain myself, and acknowledge their grief and loneliness for their loved ones, and the innocent days lost that are now memories. I need to clarify my joy and hope in eternal life.

I remind them that the "Merry" is the rejoicing in our souls and hearts for what the Christ child has won for us- freedom from death's finality. Death is overcome through Christ, and the promise of being reunited with a loved one for eternity is simply breathtaking and magnificent. But, the best gift of all is the unfathomable love and mercy of our God, given to us through the Word Incarnate; a little, vulnerable baby.

Christmas is eternally the mystery of the salvation of mankind, through the Jesus Christ. Rejoice! And open your gift of unimaginable love, in a deepening relationship with Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas, from my soul to yours!

Bask in the Christmas Season this year, and its gift of eternal blessing.

Hope for your soul

2011-12-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live, for their hope is in him who saves them. The eyes of the Lord are upon those who love him, a mighty protection and strong support... he lifts up the soul and gives light to the eyes; he grants healing, life, and blessing. (Sirach 34:13,16,17)

Many are the gifts that God gives to those souls who seek him and follow his commands. Our King of Kings, the Lord of all is coming again! First he came as a humble servant to show us the way and save us, and next, he will come again as a just judge of the living and the dead. Prepare the way, prepare your soul! And rejoice!

Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant

2011-12-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

Dear God,

Thank you for your light of wisdom during Advent as we approach Christmas. The book of Wisdom is wonderful and full of hope to read at this time of the year, as we ponder Mary's "yes" to you, and her part in Salvation History. All of us today are part of that continuing history.

“For she is a breath of the power of God …therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness” (Wisdom 7:25).

And thus the Word became flesh, and the baby Jesus took a human breath.

Then Mother Mary and Joseph laid the babe in a manger of wood…

Scriptures say “When the earth was flooded because of him, wisdom again saved it, steering the righteous man by a paltry piece of wood.” (10:4)

And “again, one preparing to sail and about to voyage over raging waves calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the ship which carries him. For it was desire for gain that planned a vessel, and wisdom was the craftsman who built it; but it is you providence, O Father, that steers its course, because you have given it a path in the sea, and a safe way through the waves, showing that you can save from every danger.” (14:1-4)

Then, the book of Wisdom foreshadows our salvation through Mary’s babe, Jesus, with Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant “the hope of the world took refuge on a raft, and guided by your hand left to the world the seed of a new generation.

For blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes” (14:6-7)

Are you looking for a Christmas present for a child or adult, that keeps on giving? The picture book, The Tale of Three Trees, a traditional folktale retold by Angela Elwell Hunt, must have been inspired by the book of Wisdom! It is beautiful.

Feast Day celebration around the world

2011-12-08T17:43:00.001-07:00

"Set me as a seal upon you heart,
as a seal upon your arm;
for love is strong as death,"

Song of Songs 8:6

"I am the Immaculate Conception" the beautiful lady at the grotto told St. Bernadette. Bernadette repeated these mysterious words to the priest without knowing what they meant.

Is it so hard to believe that God would make the womb for the Word incarnate free from sin, or pure?

I had the honor of being in Lourdes, France on the 150th anniversary date of this revelation, and joined hundreds of others in an evening candlelight rosary procession said in 7-8 different languages. It was one of the great experiences in my lifetime.

Then, in Rome a few days latter, we stood at the foot of the pillar and statue to commemorate this revealation near the Spanish Steps. 'Do you see what I see?'

Thank you Mother Mary for your fiat, your 'yes' to participate in God's plan of salvation in history. Lead us to your Son.

Advent of openess to God's soul-saving will

2011-11-27T09:27:00.001-07:00

"Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!"
Psalm 80:3

Mary had memorized the Words of God, so she knew what was being asked of her even as a young girl. She trusted that God would provide all that she needed to carry out his will. Her faith and obedience was unblemished and unswerving as she consented to motherhood as a means for God's salvation of humanity. In Mother Mary, we have a perfect mother who wants to lead us to her son, Jesus. She first accepted the word of God into her heart, and then later, mysteriously overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, she carried the Word of God enfleshed!

It just takes an individual "yes", in faith, to realize that God provided Mother Mary for our comfort and guidance, so that we too may share a perfect and loving mother, with Jesus. Walk with Mary.

May your advent journey be blessed and filled with renwed hope.

The Most Important Breath in Life

2011-11-20T08:23:00.001-07:00

The hope of the righteous ends in gladness, but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.
Proverbs 9:28

Why are those who pursue a living relationship with God, those who are in daily communication with God (through mass and The Word) promised gladness? My mind goes to a favorite book in the Bible, Jeremiah. "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). There is something more going on than what we see each day, and if our expectation is eternal life we are more likely to be pleasing to God in this life.

If we are cosmopolitan and worldly, our sights are set on vapors. Our toil is empty of the most inportant breath in life; awe and worship of God. Turn and draw even closer to God, he's waiting for you.

Healing Trust

2011-11-09T14:16:00.002-07:00

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.

It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.

Proverbs 3:5, 8

We experienced in the book of Job insight of how to bear up with suffering and pain. We are to turn to God, and to trust God, and that he has a plan for each of our souls. He is always pursuing each of our souls- God wants us with him forever.

Job taught us to sit in silence, to pray, and to wait humbly before the Lord.

And we are to be present to our friends and not try to make sense of a tragic loss. We too must trust in God's love for all of us, and pray in silence.

The whole test is; will we still be able to love and fear God after that which is dear to us is taken away? Will we still honor and serve God in this world with reverence, awe, and worship?
I'm holding you up in prayer my friend- let's not rely on our own insight.

God's great harvest

2011-10-28T13:05:00.001-06:00

A young, 25 year- old man died yesterday from cancer. The shock left my friend, his aunt, physically ill; it was hard for her to stand and bear the waves of loss and grief. I felt helpless since I was over 1000 miles away. I wanted to hold her as her anquish poured out, I wanted to bring her comfort food, and I could only cry with her at the other end of the phone.

Yesterday,the brilliant leaves of autumn fell under the weight of a cold snowstorm in the West, and cut short our autumn view of the glory of God in nature. So too, our earthly view of God's glory and masterpiece of young Derrick was cut short.

After hanging up the phone, I came to my senses and ran to my heavenly father, Abba, for comfort. At daily mass, God's words and precious presence poured comfort and peace upon me as I prayed for the souls of this amazing family- both their living members and the deceased members. God did not leave me alone, and through prayer I attended to my friend. God gave her the strength she needed for the day. I widened the circle of prayer by engaging friends, my church community and my family members to pray for my friend and her family, for they had also buried their mother and sister in the preeeding three weeks.

The snow had blanketed the ground, but the golden glory of the leaves crowned the cold, wet snow.

Tebow style; drop to our knees in the great battle over the order of creation; Humility vs. Pride. The book of Job, the second half

2011-10-28T11:04:00.000-06:00

“For I know that my redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth” Job, 19:25

Job’s words are easy to say or sing today, but these words were written more than 1000 years before Christ arrived, before the Word was made flesh! (John 1:14)

Did Job have “blind faith” as they say? Wait a minute, that’s an oxymoron, isn’t all faith inherently blind, or the believing in things unseen?

I know that Job had a heap of sorrow, and when things became unbearable, they only got worse. So, how did Job respond, for his life to be included in Sacred Scriptures by the Early Church Fathers?

Initially, Job worships the Lord and has integrity as he endures unbearable loss.

His attitude changes as time wears on and calamity increases;

Chapter 3- Job curses his birth

6:24 Job is open and says, “Teach me and I will be silent”

7:11 “I will not restrain my mouth with anguish and I will complain in the bitterness of my soul”

9:15 He appeals for mercy

9:28 Job becomes afraid of all his suffering.

Chapter 10- Job loathes his life

10:18- He asks WHY? Why did God bring him forth from the womb?

13:13 He argues his case and demands to make him know his transgressions

Chapter 16- Job reaffirms his innocence

Chapter 17- Job prays for relief, his spirit is broken

Chapter 19-Job is estranged from friends & family (wife). He is in the wilderness.

Job answers: My redeemer lives!

Chapter 20- Job speaks of God’s power

Chapter 28:28- Behold, the fear of the Lord is wisdom! Job rediscovers wisdom, which he had back in Chapter 1:1 before everything was taken away!

28:28= 1:1 =Fear of the Lord. The whole test in the story of Job is this; will Job be able to still fear God after all his blessings are taken away?

One might ask, “Remind me, What is fear of the Lord?” It is reverence, awe, and worship of God. My instructor pointed out that life is about how much time we spend on our knees, not about how much we understand!

God doesn’t answer Job for 37 chapters and even then, God only answers the person asking the question, not the question (Peter Kreeft). God goes on to question Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?”(v.38:4) Who determined it’s measurements-surely you know! Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? (40:2)

And finally, even the innocent Job is humbled before God, and the right order of creation is restored. Job answers, “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth, I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.” And Job repents.

And God also humbles Job’s well- meaning but outspoken friends. The problem with them (other than worldview from before Christ) is that in their search for wisdom and understanding, they didn't consider God enough! Only young Elihu understood this, and reminds Job that God is Just; they have come to the wrong conclusions. They have stopped considering the Glory of God!

So we can ask ourselves, do we “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5), or “You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind”? (Matt 22:37)

We can only drop to our knees in prayer and turn to the Lord, in our response to unbearable loss or grief. We must trust in Jesus, and wait.

P.S.- Well-meaning friends can learn from the book of Job too- silent presence is better than trying to make sense of your friend’s loss for them. A hug is enough.

This is where I fail. Perhaps I should just send a card if I can’t keep quiet!

When bad things happen...

2011-10-14T13:34:00.000-06:00

We all struggle at some time in our lives with the age-old problem of “Why does God let bad things happen to good people?” Rabbi Kushner’s book on the subject really messed me up during my twenties and for a long time it shut down my ability to pray to God. Had only someone pointed out to me that it was a world view from before Christ! It seems obvious now, but when I was struggling through grief I read everything I could find to get out of my misery as quickly as possible. I know, that was my second mistake, there is no short-cut through grief.

We are studying the book of Job now. Peter Kreeft in his book Three Philosophies of Life explores the problem of evil. How does the evil of injustice exist with a loving and all-powerful God? How does God tolerate the appearance of good and innocent people suffering? Note, Kreeft differentiates appearance from reality, and he proposes that what appears to be a problem may instead be a mystery; the mystery of suffering. He then continues on to point out the most mysterious form of divine justice is the astounding events of God humbling himself to become man, and then dying on the cross for us. God’s justice he argues is something other than man’s justice on earth.

In a fascinating read, Kreeft states that the problem of evil is answered in the gospels. He writes that Job is really blessed in his sufferings as Christ revealed in his Beatitudes: “Blessed are those who mourn… blessed are you when men revile you.” Job may be ‘happy’ in the sense of being blessed, without being satisfied. Each suffering makes him even more of God’s masterpiece. Suffering is a problem of time Kreeft explains, and we experience earthly short-range unhappiness when we suffer. He suggests that Scripture’s one-word answer to the problem of evil and injustice is “wait”. Evil is only temporary.

God would not allow evil to exist if God’s goodness and power did not bring good out of evil. The appearance of suffering is in reality a blessing as we wait like Job, sitting on a pile of dung, in misery. Christ assures us we will be blessed. Good is eternal!

Kreeft points out that we must wait in faith though, for Jesus reminds Martha before he raised her brother Lazarus from the dead, “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” John 11:40 RSVCE

So, as we and our loved ones suffer, we can be transformed and blessed through faithful waiting. Our faith assures us that God’s goodness overcomes the evil of our world; the long-range, brilliant, goodness of redemption trumps evil for eternity!

My glorious... the glory of God

2011-10-05T10:40:00.000-06:00

"O Lord, you have given everything its place in the world, and no one can make it otherwise. For it is your creation, the heavens and the earth and the stars: You are the Lord of all."
Ester 13:9, 10-11

This verse is taken from the daily mass readings. I love this picture, taken on a road trip to celebrate a special wedding anniversary. The glory of God shines through. There is so much to be grateful for this month despite our every day sufferings and annoyances.

Being with God is better... than a thousand days elswhere

2011-09-28T09:38:00.001-06:00

“My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God (v.2).
For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere (v.10).”
Psalm 84

My favorite psalms are the Todah psalms, or thanksgiving psalms. Sometimes, doesn't it seem like we live during times rooted in self-absorbed entitlement, when really our reflexive response should be gratitude?

This weekend I texted my childhood friend that perhaps she could read Psalm 84 to her sister for comfort. Her wonderful sister was dying from a ruthless cancer. They both seemed too young for this. I found such comfort in God’s words: “For no good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly” (v.11). I spent time with this psalm and thought of Cindy arriving at the gates of heaven, and I pondered, what good thing would a dying mother want? I was filled with marvel and joy as I realized that we could ask God to guide our children and loved ones to join us in heaven. God is trustworthy. What peace those words gave me, and I hope Cindy too, as the injustice of a life cut short on earth saddened me.

The Psalmists organized the psalms into five books, paralleling the five books of the Torah, or instruction. Books one and two speak about the Davidic Kingdom and the Messiah. Early in the Psalms we see David fleeing for his life as a suffering King.

Book Two instructs us with Psalm 51, a model of repentance. Psalm 84 is found in book 3 about the Babylonian exile, and shows that during suffering God wants us to turn to him alone. Book 4 shows us that God is King, and the ancient people had to learn this by losing their land and the Temple before they returned to God as their king.

Restoration and the Messiah are the themes of instruction in the final book. This last book moves us to prayers of praise, and begins with thanksgiving for the passing of many troubles. It teaches us to remember, and to recall God’s steadfast love: This is the source of our hope for still waters and salvation.

Our lives are meant for heaven, not things of this earth, just like Paul reminds us in Romans 12:2.

Peace my friends-for our partings are only for a short while.

Laments and Love in the Psalms

2011-09-23T10:58:00.002-06:00

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope"
Psalm 130:5

Since the early church, the Psalms of lament have provided humanity with prayers during the raw times in life. There is always something wrong with the world, and it is OK to cry out to God and complain about it! Prayer is conversation; listening and lamenting along with petitions and praise.

In fact, our cry is evidence that we believe God exits, and that God reigns as Creator and King! If we pray the psalms of lament we are acknowledging that God is present, always, even during the dark night of the soul that Psalm 88 describes. In such times faith is needed and turning to God our only hope. We can not save ourselves. Christ was the perfect example as he called out to the Father while hanging on the cross, and said the first line of a Psalm (22) as teachers did in ancient days. It was a way to direct followers to recall the whole psalm, and Christ choose a psalm of deliverance. Even in his darkest moments, he trusted that God the Father was there with him, and that the Father heard him.

The psalms are timeless. They often speak of the pain-agony of loneliness, sorrow, and fear; but along side the suffering is the faith in God’s steadfast love. In Hebrew, the word for this love is hesed. Psalms 3, 13, and 130 all evolve from lament to confidence in God’s saving power. Psalm 31 speaks with confidence of God’s help that he has experienced through God’s hesed evident throughout the study of salvation history.

Psalm 3 begins “O Lord, how many are my foes!... many are saying of me, there is no help for him in God.” (vs.1,2)
Psalm 13 begins “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all the day?” (vs. 1,2)
Psalm 31 begins “In you, O Lord, I seek refuge…Into your hand I commit my spirit…But I trust in you, O lord, I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand… (vs. 1,5,and 14)
Psalm 130 – “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope” (v. 5)

The Catholics never removed the psalms of lament from their Liturgy as did many other Christian denominations. Sorrow, pain, loneliness and suffering are a part of the human experience, and the Psalms are God’s instruction how to endure these feelings; with prayer to draw on courage and trust in God.

From the womb...

2011-09-14T10:18:00.003-06:00

"For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from my birth,
from my mother's womb, you have been my strength.
My praise is continually of you."

Psalm 71:5-6

Some of us learned to depend on God from conception. Perhaps our mother's pregnancy was complicated and our lives threatened. We arrived amidst great joy and relief to our families.

Others arrived amidst financial pressures or into troubled relationships amongst our parents. God was there, seeking you.

Still others turned to God along the way, often in times challenged with troubles like the psalmist in Psalm 66 (vs. 10-11)
"For you, O God, have tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
you laid affliction on our backs."

We are made for God and he is always seeking us to save our souls for eternity. But he requires a response, and more than a luke-warm one. Perhaps you can respond to that little nudge to draw closer to your perfect Father, Abba, our God. Every relationship involves effort on our part or sadly, it withers.

The poor in spirit, who are they?

2011-09-08T09:17:00.001-06:00

“Blessed is the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 5:3

The author of Interior Freedom, Rev. Jacques Philippe, proposes that people who are stripped of everything by the Holy Spirit are most likely to achieve Interior Freedom. I never really considered ‘the poor in spirit’ like he does; stripped of everything by the Holy Spirit. It is how we handle the loss of things we love, which indicates the amount of interior freedom we possess.

Mistakes in achieving interior freedom are often made by depending on our circumstances. The author illuminates how Therese of Lisieux and the lesser known Etty Hillesun (a young woman who died in Auschwitz in 1943) reflected interior freedom to the world despite their circumstances.

Also, the author thinks that we can fall victim to the false idea that freedom is a vast range of options in making choices; a view of life as a grocery store. The author has an amazing and concise discussion that compares marriage and celibacy at this point of his book.

Rev. Philippe outlines how growing in faith, hope and charity is the only path to interior freedom. He explores how to train ourselves to consent to the very things that seem to restrict freedom. What a contradiction! By saying yes to a ‘negative’ in life, we trust that God will bring good out of us. We must say “yes” to whom we are and to our situations for God’s grace to act. We must cooperate with God, and this is accomplished by realizing we cannot change by our own doings.

I love the author’s take on Christian guilt; the feeling originates in our psyche, not in God’s will! He explains that success measured today by our culture is far more pervasive and demanding than Christ’s call to holiness. Jesus frees us from our need to be “the best” when he forgives us. If we don’t accept ourselves, we develop an inner stress that we take out on others.

Interior freedom is forged through suffering. We must consent to it, not just endure it. By welcoming it we trust (another word for the virtue of hope) that God will draw goodness out of it, and this is what makes us grow! If we fear suffering, we become defensive in our approach to others and the outside world. With practice negative things can become opportunities to trust, and a sweet offering to God. If we can accept suffering with hope and forgiveness, then this forgiveness is transformed into the highest form of charity (the other word for love).

The only real harm to us is from within us. In this little book, Rev. Philippe exposes spiritual pride occurring when we experience failures (our own or others) as an unbearable assault instead of normal opportunities to hone our inner freedom.

Interior Freedom is a short book that you will find yourself highlighting some treasure in every paragraph. It is an easy read of profound benefit when one is trying to claim and mature the gift of their childhood faith.

Take a break: Come out of the darkness...

2011-08-29T08:31:00.003-06:00

“…and you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
through the tender mercy of our God,
then the day shall dawn upon us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
The Canticle of Zechariah, Luke 76-79

This canticle is prayed daily by the Church during the Liturgy of the Hours. (It actually begins with verse 68.) These words were the first ones spoken by Zechariah after he trusted God and wrote that the baby’s name was to be John, as God ordered. Zechariah did God’s will, and his voice was restored.

This child is referred to in Psalm 85 and also Isaiah 40, and is better known as John the Baptist.

Do we guide others to the Word, and the Word made flesh—Jesus? He is a light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. He is certain hope.

Hurricaine Hallelujah!

2011-08-28T14:48:00.001-06:00

"Be still and know that I AM God." Psalm 46:10

Sometimes we forget both parts of this; to be still and to know God. It is easier to see him and learn from him during this life if we make quiet time, inactive time. Wait for Christ to transform the offerings you give him in prayer; the good things, the bad sufferings, and the ugly stuff that's a part of life on earth.

The massive hurricaine that bore down this weekend on our nation's capital and the East coast was miraculously milder than anticipated. Was this the blessing of a nation united in prayer?

Be still, wait, and trust God. He will answer you in his time.

Running wild on the narrow path

2011-08-09T10:14:00.004-06:00

“If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?” Jeremiah 12:5

My camera clicked as the fly fishermen’s’ lines swayed lazily above the river. The graceful outreach of the lime green and yellow fishing lines mesmerized me in the evening light.

Suddenly thundering, crashing hooves pounded the dirt and dust flew as one horse from the wild herd came down to the bank of the river for a cool drink of water. He was only 20 feet away. Startled and thrilled I enjoyed the rare gift of the wild herd. The above verse from the Book of Jeremiah came to me as God answered Jeremiah’s complaints about the injustice in life:“If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?” Jeremiah 12:5

Today we might ask ourselves: How can we keep stride to be holy if we allow everyday circumstances to wear us out? We have to harness our resilience and endurance from Christ’s example. Additional reading from the Prophets and the saints can teach us about pacing ourselves. A regular prayer life seems to be the key. I’ve heard that it is especially important to make your first morning offering a gift of at least 15 minutes of prayer time. Then, Christ has something to multiply that day!

That evening we caught and released seven fish, making it a perfect night.

Heart to heart healing

2011-08-05T00:51:00.003-06:00

O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts, as at Meri'ibah...
For forty years I was wearied of that generation and said, "They are a people who err in heart, and they do not regard my ways."
Psalm 95:7,10

We break open our hearts when we live under the reign of God. The Psalms are a timeless instruction guide to any posible human situation if we are open to God's guidance. Sometimes it can be unpleasant talking about the wicked; they are those who oppose God or are an obstacle to God's plan. He wants to save all souls through Christ! The wicked are not grounded in the foundation of God, and thus "are like chaff which the wind drives away" (Psalm 1:4).

The Psalms also speak of the "happy" or "righteous" who are those people that depend on God alone, and who turn to God during the good times as well as our times of suffering. Psalm 119 is beautiful as it proclaims "With my whole heart I seek you" (v.10). This search to please God does not mean perfection though, for the Psalm ends on the humble confession of one who went astray, "like a lost sheep".

The psalms are candidly human, and every emotion and feeling can be found within them--even the ones that make us uncomfortable, like raw hatred and anger.

This summer they have been an amazing source for morning and evening prayers. Try them, you are not alone in the confusion of this messy world! They are a rich source of hope and instruction.

A heart attack that is good!

2011-07-27T10:45:00.001-06:00

A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26 RSVCE

Do you know someone with a heart of stone when it comes to their relationship with God? Someone who allows indifference, complacency, independence, or a festering hurt to stifle knowing God deeply?

This primary relationship with God is more precious than our relationships with our spouses, our children, our parents or even our closest friends.

Prayer is the only way to break your loved ones’ hearts of stone. Ask Jesus to help them see what they can not see. Then, have hope because Jesus is well known for curing the spiritually blind. A broken heart can be replaced with a living heart, one that is infused with God’s love. But first, the stony heart must be broke open.

Summer Break

2011-07-26T10:42:00.003-06:00

"For God alone my soul waits in silence,
For God alone my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from him.
Trust in him at all times, O people,
pour out your heart before him:
God is a refuge for us."
Psalm 62:1,5,8

Many are the demands of any given day: Lucky the person who likes to do Sudokus and puzzles, for any week provides ample problems to work out, and the only unknown is the variety of the challenges that present themselves.

Take some time to sit in silence and listen to God. Slow down, leave your problems with God and trust that he will transform them according to his desire for your soul. Your hope is from him, and He attends to your soul instead of earthly pleasure and comfort.

God Bless America

2011-07-05T09:07:00.002-06:00

...if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and heal their land. 2 Chron. 7:14 RSVCE

May we turn to God alone as our guide, instead of politicians and society's will. Then, through prayer and hope in God, our country can be healed

Seeking the quest of a lifetime

2011-06-16T12:31:00.006-06:00

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life
Psalm 27:4 RSVCE

What comfort this simple ambition is, especially if you make it the quest of your lifetime. I know someone who has lived this quest. Her name is Mary Lou and she is ready to go home to God. All the worldly goals of fame, success, a long life, and accumulation of fortune become shallow in the light of this eternal purpose. Mary Lou is known as a joyful and holy mother even today, while she is bedridden and contorted from Parkinson's Disease.

How do we fulfill the role of a seeker? We actively attend to our relationship with God and passionately pursue a deepening conversion with Christ. It is never too late to love Him, and to love him even more than you do now!

We seek with our hearts; by surrendering our hurts, our sorrows, our abundance of goods and the minutes of the day when we pray. Also, we immerse ourselves in Christ’s sacraments instead of just getting our toes wet. The Mass is the finest form of prayer, and available daily. It goes without saying that the sacrament of reconciliation precedes our worthy reception of the sublime Eucharist at mass. After all, you want your soul to look its best for this transcendent embrace of true love.

A sweet reflection for comfort and peace through hope is Psalm 22 (deliverance from suffering), followed by Psalm 23 (the Divine Shepherd).

God bless and strengthen you my friend. You are not alone on your journey.

Summer vacation; heading home to see family

2011-06-14T14:31:00.002-06:00

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven...
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. " Psalm 32:1,4

Summer sun shimmers with the hope of renewal often experienced through family vacations and those classic car trips. Each of us can recall those cozy family gatherings that are concurrently wonderful and tedious. Some trips are more fondly remembered than others.

Do you get anxious before you head home because you know that family members have expectations which you will scramble to meet? I do, and my sense of peace will be chiseled away by innocuous comments that indicate that we ultimately pleased no one. Often, I feel like a ping-pong ball, leading me to call these annual outings "trips" instead of "vacations". Some years, the trips seem like long, necessary tunnels in life's journey.

Perhaps this year I will try to pack light. I will try hard not to carry the past home with me; my unforgotten archive of hurt feelings. I must remember that I don't have to do it all, and to call on God; I will trust in Jesus to give me the needed patience. I can look at this trip as a HUGE opportunity to practice these virtues. And, I will try to imitate our Blessed Mother when she went in haste to visit her cousin Elizabeth, and carried our Lord, Jesus with her. Like Mother Mary, I will pray for God's grace to accomplish what I can not do on my own.

"You are a hiding place for me, you preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with deliverance." Psalm 32:7 RSVCE

Aren't you glad its summer?

2011-06-10T10:42:00.006-06:00

In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.
John 16:33 NAB

Courage, rooted in the virtue of fortitude, helps us follow Christ and remain hopeful even when our lives become difficult. With this virtue we trust in God to help us push through our fears and to stay rooted in God’s truth. No misfortune succeeds in derailing this trust in God, while He pursues our entire heart soul and mind. With the Holy Spirit’s help and the grace of fortitude, we do not turn away or become complacent and lukewarm. We follow Christ, guided by the church that He founded.

Take courage in your earthly sufferings… something better awaits your devotion to following Christ’s example of courage and obedience. Pray for an increase of this virtue during the week as the Easter season ends and as we near the Feast of Pentecost.

And, thank God it is summer!

Hope, don't worry

2011-06-02T07:35:00.004-06:00

"Pray, hope and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayers. Prayer is the best weapon we have. It is the key to God's heart." Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

It's giving up the worrying that is my weakness.

Never give up hope; some of my prayers have taken ten years to be answered. Pray with confidence that your prayers will be granted if they are for the good of your soul.

Remember...

2011-05-30T08:57:00.007-06:00

“And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.” John 15:21 NAB

(Continued from previous blog entry) If I pause a moment and consider those who taunt me for my faith life, often-no almost always, they are individuals who have a damaged relationship with their earthly fathers. This then carries over into their relationship with God and hence, they do not know the one who sent Jesus.

Maybe they did not know their birth father, or their father was physically or emotionally absent. Perhaps their earthly father was self-absorbed in his own pursuits of sports or entertainment and was neglectful as a moral and faith guide for his children. Whatever the cause of absenteeism, this is NOT WHO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS!

Yet many who have grown up with an 'absent father' heal and have faith to trust God the Father, and they can obey His commands and precepts! Have hope and continue the work to heal your heart and turn to your perfect Father in heaven; pray that your heart be softened and the hardheartedness or complacency in your relationship with God the Father will be healed! Turn to God; continue to deepen your relationship with him while you still have earthly time left. There is no relationship in your life that is more important than your relationship with God.

And in a special way today, Memorial Day, may God protect America and have mercy on our soldiers who have fought and continue to fight for truth and freedom in the world. We remember those who gave life and limbs to protect our acknowledgement that God is our King, and that the rest of us including representative government officials are His servants. It is in God that we trust.

Like the eagle in the picture, may God protect his nest...

Is Joy possible in this world?

2011-05-28T07:22:00.008-06:00

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!”
Psalm 100:1-2 RSVCE

The response for mass today is “Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.”

Often, I do not feel joyful; I would describe my baseline feelings more like contentment. I have often wished that I was the bubbly smiling type, overflowing with joy, but that is not my nature. As I contemplated Psalm 100, I joined in thanksgiving for God’s merciful love, but joy? I think joy must be for eternal life and special moments like my wedding day, or the birth of my children … or maybe not!

If I think about what Christ’s suffering and humiliating death won for me- eternal life, then joy abounds. What an immense gift that I will always be unworthy of. What love! If I keep my eyes set on Christ while I'm in this world, and hope for the promise of eternal life that baptism opens up to us, then joy is easily accessed.

Funny, next I contemplated that often I don’t seem too fit into this world. The next reading, the gospel reading for today was from John 15:18-21. It is as if the Holy Spirit replied immediately during to my time spent with God today. “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first… If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” The times that I have been hurt most deeply is when someone lobs a cutting remark about my faith or the church. More on that tomorrow…

Double click on this picture for a treat-this was one of four bald eagles we saw in Montana recently.

Tested...

2011-05-18T10:47:00.007-06:00

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to out God. Psalm 40:1-3, RSVCE

Driving south from Montana I entered into a spring blizzard at three o’clock in the morning. Wet, dense snow stuck to the signs making them unable to read. Large, wet flakes drove into the windshield, illuminated by the headlights. I kept a tire in the lone rut left by an earlier truck that had traveled the unplowed highway.

It was a white-knuckled hour of driving that was complicated whenever a semi-truck passed and pounded a torrent of slush onto the windshield, elongating time within zero visibility. I gripped the wheel and aimed straight and prayed that the road also went straight. My husband and son slept, oblivious to the danger.

I called upon God for strength. It was too dangerous to even pull off to the side of the road, and I hoped that we would be safe. Oh, why did we hit this storm during my shift of driving?

Maybe, it was to remind me that “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
Who do you rely on or turn to when things get dicey? God asks you to turn to him-- first and fully. Sometimes that is clearer in the silence and darkness of night.

Pope’s beatification & Osama bin Laden served justice on Mercy Sunday; just coincidence?

2011-05-02T11:05:00.009-06:00

"I will espouse you in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy."
Hosea 2:19 RSVCE

I’m sure I was not the only one celebrating on Sunday, May 1st, 2011. What a great day for mankind. A holy man, a humble Pope of this millennium who had worked tirelessly for peace and the dignity of all humanity, moved towards recognized sainthood. This occurred on Divine Mercy Sunday, a day of extraordinary blessings for the common folk in the pew, who prayed the Divine Mercy Novena during the week following Good Friday. It was not really surprising that the mercy of justice blessed our nation and all nations on this very Sunday, with the capture and demise of a notorious mass murderer, Osama bin Laden.

What a sweet victory for our military service men and women and the intelligence community. Let us not lose sight that all blessing comes from God, and not political parties or presidents. This is a national victory, not a Democratic or Republican trump card. I’m relieved that President Obama understood this as he addressed the nation last night. Our hope is drawn from God, and prayer. God bless our leaders and our nation, and may we be a light and blessing to other nations.

Hope in restoration

2011-04-29T14:12:00.003-06:00

Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

The book of Zechariah is near the end of the Old Testament and Torah. God’s chosen people return from their punishment in Babylon and Zechariah is a prophet who encourages the people to rebuild the Temple and to prepare for the coming Messiah.

Why is it important to rebuild the Temple when they are suffering from draught, poverty, and remain under a foreign rule? Because, the Temple is an important means to dedicate them selves to God: It shows commitment on their part, and God responds by returning there to dwell. It is in the Temple that he wants to reveal himself to them in a special way. God wants each heart, soul and mind to be fully present with him in worship. Then, “if you will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God,” shalom, or covenant peace, will rest with them (6:8). And soon, Israel’s King will come to them, “humble and riding on a donkey”(9:9).

Nearly 400 years of silence from God would soon follow until the angel Gabriel visits John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah. And what do you think this New Testament prophet preaches to the people? REPENT!

Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double…” (Zechariah 9:12)

God is our stronghold and he tells us to meet him in his designated place where his Spirit likes to draw near to us. God instructs us through the prophets to repent, and to see Christ accomplish one sacrifice to atone for our sins, so that the entrance to the garden of heaven is available to us again.

So turn to Christ, because all of humanity’s might and power and pride can not get us a pass into the pearly gates!

Happy Easter, the greatest day of hope!

2011-04-24T08:59:00.010-06:00

Have this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped (exploited), but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6-11

Today is one of the greatest days in all time and many do not recognize this, or even worse, turn away from Christ. Sadly, many people today are slaves to their own stubbornness and self-adoration.

Perhaps they do not recognize that equality with God is not a thing to be grasped, and mistakenly put their thoughts above Christ's example.

Today, may every knee bend and recognize God's amazing love and saving grace demonstrated by his plan of salvation for mankind through Christ. And for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, there is no greater day of joy and hope than Easter; for through faith Christ can raise them to eternal life and unite you to your loved one for eternity! Shalom, or covenant peace!

Palms positioned in honor

2011-04-18T08:28:00.004-06:00

Palm Sunday

“Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If any one says anything to you, you shall say, “The Lord has need of them, and he will send them immediately. “ This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophets saying’ Tell the daughter of Zion,
Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey.’ Matthew 21:2-5

Jerusalem was over-crowded for the Passover celebration in Jerusalem since it was one of the mandatory pilgrimages to Jerusalem for Jews. The pilgrims were on foot being jostled through the gates. Only kings rode on an animal into Jerusalem. Also, in the Roman world it was legal for a king to take an animal to press into his service. So the apostles obeyed without hesitation. Why did the colt get into the picture? A colt will always follow its mother, and perhaps because it was gentle, like Christ’s kingdom.

The entrance is reminiscent of Solomon’s entrance on the mule of his father, King David, when young Solomon was anointed King. (Kings 1:33-34)

Jesus entered the city as a triumphant king, as the people cried “Hosanna!” and waved palms. “Save us!” was the meaning of their cries. I wonder if any of them had the slightest idea that the salvation was not political, or just for the current generation of Israel; it was hope for all generations, and all nations who followed Christ’s ways. Perhaps Jesus’ mother understood. The people laid down their coats and palms on the road as was traditional for kings’ triumphant entry.

And so, the most holy week of all time began… Perhaps this week we can pause to lay down our judgments, our unbelief and our complacency. Let’s welcome Christ with open hearts and with eyes that see.

Turn on the light please

2011-04-12T10:27:00.007-06:00

The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Psalm 27:1

This snapshot of beauty in creation is my current screen saver. Rest, slow your breathing and enjoy the break for a few minutes. (This is a great picture to double click on!)

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord with courage:
be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:13-14

Next week we delve deeply into the gift and suffering of Christ's Passion that won salvation for us. Suffering offers a deepening of relationship with God, and confident hope that the light, Christ's light, brightens mortal existence.

Have the light of life

2011-04-11T11:19:00.008-06:00

I am the light of the world, says the Lord; the man who follows me will have the light of life. John 8:12 NAB

The light of life, the light of life…God is about life; and the opposing force is therefore darkness and death. So, in following Christ (our most precious gift from God), we should choose the things of light, and life. Our hope draws from the source of light and life. Perhaps our acts of charity could support this light of life.

A Bible story comes to mind, one that is quit dramatic. It is the story of determining truth and dispensing justice concerning the dispute over life during the early extreme of life. In 1 Kings 3:16, the mother of the living child was revealed by her willingness to give her child away, rather than let them slay and dismember it. The mother was revealed because she choose life, and the light. It was a difficult and heartbreaking decision for her to make. She trusted in God and offered her child to another woman to raise, and mercy was dispensed.

Sadly, mothers (i.e. pregnant women) are offered this choice every day in our country; life and light or death and darkness.

May our nation see the light to what we are blinded to. Perhaps we can re-examine how we show our respect for God and life. And if you made a mistake earlier in your life, Christ simply asks that you repent and change your ways to receive mercy! When you find yourself legislating, voting, pregnant or troubled...
Put your hope in the Lord, Take courage and be strong. Psalm 27:14 NAB

Pregnant? Need Help? Call 1-800-713-3021
Project Rachel--HopeAfterAbortion.com
Motherhood Interrupted Stories of Healing and Hope after Abortion by Jane Brennan

Forever

2011-03-31T15:35:00.004-06:00

The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever." Isaiah 40:8

God is with us in many ways, forever. His word is special in that it will outlive nations and generations until the end of time: It is our hope and our heritage that existed before Christ fufilled (not replaced) the Torah or Old Testament.

So, how are you resting in God's word? What action can you take to draw nearer to God's hope before generations and things of this world fade?

The Bible makes more sense after a study of salvation history. Yes, even Leviticus makes sense when you study the whole of salvation history, instead of just cherry picking a book or portion of the Bible.

www.GreatAdventureOnline.com has some excellent user-friendly resources by Jeff Cavins, Dr. Tim Gray, and Sarah Christmyer that you might want to check out. (CD's for the car!)

Blessings, and Shalom

Spring time seeds sown

2011-03-28T08:09:00.005-06:00

Luke Chapter 8

A sower went out to sow his seed; (v.5)
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. (v.11)
And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience. (v. 15)

Perhaps now is a time of rest for you; rest in God’s word. There is a season to plant… and one to harvest. Maybe he is planting now.

We are so accustomed to busyness, we wonder if soaking up God’s word during spring and Lent is enough. Is it enough? Pray for the answer.

His word is so full of hope and mercy that I am grateful to have it broke open during Mass and in a Biblical School that is rooted in the early Church Fathers.

God’s word is eternal. It outlives us, our endeavors, and this earthly existence. Perhaps he wants to sew seeds of hope within you, if you draw nearer to him.

Shalom (covenant peace)

Parental strains and boundaries

2011-03-16T14:58:00.009-06:00

“…for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.”
Psalm 143: 8

Some days are hard to focus on the task at hand and hang on to hope. Self-doubt wiggles and clamors for your attention like a toddler that can’t be denied. You ask yourself;should I have said that? Is this a waste of time? Should I have set that boundary, or am I the selfish one?

This very act of self-examination indicates a formed conscience, as long as it is rooted in love for the other. No, you don’t have to be 'feeling the love' amongst the one who is shaking your life up, but holding a reflective respect for the other is aiming in the right direction. You don't have to enable or embrace their distorted viewpoint. Prayers for your discernment and prayers for the disruptive person though, brings shalom, or covenant peace.

Shalom my friend, build a renewed relationship with your parent within healthy boundaries.

Put your trust in God,
Pam

Comfort and hope in a road map

2011-03-13T09:54:00.007-06:00

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Matthew 5:3-4

The Beatitudes are words of comfort and hope;a sure road map.

Dear Lord, thank you for the Beatitudes and scripture. Thank you for these wonderful maps. I hate being lost and I often miss the right road when I am driving alone.

When it is dark, my eyes can’t see the signs in time to turn to adjust my course. I often fly by and then turn around and backtrack. I waste precious time (with you).

Thank you for a co-pilot to ride with me who can call out the turns I need to make, and who can read the signs; the holy Church you established.

Create in me a clean heart that I may be poor in spirit and recognize my complete dependence on you. Increase daily my trust in you and your providence. Help me to conform to your will, and then I will increase in righteousness.

Oh, and please shower mercy upon the victims in Japan.

XOXO
Pam

Japan suffers beyond a scale of an 8.9

2011-03-12T09:54:00.005-07:00

“…toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles- the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”

Mathew 4:15, Isaiah 9:1-2 RSVCE

This verse is filled with hope and a comfort as we view the unbelievable torrent of disordered nature in Japan; this disorder of all creation resulted from Adam and Eve’s sin. Adam and Eve's sin to turn away from God and not trust God has caused unimaginable pain and suffering throughout the centuries.

But there is hope, there is a light in all this suffering when we turn to follow Christ’s way. Trust him.

In Matthew chapter 4 the devil tempts Jesus after Jesus has fasted for 40 days and nights. This tells me a few things; first, the devil is real and diligently at work according to Jesus. One of the devils greatest accomplishments is to lead God’s people to deny the devil’s existence. Jesus shows us differently.

The devil takes you at a weak moment and offers relief by stroking your pride; he tells Jesus in his power and hunger to make the stones become loaves of bread. So, in these sad times in Japan, we must not despair and be tempted that there could not be a God, or that he wouldn’t let this happen if he loved us. That would be the devil’s victory. Trust God even in the hardest of times. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” Proverbs 3:5

And finally, I take a look at how Jesus responds to the tempter and see that he quotes scripture, the Old Testament, or Torah. So we must study these words too. Here is Jesus, the Christ’s responses;

But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” Matthew 4;7, Deut.6:16

And finally, Then Jesus said to him, “Begone Satan! for it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Matthew 4:10

So when feelings of doubt and despair follow disaster, turn to the Word of God, and God’s Word incarnate-Jesus. Turn to the light, and know that Jesus was tempted too, and has carried this cross. Jesus has redeemed and re-ordered all creation in Heaven, the new Paradise.

Lent, the season of hope and self-denial

2011-03-09T07:50:00.004-07:00

And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe: help my unbelief!”
(Mark 9:23-24)
Jesus went on to heal the man’s mute boy, and the disciples asked why they could not cast the deaf spirit out. Jesus said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.”
(9:29)

Jesus was a man of prayer and fasting.

Today is Ash Wednesday, a day of prayer and fasting. Don’t be so ‘of the world’ as to think that fasting is old fashion or just a pious Catholic tradition. Skip the meat, skip the snacks, and make two meals equal the size of the 3rd meal of the day.

And, pray unceasingly to be healed of your unbelief so you can draw even closer to God this Lenten season! May God bless your efforts to humble your ways and thrive with a deeper conversion in him. And then the hope that self-denial and self-sacrifice ignites a flutter and a flicker in your heart. Trust Jesus.

Joy on the beach, and hope for our futures

2011-03-03T07:41:00.008-07:00

“…But you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the crippled you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd.”
Ezekiel 34:3-5 RSVCE

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out…and I will feed them” Ezekiel 34:11, 13

“I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God.” (verse 15)

The main resounding theme throughout Ezekiel is “And they will know that I am the Lord.”
Ezekiel 6:10, 13, 14, 7:4, 9, 11:10, 12, 12:16, 20, 13:14, 21, 23, 14:8, 15:7, 16:62, 17:21, 20:26, 38, 42, 44,
and on and on and on. You get the idea.
Well one might ask, what does he want us to know about him? How do we recognize him?

God tells us through Ezekiel (around the time of the second deportation to Babylonian exile, in 597 BC) that God himself will be our shepherd! Then God goes on to add brushstrokes to this portrait of himself. In verse 16 he tells us that he will strengthen the weak, bind up the crippled, bring back the strayed and seek the lost. And, he will watch over the prime sheep, the fat and the strong, instead of eating them like the 'failed shepherds' did. Wow, what an awesome God! Does this description filled with hope remind you of anyone else? Yes, of course, it is Jesus who did these same things.

And then recall when the resurrected Jesus appears to the disciples. The forgiving Christ asks Peter three times if he loves him, allowing Peter to redeem his earlier denials of Christ.

After each of Peter's responses, Jesus gives Peter a command; “Feed my lambs” (John 21:15), and “Tend my sheep” (21:16) and then “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). The beauty of this beach scene complete with breakfast that Christ prepared and fed to his disciples, brings joy to my mind and heart. Close your eyes and sit on that beach with them for a few minutes and share their hope. Smell the fish on the fire, see the glorified body of Christ in the sunrise, feel the sand squish between your toes, and smile as you see Peter spring out of the boat to great his Lord.

Dried bones!

2011-02-25T08:09:00.010-07:00

“And you shall know that I am the LORD when I open you graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land: then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it, says the LORD.”

Ezekiel 37:13-14 RSVCE

If this verse doesn’t inspire hope for a better future what can? God promises to bring his people home. Those that God recognizes as his people will be taken to heaven, the land God intended us to dwell in, first called Paradise.

What a wild read chapter 37 of Ezekiel is. Two persons of the trinity are mentioned; God’s hand was on the prophet and the Spirit brought him out into a valley full of bones; many, many dried bones. There is a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together in order! A sci-fi novel couldn’t paint a more vivid scene. Catch the Genesis language in verse 9-10 when the breath of the Holy Spirit completes the resurrection.

God assures us that he will do this incredible restoration of his creation. Throughout Salvation History, God repeatedly shows us that he keeps his word; it is sturdy and can be counted on whether the Word is for blessing, or discipline and justice (i.e. curse).

So at the end of your loved ones mortal days, perhaps you want to secure their ashes or bones and inter them in a grave or crypt. In the mean time, live with hope to be called one of God’s people; learn his laws, delve into scriptures with a reliable community (one rooted in the early Church fathers), and follow Christ’s example. Then the hope that comes from Christ's resurrected and glorified body should pour out the blessing we all live for, the hope of eternal life with God within our resurrected bodies!

God takes no pleasure in the death of anyone!

2011-02-21T09:10:00.006-07:00

Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of any one, says the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.
Ezekiel 18:31-32

Turn to God, and live! He will comfort you and fill you with hope. He will guide you back into the peace of His arms (with shalom, or covenant peace). God’s word says, “For I have no pleasure in the death of any one” ! He has not taken your loved one(s) from you. Read that again!
“For I have no pleasure in the death of any one.”

So do not oppose God’s plan to save us from original sin. We can see what happens to those who oppose Him when we read the oracles against the Nations, in Ezekiel 25-32.

Turn to Christ, God’s redeemer; the Word made flesh. Wash away the sin of our forefathers with your baptism and turn to follow God. Follow the visible example of His word made flesh, Jesus Christ. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) “…grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known." (John 1:17-18).

And the peace from following the covenant that Jesus followed as he grew up, and also the hope of new covenant that Christ issued in, that peace will become yours forever in Paradise.

Have you ever screwed up? Have hope

2011-02-18T15:29:00.009-07:00

“You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom.
If you had walked in the way of God, you would be dwelling in peace for ever.
Learn where there is wisdom,
where there is strength,
where there is understanding,
that you may at the same time discern
where there is length of days, and life,
where there is light for the eyes, and peace.”
Baruch 3:12-14 RSVCE

Have you ever screwed up and felt like it was not fixable? Or some action of another was unforgivable?

This prophet named Baruch was a scribe, or secretary, of the prophet Jeremiah. He was speaking to God’s people while they were exiled in Babylon, after the burning of Jerusalem. Baruch revealed why the people were taken out of their land as he continued to speak about wisdom…
“She is the book of the commandments of God, and the law that endures for ever.” Baruch: 4:1

God’s people had abandoned the Torah, or the wisdom that God had given to Israel, and now they suffered the consequences. But even after the people embraced the cultures around them instead of God, there was still hope that God would keep his part of the covenant. While the book of Deuteronomy’s chapter 8 and chapter 30:11-20 gave them clear warning, the captivity that resulted from complacency would not be forever.

Baruch 4:21 reads “Take courage, my children, cry to God, and he will deliver you from the power and hand of the enemy. For I have put my hope in the Everlasting to save you, and joy has come to me from the Holy One, because of the mercy which soon will come to you from your everlasting Savior.”

The whole point of God’s salvation history that is recorded in the Torah, the Old Testament, and the New Testament, or in other words the Bible, is that God is merciful if we turn to him with our whole beings, and that he wants to save us! There is hope for each and every one of us!

Rest in Jesus

2011-01-18T07:33:00.005-07:00

Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10 RSVCE

It is hard to carve out moments to sit still. It is just as difficult to use those moments to listen to God whisper to you. He speaks to me through scriptures and random coincidences in which I pause and recognize His hand. If I feel alone, it is not because God has abandoned me, but because I have not stopped the motion of every day life, to retreat to a quiet place.

Someone dear to our family has died. This picture of early morning boats bobbing on still waters honors his love of fishing. The fishermen throw out their nets and their lines on downriggers, in hope and anticipation. They know how to sit still: I can't help but reflect on the gospels concerning Jesus calling fishermen to follow him... as in Mark 1:14-20. Does anyone know of a good book on grief? Please share your favorite with all of us and leave the title/author in the comments section.

I turn to God’s word in the Bible, Jesus’ resurrection, and His presence in the Eucharist to draw strength. I always find hope and peace there.

The crib feeds mankind

2011-01-03T10:40:00.010-07:00

“Why then do my people say, ‘We are free, we will come no more to you’"? God asks Jeremiah in 2:31 RSVCE

“For long ago you broke your yoke and burst your bonds; and you said, ‘I will not serve.'” Jeremiah 2:20

Our country parallels the days of the prophet Jeremiah, just before the chosen people went into Babylonian captivity and exile. Somehow, some inhabitants and our leaders have decided that freedom is freedom from religion, instead of freedom to worship God.
It is as if our country doesn’t remember the Exodus, the journey from slavery to freedom.

What was all that about? God couldn’t have made it clearer- his people were to be set free from slavery in order to worship him.
I know you are busy, so here are the cliff notes.

In Exodus 3:1 God tells Moses, “…when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain.”
And in 5:1 Moses and Aaron tell Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”And once again in 8:1 “Let my people go that they may serve me.”
And again in 8:20 “Let my people go, that they may serve me.”
And in 7:16, and 9:1 and 13:1 and 10:3 (the 9th plague) and finally, the Lord’s Passover is established as a memorial day forever. With this the Pharaoh lets the people go! (12:31). What are they let go to do? To Worship God! To find peace through following God’s covenant! That was what freedom is for. May we find The Way as a nation.

“For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt…this command I gave them, ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you. But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went back ward and not forward.” (Jeremiah 7:22-24)

Some may squirm with discomfort at these Old Testament words, but this is the faith that Jesus was raised in, and the Torah or Old Testament are the words that Jesus quoted throughout his ministry on this earth.

In Jeremiah 8:6-7 God laments "...everyone turns to his own course...but my people know not the ordinance of the Lord." And this is referenced in the Bible to Isaiah 1:3 "The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people does not understand." We return to the nativity stable as our Christmas season continues and see that creation recognizes Jesus in the crib, but the people 'do not know', they don't recognize Jesus with a covenant knowing.

This year, yes-today, open your hearts wider…draw closer to know Christ the Lord, the face of God, our salvation and hope.

A New Year to Hope, 2011

2011-01-01T17:09:00.009-07:00

“…Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Isaiah 22:13

It’s a new day, a new year, and our resolutions are seeded with hope. It can be helpful and life-altering to take a self-inventory from time to time.

That elusive thing that you couldn’t get done last year…or the year before…again is a temptation for the top of the list. Finally, you might just get rid of its nagging weight. Maybe—

The most important part of making resolutions (or any list) is the assignment of priorities. Each of us has a different scale we use to rank, that is based on what we value. Well, New Years Day is a great time to ponder if your ranking scale has grown to match your chronological age. Who comes first in your life (hopefully the answer isn’t you)?

Next, try to write down how you spend your time during the week- you might uncover some new truths. How many hours do you spend watching TV? What kind of programs? How much time do you give to working out or pampering your body? Or, visiting the internet?

And finally, how much time do you allot for God, to seek and draw closer to him in holiness? (Yes, we are all called to be holy!) This can include reading spiritual books, attending Bible studies or faith building workshops, prayer, or even volunteer work for the poor and needy. Does God get His fair share of your time?

The above quote from Isaiah describes the attitude of God's people when faced with the oracles of suffering, destruction and exile in Babylon. God’s people were too stubborn to turn back to God. “For you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge…” (Isaiah 17:10)

Perhaps a new approach is overdue when we make resolutions. Only you can determine that, but and we must always stretch to open our hearts a little wider to Christ!

The Word became flesh...come let us adore him!

2010-12-23T09:28:00.009-07:00

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory; glory as of the only-begotten Son from the Father." John 1:14 RSVCE

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder,* and his name will be called 'Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6-7

Come, adore Him...

So humble, yet Christ is our Savior. So great is his love for each of us that He was willing to walk in our shoes (or sandles) to show us the way to eternal life, and how to find peace with our one true God.

* This line indicates Christ's Kingship, a concept unfamiliar to many of us today. In ancient times the close relationship between the people and their king was reflected: The king 'embodied' his people, and as the king went, so did the people.If the cultrue was sick, the king became ill. If the king or ruler was corrupt, the people as well as the king came under God's judgement. But, as we see in the Bible, God's judgements were given with the purpose of healing and restoration, not destruction. Isaiah speaks of how He came to forgive our original sin, if we only turn to him and have faith. This gives us great hope during discouraging times.

May you open your hearts even wider to Christ and celebrate a Holy Christmas.
May Christ carry you through the New Year as the source of certain joy.

Christmas 2010

A Star of Hope

2010-12-22T08:46:00.012-07:00

"I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. ...And by your descendants shall all the nation of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice." Genesis 22:17-18 RSVCE

The movie "The Nativity Story" is a must during Christmas week for our family. It reminds us that Christmas included a lot of struggles for a poor couple. Joseph throws in some humor as they leave Nazareth for the census when he says, "I think they will miss us."

The Wise Men left everything to follow the star and fufill a prophesy: The self-absorbed King Herod plotted to destroy the Messiah but didn't recognize Jesus, who came as an innocent babe. And so, Jesus slipped by Herod's guards to fufill the Bethlehem prophesy. Jesus was tucked in the safty of a womb...which carried God's plan to save mankind.

The star of hope guides all mankind to the virgin mother, and God incarnate who lived in Mary's immaculate womb.

A simple star can be a light to nations. A light in the night can lead humanity to Christ.

You can carry a light to nations and neighbors. In fact, we are called to be a light and blessing to other nations: Christ came for all mankind, even those who turn away and follow their own thoughts and ways. Help them turn to God's light- Christ.

Have a Holy Christmas; for the Christmas season starts soon-- on Christmas Eve.

Some think it started on Thanksgiving and put up trees and lights then-- during the merchants' holiday. Christians following the liturgy know that the season only begins on December 24th and continues for weeks into January... until the baptism of Jesus occurs.

God blessed you and yours! Turn to Jesus, our light!

Chilean Miners- 33 Re-born

2010-10-15T08:08:00.006-06:00

I soaked up the joy and the relief of the miners with their families as they emerged from the time capsule that transported them to the simple every day freedoms that we all take for granted; sunlight, walking the face of the earth, hugging a loved one, and grabbing a bite to eat. It was not so much viewed in the spirit of voyeurism as it was a reminder to give thanks to God, and be grateful for so many things we take for granted because of their everydayness. It was just soothing to stop and admire the miracle of all these Chilean men surviving underground for 69 days.

One is struck with the number of men surviving- 33. It was the age of Christ, the light of the world, when he was entombed. Christ was 33 when he descended into hell to free mankind from the bondage of sin. Christ suffered and was buried at 33, to enlighten the whole world with his loving mercy.

According to the Denver Post, thirty-four year old Edison Pena was desperate for the light, and asked for a picture of the sun to be sent down. How difficult it is to be without the natural light.

And then, I think of Jose Henriquez, a 55 year old miner who asked for the Light to be sent down the communication tube when he asked for 33 small Bibles. In dark, isolating times, some seek the Light of the World, Christ. They remember His word and consolation, the Bible.

The mother of the youngest miner, Norma Langues, compared her 19 yr old son emergence from the hole as a re-birth. What rich imagery, and for me it spoke in baptismal language. All mankind can be re-born and freed of original sin through baptism, and this story is a concrete and visual in portraying that truth.

The man, Mario Gomez, who knelt down and prayed when he emerged, really touched my heart. Would I have been so public, remembering to put God first? It reminded me of a biblical story of gratitude, the one where the leper returned to thank Christ.

This story of hope, suffering, and emerging life was a treasure during the current annoying media coverage of misspent millions of dollars for political ads in our country. The miners’ story is rich with Biblical imagery and hope. I thank God for the light he brought to so many people watching around the world, absorbing this miracle. He must have known the world needed a light during these darkening times as humanity loses His way.

Change

2010-10-11T14:19:00.006-06:00

Just to hear the word ‘change’ starts an automatic cascade of the ‘fight or flight’ hormones in my nervous system. My bones unconsciously brace for impact even before I know what is entailed. I’m leery of change as a rule. Sometimes my field of work seems to espouse change just for the sake of change. I usually prefer planned, thought out change. That’s a luxury though, isn’t it?

One change I love is the seasons. It is like bumping into a familiar old friend when nature transforms the outdoors. Autumn is a special treat. This past drizzling cool weekend was welcomed; it hadn’t rained since the first week of August, and Sunday was the coolest day we’ve had since early June!

I put on my slippers, turned on the gas fireplace to burn off the summer dust scent. Then, I baked bread and simmered a pot of chili all day long. A nap during a football game assured me that autumn indeed had arrived.

Enjoy this pause before the holidays arrive. Some changes are just plain good!

What does God Want?

2010-10-02T09:47:00.015-06:00

“And it shall come to pass that all who call upon the name of the LORD shall be delivered.” Joel 2:32 RSV (a post-exile prophet)

“…and it shall be that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” Acts 2:21(Peter speaking at Pentecost)

“For everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD will be saved.” Romans 10:13 (Letter of Paul to the Romans)

A twenty year old girl died this week tragically, and I wondered how her family was going to survive the complicated grief. In such sad times during our lives on earth we need to turn to the light to carry on and heal. God wants us to lean on him, to turn to him in good times and in bad times. And your child’s death is about as bad as it gets…

We don’t have to understand why, or search for what could have been done to make things different. We just have to step forward in faith that God’s mercy is bigger than our mistakes, or our failings, or even our sins of omission which we complacently commit by unawareness of His word, the Bible.

May our sorrow soften our resistance to turn to Christ first, and may it cure our complacency in knowing the LORD. May each of us take action to inch closer to the hope that Christ brings and rest in God’s salvation. Both the Old Testament and New Testament point to this certain hope.

God strengthen you with His grace,
Pam

Starting the day with prayer

2010-09-03T07:46:00.006-06:00

"And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed."
Mark 1:35

Jesus has been in that lonely spot in life too, and what did he do? He prayed. He turned to God the Father.

It also sounds like Jesus knew what insomnia felt like. This is a common cross for middle-aged women to carry, and Jesus meets you there too. You are not alone, ever, even in the darkest hour of night.

Enjoy this picture of a sunrise captured from a fishing boat. Let God be the light that guides you in your lonely or dark times. He's always there, waiting for you to turn to him, and find hope in him.

Perhaps you'd like to click on this picture to enlarge it, and try deep breathing for five minutes or so. (see sidebar for a deep breathing refresher)

Find rest and comfort in God, and his creation.

Measuring out Love for Elderly Parents

2010-07-14T08:54:00.007-06:00

"He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. And he said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out or her poverty put in all the living that she had."
Luke 21:1-4

It is hard to watch a parent age and try to support them through their changes. It is especially challenging if you do not live nearby them. Recently, I felt low after trying hard to support a parent, because no matter how much I did, or how many mornings I had spent on the phone trying arrange an appointment for a procedure, a housekeeper, a carpet cleaner, and a hair appointment, it wasn't enough help according to another family member. I felt deflated.

I realize that no matter how much I sacrifice in time and effort, it will never come close to the amount of time that the siblings who live close to our widowed parent help out. The siblings nearby have a bountifulness that living near a parent provides. Comparatively, they have an abundance of; convenience in travel time, cost of travel, and opportunities to help out in charitable, kind, and small ways.

Often times what might seem like a drain on them, I see as a gift. What is an interruption and imposition on their daily schedule seems to me an opportunity to serve our parent; our parent being another living tabernacle of Christ, through the Eucharist. We really serve Christ.

It is the wealth of opportunities that overwhelms the siblings who live near our elderly parent, I understand that.

But, all of us share the worry of meeting our parent's needs. What they don't get is that my worry is as deep and heartfelt as theirs. And even though my coins of physical presence and time are smaller- I'm giving all I've got. I've even overextended myself with flights and the cost of travel. I can only hope that God views my offering in the same way that Jesus explains this gospel.

And I must remind myself to focus my eyes on God, because that is what matters. I will never please the siblings that live near our parent, especially when comparing my few coins to their wealth.

Hope for Mercy

2010-07-12T07:48:00.010-06:00

"Who can measure his majestic power? And who can fully recount his mercies? It is not possible to diminish or increase them, nor is it possible to trace the wonders of the Lord." Sirach 18:5-6 RSVCE

Our God is magnificent and He gives us beautiful gifts each day to lift our spirits and slow us down, so that we can gaze in awe. In these moments he reaches down to you individually, to connect with you through His love. You need only to open your heart to receive the grace that He wants to shower you with. Seek God, His truth (in his beloved Son, Jesus,) and live.

May your summer be blessed with moments to pause and thank God. Click on the wild iris pictures to enlarge them if you like, so you can gaze in awe at God's majestic power in creation.

Developing a habit

2010-06-24T14:19:00.009-06:00

"Sports do not build character, they reveal it." quote by Haywood Brown

Everybody loves a famous person, especially an athlete with integrity. Sometimes though, we get it mixed up thinking that sports make a person better, when in reality it is the person that makes the sport better!

So what are your strengths that you can bring to a plan to increase your activity? Often it is helpful to pick something you love, and then it is easier to do. Did you love swimming as a child, or biking? It's more likely that you will stick with it if you once enjoyed it.

Walking the dog for five days last week helped me lose 6 pounds! (I did fast one day also.) Oh, and to follow up on my pedometer; my favorite step counter battery died and my newer one doesn't count steps; only calories, Km, and miles. The indicator is so tiny I had to drag out my glasses to see which number I was reading. A forty minute walk appears to have burned 932 calories, in 1.5 miles. I think I will have to buy my usual step counter again, it gives me credit for movement and accounts for strides of different length. It's just simpler to keep track of.

The next trick is to make excercise a habit. It has been said that it takes twenty-one days of repetition to make a new behavior a habit. So, once I get to twenty-one days of walking, it should be easier! I'm hopeful and counting the days. My other problem with an increased activity plan is to make walking a priority above the 35 other things I do in a given day! Just remember, the day you realize that you are not hitting 10,000 + steps, start anew! Get up and go outside or go to an air-conditioned mall and walk.(Just don't stop to window shop!)

Hot days of summer

2010-06-10T18:24:00.001-06:00

What happened to spring this year? Out West, we’ve already had several days in the nineties, and hit 100 degrees on a couple of days! The students out East aren’t even out of school yet for vacation.

Already I find that I have to walk the dog early in the morning, or it is too hot for him; he ends up panting for nearly an hour to cool down his body temperature. This year we went straight from winter to summer.

Does anyone else need to lose a few winter pounds like my dog and I? I’m shocked and a bit worried as I notice the slower metabolism of middle age. It seems I need to eat less and exercise more to maintain a weight that is still creeping a little higher than it has ever been before (pregnancy not included). Even though I had been warned by my elders, I’m still shocked at the truth.

So I strapped on my pedometer this time to see exactly how many steps ‘the loop’ was. After returning with a damp yellow lab that had made a run for a neighbor’s sprinklers I downed a glass of water and checked the monitor. 565 steps! What? I had to walk more steps than that in 45 minutes… please. Next time I plan to count off 20 steps and then check the number. Sometimes, if the battery is low, or if it is not positioned straight above the knee, or if it is an inexpensive one- it can count wrong. (I’m holding out that hope anyways.)

But 565 is a long cry from the 10,000 steps a day needed to just maintain my weight. That’s right, and it takes more than 10,000 steps a day to lose weight! While I like to be active, I’m not an exercise enthusiast like some of my friends. So, it is simpler for me to just say no to the candy bar at the grocer’s check out, and to drink a glass of water instead of pop or juice.

And those snacks-they can kill me. I must exercise real self-denial to limit those. If I am really hungry, the bagged sugar snap peas or an apple help bridge me over to dinner time. At dinner then, it is easy to scarf down a half a plate of salad at dinner, with a serving of meat.

I think it is easier to not put the weight on in stead of losing that 5-10 lb. gain. Getting it off is hard work! I’ll give you a few suggestions in the coming blogs that were helpful when I advised patients on the job. Now I must eat my own words…so to speak.

Please share your secrets of how to lose the winter-weight in the comments section!

On Memorial Day- Remember them

2010-06-01T11:56:00.001-06:00

“For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them. ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’ But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. ...yet they did not listen to me, or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.“ Jeremiah 7:22-26

The people that God set aside to be a light to other nations, forgot. They did not remember the covenant they made with God when they were freed from the oppression of a monarch, Pharaoh. They turned from God…

Have we forgotten what Memorial Day is? Has it become just the kick-off to summer? Do we simply gather with the living- our family or friends to have a great barbecue? In the United States Memorial Day is a day of “observances in memory of the dead members of armed forces of all wars” (Webster’s unabridged dictionary). Did you remember them? Were the veterans included in your celebration of their sacrifices for our freedom?

Or, are we becoming a nation where our hard fought for freedoms have become freedom of self-fulfillment, instead of freedom anchored in love and concern for one another? Did you make the day better for a veteran, or memorialize a veteran, or did you laze around in a sort of gluttony for the self? I am guilty of only enjoying a day at home and some of our favorite foods.

I did offer some prayers of gratitude to God for our country's blessings and our freedoms. I’m always grateful for the opportunity to sing America The Beautiful at Mass the Sunday before Memorial Day. I asked His mercy on us for the movement in our nation to turn away from God under the misguided mortal battle cry of “separation of church and state”.

This misunderstood provision was intended as a protection from persecution, as a freedom to worship God; not a deletion of God given truth when running a government! God help us.

We turn freedom into self- pride when we turn away from responsibility. Freedom is responsibility. And pride, it is a root sin, look it up.

So Memorial Day is more of a day of gratitude, not a day of pride or gluttony. It is a keen awareness of the sacrifice of life laid down to give each of us the freedom to love responsibly, and to choose to love God. It is the freedom to love and help one another by God’s pure truth that is found in freedom.

We cannot suspend the truth that freedom comes from God, and our listening to God. We oppose God when we turn away and live by our own thoughts and ways. We must humble our stubbornness towards God’s will, and then we will be free through Christ.

And don’t forget… to remember all those who laid down their life for our freedom- most importantly- Christ. Our hope rests in Him.

Trespasser

2010-05-25T08:55:00.004-06:00

"If you would lift me,
You must be on higher ground." Emerson

The crows that moved into the neighborhood this spring cawed and carried on outside during our entire dinner. What a racket! They disturbed the peace even with the windows closed. They reminded me of a gang, terrorizing the other birds and squirrels in our quiet neighborhood. I wished they had stayed in the nearby fields to stake out their territory.

My husband went out to investigate and water the plants. The potted plants required two soakings a day with the wind gusts of up to 70 mph over the past few days. Hurricanes clock in at 74 mph. He called me outside, staring up into our neighbor’s budding oak tree.

Five large black crows keep dive bombing an intruder. The trespasser resembled a big grey-tan cat sitting on a branch, calm and serene within hullabaloo. The owl was over three times the size of these large crows. He looked like he had cat ears standing up on the top of his head. His composure was as magnificent as his size.

We photographed the owl, and called several neighbors over who had cats or small dogs, to see the predator. The crows continued to swipe the owl's head with fly-bys in the din. The owl sat unmoved, and looked down at us. The crows were defending a nest of course. I later read in one of Stan Tekielas’ field guides that Great Horned Owls do not build a nest; they take over the nests of crows, hawks or Great Blue Herons. So the nest was at stake in this desperate last stand by the crows. These magnificent owls are 20-25 inches tall and have up to a 3 ½ foot wingspan.

I hoped the owl, known for silent flights, would win. I couldn’t imagine how it could be so settled on the branch for over a half an hour of this ruckus. It has such acute hearing that it can hear a mouse moving under a foot of snow, according to Tekiela.

I admired the Great Horned Owl: He was a good listener who was unperturbed by this annoying mob of defensive and loud tree neighbors. Somehow, he modeled traits of solid faith that I strived for. He stood firm and calm amidst the chaos.

Click on the picture to enlarge it and see the owl's yellow eyes!
Click on the blog's title to be able to scroll back through previous ones.

Class of 2010

2010-05-18T08:13:00.000-06:00

"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints..."
Ephesians 1:16-18 RSVCE

A quick dinner and we ran out the house in hopes of securing a parking space in the school lot. During the frantic pace of preparing for out-of-town guests arriving for the graduation festivities and preparing for the party itself, we had the honor of attending the class awards ceremony. I'm so glad we did.

As we sat and clapped for a couple hours, we watched numerous teens receive recognition for their God-given talents and how they used them in ways that enriched the community. It filled my heart with abundant hope for the future. This particular high school is a caring community where kids keep watch over each other's backs instead of climbing over each other to be at the top to revel in their own glory. And, these humble kids didn't even seek the recognition they were receiving. What great young men and women.

The month of May can be frantic with graduations, school year endings and all that entails, as well as new beginnings; summer programs starting, wedding showers, and numerous gifts to buy... There are so many balls for parents to keep in the air!

But amidst it all, Ephesians sums up the wishes for loved ones poised to enter new frontiers in their lives- especially our graduating sons and daughters. Keep first things first; your relationship with God should always be growing and maturing, and moving towards God's truth, not society's distracting values. May God bless all the new graduates in the class of 2010, and may He be the clear source and focus of your hope.

Mother's Day

2010-05-11T08:04:00.000-06:00

I spent the early hours of Mother’s Day working at an after-prom party at the local high school and I returned home at 4:30 A.M. It kept the teens off the street and left me dragging all day long. But it beat the Mother’s Day long ago though, when I was up in the wee hours of the morning saying good-bye to my newborn son who had died that day. Mother’s Day became a contemplative time for me and eventually became filled more with gratitude than pure joy. It was the day I received a broken heart, and the acute awareness of the blessing of children.

As a young mother I worried a lot about my children. Every cold had potential to turn into some thing life-threatening, and too many opportunities existed for a kidnapper when my child was out of my sight. This anxiety robbed me from a portion of the joy of their childhood. I just couldn’t trust the world after losing one precious son.

I didn’t have a lot of time to reflect on this glitch in my parenting style. I was busy adapting in the crash course of parenting the next stage that my babies-toddlers-preschoolers-school-aged-teenagers required. I was always doing and learning at an exhausting pace right along with them.

Having teen-agers gave me time to reflect, and I realized that the hidden virus planted in my mind's hard drive, when my wee baby died, was really a loss of trust in God. I couldn’t name the glitch during the years because I loved God and depended on him; but not completely. There had always been that piece of me that relied on myself to keep things right and safe. I held tightly to that goal, instead of letting it go and acknowledging that God is in control. He redeemed all my loss, all our mistakes, and all mankind’s errors, when we simply offered them up with a repentant heart.

And now, decades later, I see that my deceased son taught me so much more than endurance. This child taught me to let go, to trust God completely, and to know deep in my heart that God is in control even during the most difficult times--even if the loved one dies. Suffering purifies us for our eternal life if it is joined with Christ’s redemptive suffering on the cross.

Although the world appeared so broken to my eyes, I had focused on the brokenness instead of how Christ had redeemed this tragedy of motherhood. (His own mother, Mary, suffered this same pain of watching her son die.) Now, I recognize that we live in both a broken and redeemed world, and God’s light shines brighter. I give all to Him and live in peace when I do. He has redeemed my days, and this earthly existence before each day arrives. That sure takes a lot of pressure off and dissolves the worries. Jesus, I trust you. Really. In all things. Steady my steps when I lose this sight and stumble.

Spring is for the thankless

2010-04-29T17:26:00.000-06:00

Driving from the library I smile in gratitude for the explosion of pink and white blossoming trees that are enhanced by the startling yellow forsythia. It is a welcomed relief from the landscape of dormant hardwoods and brown matted sod. I love spring! I said a little prayer of thanksgiving to God as I turned into our neighborhood.

I recalled a comment once made to me, that church-goers are hypocrites. Of course, this person was not a hypocrite.
How sad that he didn’t understand that going to Mass was one big grateful prayer of thanksgiving! And, it is the thank you note that God appreciates the most.

I’m sure you’ve met people who never say thank you. They are preoccupied, self-absorbed or too efficient to say thank you; I’m talking about the repeat offenders, not those with an occasional lapse of gratitude. These people just don’t see the need or recognize the occasion. Often they neglect to send a written thank you note for gifts or help that they receive, it’s just not on their radar. I think these people might have minimal relationship with God, and don’t recognize the need to go to church to thank God for their blessings. They might not even recognize their blessings, or give the credit to God.

Well, as much as I enjoy spring bursting forth, I think the season is really for the thankless. Spring is God’s radical display of his power and love for us. And if you don’t have eyes to see, or your heart is too hardened to be lifted by God’s glory, then it will not likely be moved to put some effort into a thank you.

But every year, God tries to get their attention. For God so loves each and every one of us, and he is waiting for each of us to turn to Him, and follow Him.

Think of five things that you are grateful for today.
If ten didn’t zip right out, then consider writing them down each day for a few weeks. Your eyes will be opened. I call this my Gratitude Journal, and my kids have one for when they grumble.

Stretch out and take a moment to focus on your blessings. By doing this you will nurture your feelings of hope.

A hopeful plan

2010-04-22T16:21:00.000-06:00

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, …to give you a future and hope”
Jeremiah 29:11

God has a personalized plan for each and every one of us, how amazing is that! And that plan will propel us into eternity within his embrace. We need to keep drawing closer to Christ, seeking and listening, to see the way.

Jeremiah tells us that God wants to decide our future and give us hope, and that God’s vision goes beyond death. This hope begins with our Baptism, and matures with Confirmation by making an indelible mark of Jesus upon our souls. Forever!

But it doesn’t end there. God made Jesus “the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering” (Hebrews 2:10 RSVCE). Suffering was for Jesus, the means of perfecting our salvation. Webster’s unabridged dictionary reminds us that pioneer is “to be the first to open or prepare (a way, settlement etc.).”

And, suffering is also for us “the divinely appointed means of progress toward God” according to the 2:10 footnote in Hebrews. So suffering losses, disappointments, and embarrassments are not signs that God doesn’t love us- it is quite the opposite. It is the vehicle to draw us closer to God and is part of the design of our salvation. It’s not a punishment; it should draw us nearer to God. And God isn’t cruel, because his plan allows us our free will to unite our sufferings to Jesus’ to redeem our pain. This can occur most powerfully during the consecration of the Eucharist. Our suffering can have purpose and be put to work. Suffering has usefulness.

So once again, Mom was right. She often said, “Offer it up” when we skinned knees, or we felt abandoned by our friends, if our pet died, or whatever childhood sorrow we were dealing with. Immature, I just thought it was a pat phrase to minimize our reaction to hurt. It has always been part of the divine plan, not a trite response. Lord, help us to see.

Spring forward, hopeful for blossoms

2010-04-19T13:43:00.000-06:00

“The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world’s joy.”
Quote by Henry Ward Beecher

Temperatures hit 70 degrees. I pruned the black rose canes and marveled at the ones with green streaking up them after the harsh winter. A songbird rejoices nearby. Dead leaves which insulated perennials during the cold darkness of winter, crackled as I pulled them out. The pale and limp daylilies from last year clung as I tugged twice to remove them from their new growth. The trees took a big drink of water after I removed wayward dandelions from thatched brown grass. Waking up the gardens is a joyful and laborious task that consumes several weekends, yet I don’t mind. For in the garden, on my knees, I think about God and life.

I contemplated the many deaths to my self I have endured. Some are smaller: a dying to my impatience or things being the way I want them to be. And sometimes I must surrender something much more important and dear, like a loved one. It is in this dying that I must stretch out to the rays of the light, the Son of God to recharge and renew. I can not embrace the loss, without turning into the arms of Christ and his comfort. And thus, the sun, the Son, shines for universal joy by redeeming our suffering with the promise of eternal life. This is what we live for. And like the garden, it takes time and work to see the blossoms.

So labor a little in a garden; your own, a friend’s, or an elderly neighbor’s. This is where miracles are happening to remind you of eternal life. God likes to hang out in gardens; Eden, Paradise, outside the tomb and in your own tangled mess. Get down on your knees and don’t be afraid of the dirt and suffering. Christ is there with you.

Strength

2010-04-14T09:44:00.002-06:00

“…In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:12-13. RSV

This says it all.

I repeat this verse to myself often, certain that my strength comes from God. It has seen me through some rough times, and frightening times. God gives me the strength to forgive, and at other times this verse short-circuits growing anxiety.

I cling to my Rock, my God. I thank him for abundance and for want, because want reminds me to turn to him, and rely on him alone. It is a verse and prayer of confident hope. You don’t have to do it alone! Your energy and endurance is not finite-if you turn to Christ. Again,

“I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.”

Healing through forgiveness is Divine

2010-04-13T07:24:00.001-06:00

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.“
Gandhi, 1869-1948

Forgiveness? In order to do that well I need God’s mercy and grace. I need the strength of Jesus crucified in order to lift my heart up into His new life.

Forgiveness is healing; it’s the antidote for hurt, annoyance, anger or hatred. It does not mean forgetting, but a letting go… It doesn’t require condoning the sin or trespass, but that you drop your stone into the dusty unity of sinfulness. Oh, we reassure ourselves that we are not big sinners but what about pride, or not putting God first in our daily lives?

The little forgivings are sometimes hard, but the big hurts, (or perceived offenses)-- I struggle to forgive. I must pray over and over for the person who offended me or someone I love. Then, I need to ask for God’s help because sometimes Christ’s example of how to forgive does not soften my heart immediately. I’m embarrassed to say that, but it is true.

The only way I can be so strong is with the help of God. Thank God we find hope in God’s loving mercy. We just need to ask for it.

Fear is the opposite of hope-

2010-04-07T09:19:00.001-06:00

“To the man who is afraid everything rustles.”
Sophocles, (496-406 B.C.)

Fear has been around since the fall of creation-since humanity first ignored God’s advice to rely on God, and not our own thoughts. The stress response that fear triggers in our bodies causes; upset stomachs, fatigue, distraction, racing minds, irritability, poor eating habits, and the list goes on. Fear is the opposite of hope.

Did you know that church-goers have nearly half the risk of a heart attack than non-church-goers, and their blood pressure is lower? Something healthy is going on there!

God consistently encourages us in Scriptures to not be afraid, and to trust his ways. He sent his only Son, Jesus, to fulfill the prophesies in scriptures and God’s promise to Abraham. To be rooted in trust is to stand steady when the winds of change rustle. We do this when we turn to God first for reassurance and comfort when trouble appears. These are simple words to read, but hard to actually do.

Here’s a simple mantra to repeat and help steady you during the rustling;

“Jesus, I trust in you.”

Have a Blessed Easter

2010-04-03T15:17:00.001-06:00

"Behold, I make all things new."
Rev. 21:5

Fragrant lilies surround the altar. Easter clothes sprinkle the church with a pastel palette within the peace. Joyful songs adore our God while white candles flicker. Tears of joy spring forth in gratitude for my deceased loved ones that celebrate in heaven. Thank you Jesus!

Easter Sunday is the most important day of the year for Christians and for the whole world. We are all blessed. And all creation rejoices; green tips of growth courageously push up towards the sun (and the Son) after a long winter. Birds sing and prepare nests to "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth" as God commands in Genesis 9:1.

And each human being should feel so loved, despite their earthly struggles and worries. Offer those worries to God today, set them at the foot of the altar, and simply rejoice in our hope, eternal life, and in wonder of our God.

Anticipation

2010-04-03T14:32:00.001-06:00

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way:
and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Isaiah 53:5-6 RSVCE circa 750 BC

The cross becomes the sign of victory; of life over death, of freedom from the slavery of sin, from a chosen people to include all nations, and out of slavery to be God's adopted sons and daughters.
Christ transforms us out of original sin through his divinity, his merciful love, his suffering, and through forgiveness. Our Holy Saturday is not one of confusion and mourning like the initial one, but a beautiful day of hope and anticipation.
The Lamb of God, Jesus, secured this certain hope on Easter morning.

Christ's Body

2010-04-02T08:33:00.003-06:00

“And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.”
2 Corinthians 1:7 (KJV)

Good Friday is a day of contradictions. We could be absorbed in its mysteries and the Passion narrative for a lifetime. At first glance it appears to be a sad day when men brutally and unjustly killed our Lord, who was a man of love and peace. Oh, Jesus wasn’t tolerant of injustice or clever undermining of the truth, and perhaps that is why he became a marked man. He was marked with five wounds of his crucifixion and the punctures and mockery from a crown of thorns, his flesh ripped off with a vicious scourging.

As a child I couldn’t understand why it was called Good Friday, especially when I had to repeat during services, “Crucify him! Crucify him!" I was sure I wouldn’t have been in that crowd in Christ’s day. Yet if I look carefully, I can see my own times of weak belief in the body of Christ, his Church. Sometimes, I’ve lost sight that his church is not man-made, but instituted by Christ himself, and powered by the Holy Spirit of God.

Are sinners part of this church? Absolutely. Our merciful God wants to save EVERY soul. Then why is it when one part or member of this body is ill, mankind rejects the whole design of God? Yes, we judge that some heinous sins are unforgivable, and in rejecting the sinner, we ourselves may reject God’s vehicle of grace, the Church.

I think it comes down to trust- we trust lightly, and tentatively, and conditionally. This is the trust we offer to God, after he showed us that he withholds nothing on his part, to be with us. We are so easily swayed to commit sacrilege against Christ’s church. Our media puts Christ on trial, his Church, with allegations this Holy week, and we stand by and watch, and our silence is participation, a silent scream of Crucify him!

But that is not the ending, have hope. He still loves us, even as he is wounded by our thoughts, and our ways, and our stubborn will. He is always waiting for us to turn back to him in love.

Many years ago, on Good Friday, I was told in a doctor’s office that the beloved child in my womb would die. It was a day of heart-wrenching agony and disbelief. I always think of our Blessed Mother, Mary, on Good Friday, and her sorrow. I can enter into her loss and suffering as she watched the world reject their salvation, her beautiful child.

And I can only imitate Christ’s prayer as he suffered on the cross, Father, forgive us, we know not what we do (Luke 23:34).

Always...

2010-04-01T09:41:00.003-06:00

“…And behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”
Matthew 28:20 RSV

The last words of the first gospel in the N.T. give us such hope!

It would be hard to let Holy Thursday pass without some reflection of Jesus’ last meal with his beloved apostles, before he suffered in agony in the garden. He presents himself to the disciples in a special way, which demands great trust in him, for they can only approach this special gift through faith. The gospel of John, chapter 6 is a great meditation for tonight. One can lose focus by the end of the densely packed chapter, but remain alert- it is revealing.

John 6:66 reveals the root of disunity among Christ’s followers. Christ’s words were hard to understand with a human mind. As a result, many disciples rejected this teaching of Christ, and no longer followed him. (Even today it is the root of division among Chistians and multiplies break-away churches.) Jesus didn’t run after them begging them to stay because it was just a parable or metaphor. Trust and faith in the real presence was nonnegotiable; Jesus said to the twelve, “Will you also go away?” (v. 67) Simon Peter leads the twelve in a beautiful response of pure faith.

The Lamb’s Supper by Scott Hahn is a wonderful book showing how the Old Testament foreshadows the New Testament, and the NT fulfills the OT. After reading it four times, I am still picking up new information from this illuminating book. We must combine reading Scriptures with our prayers that ask Jesus to help us to see, to lift the veil.

So have hope, Christ is always with us even if it appears difficult to believe. He is with us in a very special way that pours grace upon grace for his followers- seek him in your daily bread, the Holy Eucharist. “And behold, I AM with you always, to the close of the age.”(Mt 28:20)

Holy Week, with eyes locked on Jesus

2010-03-30T11:04:00.000-06:00

“Remember me merciful Jesus, that I am the cause of your journey.”
Mozart.

They are weighty words to contemplate, but also a cause for hope. What an amazing God we have, that he would become a humble servant and suffer to save us! Take time this week to connect with the events and services of Holy Week, and keep wait with Christ. Try hard not to slumber, or deny the suffering part of our salvation. It is redemptive suffering, the way of the cross, which brings us to the joy and relief of Easter morning. As my dad used to say, “You only get out of something, in proportion to what you put into it.”

Thank God we are all loved this immensely, this intensely, thru Jesus. Seriously, thank you God! Whether or not we accept or embrace this love, it is always there waiting to be poured out upon us. What abundance.

Walk in awareness this week of the blessings of Holy Thursday, and Good Friday. Don’t just seize the joy of Easter Sunday; keep watch, contemplate, read, and stay with Christ in his agony. He’s with you through yours, after all.

May your Holy Week be meaningful.

Put on a helmet of hope

2010-03-26T19:15:00.001-06:00

"…And put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation."
1 Thessalonians 5:8

Guard you heart with the armor of faith; trust in God’s plan to adopt us as sons and daughters for eternity. Protect your heart by loving God and all that he has created. Surround you head and your thoughts, with hope drawn from Jesus. Let our hope in Christ guard all our thoughts and our analysis of troubling situations.

No matter what is thrown at you, stay centered in the certainty that Christ is bigger than this crisis. Christ has already won the battle- we know the outcome! No matter how crazy and broken the world seems, remember that Jesus has redeemed it for those who follow. God is our savior; not politicians or governments, or worldly things.

A redeemed world does not provide a life free of suffering. It simply means that our suffering will have an end, and something better is waiting for us. I have heard that it is the difference between St. Peter and Judas. Peter failed Jesus by denying him out of fear. Judas denied Jesus by betraying him because Jesus didn’t look like or act like how he wanted the Messiah to!

Both men experienced anguish when the realized what they had done. Both men repented; recall that Judas tried to return the silver. But Peter had faith in God’s mercy and forgiveness, where Judas thought that his sin was bigger than God, and too big for God’s mercy. Judas fell into despair and killed himself, thus destroying God’s willed creation. Peter picked up himself and continued to do God’s will, humbled by God’s mercy.

So we must pick ourselves up in times of anguish, and put on the helmet; the hopeful thoughts of our salvation and eternal life. We must go forth with courage and work to live a life pleasing to God. We must seek Christ and God's will, instead of fashioning God to fit our needs.

A weary world

2010-03-26T19:11:00.002-06:00

“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world. “
Quote by Shakespeare

The glow of candlelight provides a certain peace and calm. It is a symbol of hope in a dark or trying situation. We are called to be light to the world, but how?
Enlarge your hope to be something broader than the current situation that tests you.

I think that life includes tests or challenges, and not just bad luck. During weight training, it is the persistent use of the lighter weights which increases the muscles’ capacity to lift the big stuff without tissue injury. You can’t just start with the heavy weights without some planned conditioning, or you get injured. Then, there is more pain, prolonged pain.

So how can we condition ourselves to be a light in the weary world? There are numerous ways, but often it is our response to others that can change the day. The first step is to participate in community and to do something. It doesn’t have to be big; offering a smile, making a phone call to an elderly home-bound person, or not honking at the distracted driver who missed the green turn signal.

Stop hiding your light. A weary world needs you.

Hopeless?

2010-03-20T11:29:00.000-06:00

“To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.” Quote by Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Sometimes, we need to first experience the depth of near despair in order to know hope. It is darkness that makes us appreciate the light. The cold of winter makes the gentle, warm, breeze of spring such a delight.

I’m sorry if this post finds your heart is in a season of winter. Experience is often such a harsh teacher. We don’t want to suffer, in fact we avoid it at all cost, if we can. How is it that reflexively we feel that we shouldn’t have to suffer? That didn’t appear to be God’s idea for his beloved son, Jesus. Glorious things were accomplished with Christ’s suffering-our salvation!

A friend told me that once she embraced her suffering, it became bearable. Yep, she thanked God for her suffering! I listened to her, astounded. Then I tried it with my next small suffering. I embraced the ache. I thanked God for it. And then, something mellowed. It was easier to carry, it was O.K.
I embraced my cross as some say. I didn’t just carry my cross, I didn’t drag it grumbling as was my habit, I didn’t look for someone to help me carry it, I embraced it, like that movie The Passion of the Christ, when Christ takes his cross.
It made all the difference.
Gratitude? I know, it sounds odd. I thought so initially too.
Once it took me ten years to eventually see how I could be grateful for a heart-breaking loss.
-PMZP

A deep breath

2010-03-19T07:09:00.002-06:00

“But they that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall take wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Quote from Isaiah 40:31

Find a quiet place where you will not be bothered and sit in a comfortable chair, or stretch out on the floor. Pick out a phrase from this meditation, or another favorite, that you can repeat over and over to yourself.
Close your eyes and relax your muscles.
Take a deep breath in through your nose until your stomach expands, hold it several seconds, and then release it through your mouth.
Now add your phrase as you do this deep breathing, and do it over and over. (Example: “Oh Lord” with inhale, and "renew my strength” while exhaling)
Do this for 5 to 15 minutes.
The practice of deep breathing will renew you, lower your blood pressure, and lower the overload of stress hormones in your body.

It is a simple and effective break to take at your desk, or while children nap, as a relaxation technique.

Enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T07:17:00.001-06:00

"The Lord bless you and keep you:
The Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
and give you peace."
Numbers 6:24-26 RSV

And...May the Luck of the Irish be with you today!

Luck = Blessing!

2010-03-16T08:11:00.003-06:00

“For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness.” Galatians 5:5 RSV

I recently heard that righteousness is God’s faithfulness to covenant promises given to Abraham and to the whole creation. God is true and faithful, and when he says in Genesis that he will bless the whole world, God will.

Sometimes that is hard to see if we look with human eyes. Suffering and the outcomes of man’s will, complicate things. This affliction began when Adam and Eve were seduced in the garden to believe that God was holding out on them.

Have hope, as much as we muck things up or stumble, God can make it right - if we seek him. He’s waiting for you to turn to him so he can pour his ever-loving kindness onto you as the divine healer. Christ heals our blindness; he heals hearts.

Slow down...

2010-03-13T09:53:00.003-07:00

"I was taught that the way of progress is neither swift nor easy." Quote by Madame Curie.

Patience is persistence.

Whether in politics, or illness, or projects, we need to keep our eyes on the real goal and not the quick fix that satisfies the need for a sense of accomplishment.

Patience is a building block of hope. It requires a dying to self; your wants, your impatience, your urgent world view. Patience is rooted in a respect for history and a willingness to ponder instead of just to act.

Slow down today. Do something quiet and enjoyable that allows time to daydream and imagine. Take the time to fill your bucket of reserves that you draw on in times of stress. Turn off the cell phone for a couple hours this weekend and bask in the quiet embrace.

Starry nights

2010-03-09T13:33:00.001-07:00

“When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.” Quote from Charles A. Beard.

What starry memory comes to your mind as you take a break in your day? I’m swept back to a summer camping trip in Steamboat Springs. The earthy smell of the mountain forest was punctuated by the snapping pops of the campfire. I carried the leftover food to the car to lock marshmallow scents away from local bears.
As I stepped into the clearing, a decadent dome of stars dazzled above. The sky was almost white with starlight. So dense was the bling that a splinter of darkness was barely visible within the radiant mantel of light. I've never seen another sky like it.

May your dark nights have moments of grand revelation that glimmer in your heart.

Share your starry memory if you like, in the comment space below.

Hope put to the test

2010-03-07T11:10:00.001-07:00

“We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.” Quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.

Hope is an action of the heart. My son’s simple (and eternal) hope for a snow day springs from desires to pause from the demands of school, to ignore the beat of the clock, and to take time for renewal with free time and play.
Hope is a longing for a goal obtained. In our current economy our friends and family struggle to find jobs in a difficult playing field. Somehow, the rules have changed. It takes grace to persevere and trust God, especially to trust God’s timing. That trust is the hub of the wheel from which the spokes of everyday life draw their unity and strength. Trust keeps it all in motion. Unconsciously, this trust in God’s love for us is the epicenter of hope. Hope assures us that change is possible, and things will get better.
The virtue of hope presses urgently in the relief of suffering and this is where hope is put to the test. No other aspect of life wrestles with our minds, hearts, and faith, while forcing us to dig deep to draw on hope. Chemotherapy, surgery, and tragedies touch our loved ones. The deeper you seek to know God, the more certain is your hope that we are made for something more than hardships and suffering. This suffering is the fertile field where the tiniest seed of faith can grow. It demands though, that you stop and take time to ponder and perhaps pray. And, this growth leads to hope in the infinite: a life eternally free of suffering. Sounds almost too good to be true doesn’t it?
I have lived through times of deep pain and despair. And now with time, I can see that hope becomes confidence, more than a simple wish, only when we trust God’s way. It sounds so simplistic but demands further exploration. God restores humanity by offering us a share in this eternal life. This is the secret dose; confident hope rooted in the pursuit of this gift of eternal life. This gift requires action on our part—a response.

Hope, the secret dose

2010-03-05T10:30:00.002-07:00

March 5, 2010
Hope is an unseen warrior, valiant in the fight to sustain life. It has many faces: a simple crocus emerging through frozen dirt come spring, a whispered word to an ill family member, or the emotion riddled video of a dusty child as he is lifted, arms reaching skyward, from the ruble following the earthquake in Haiti. Hope is omnipresent if one can tap the secret, and knows were to look.
Too often the burdens of this hectic paced society veils this gift called hope. So many activities and responsibilities distract us from contemplating and nurturing this hope, the key to survival for modern humans.
Fortunately, we can not over-dose on this medicine for our ailing society; the source is infinite. Hope is a mysterious gift from God, revealed by God, and often found in the most improbable places- if you have the eyes to see.
Let’s look to foster and sustain this hope with a regular dose of uplifting, unlikely, and often simple proofs that amidst all of humanity’s folly, God is with us.