What Little I Have 

   “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean.  But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” (Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta) 

   In the Christmas carol “The Little Drummer Boy” we hear of a little boy who watched as many precious gifts were given to Jesus at His birth.  He felt he had nothing to give worthy of a newborn King.  All he could to was to play his drum for Him.  According to the carol,  Jesus smiled.

   A young boy had a few fish and loaves on a hill where Jesus was teaching.  When what little he had was given to Jesus, He blessed it and it became enough to feed thousands with much left over.  Jesus can do wonderous things with what little we may give Him in love.

   Though I can’t do great things for the Lord, I am called to do what I can with love.  Whether it be giving a few dollars to a homeless shelter, providing support to a right to life effort, or even just giving a smile to a stranger, it is of value if given from love.

   We go through life many times not doing the little we can because we don’t think it’s good enough.  We forget that to a starving person even a slice of bread can be a blessing.  To someone sorrowing a hug and a kind word may help them through a difficult time.

   Jesus can do great things with whatever we may be able to give.  It’s not the size of the gift that matters, it is love with which it is given. 

Though I have nothing worthy of You.

You accept whatever I give in love.

Take what little I can do and give.

In Your love make it plentiful. 

Amen

 To Know Jesus 

   “They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.  But he passed through the midst of them and went away.” (Luke 4: 29 – 30) 

   In my mind I picture the men of the town of Nazareth determined to kill Jesus by throwing Him over the brow of the hill.  He had angered them by His teaching.  They were insulted and determined to punish Him.  Yet they apparently could not do so.

   Instead, He walked through the crowd and went away.  I’ve never really pictured my Lord as a physically imposing man, one who could overcome a crowd determined to do Him harm.  I don’t believe it had anything to do with physical strength or fear of Him as a man.  I believe it was His spiritual presence.

   Perhaps those who wished to do Him harm simply could not do so because they recognized the truth in His words.  They may have even recognized that He truly was the Messiah but refused to admit it.  Regardless the reason they withdrew and let Him leave unharmed.

   There are those in society today who would have joined the Nazarenes in their effort to kill Jesus.  There are those who would have demanded His death as the crowd did when Jesus appeared before Pilate.  But I wonder how many would be able to do so if they could look Him in the eye and see the love and mercy that He has for all mankind.

   Those who wish to destroy Jesus are those who do not know Him.  Through their own choice they have refused to accept Him for who He is, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

   Those who know Him, in whom He is present, know that He is the only hope for mankind in a sinful world. 

Lord, You bring peace.

You bring hope to a troubled world.

May we know the love and mercy You have for us.

May we welcome You into our lives.

 

Amen

 Let God 

   We will never discover all that God desires for us until we let God rule our life.  What we think we want is not necessarily what God wants for us and what we consider our needs are most usually far from what God has in store for us.

   While we may think we know what we need and how to get it we are usually wrong on both counts.  What we truly need is to renounce our own wants and desires and seek those of God.  We need to let Him be the force in our life; the one who guides us on the path He has chosen.

   On the road of life God may lead us past many things that we think we need or want, a bigger house, more money, a better car.  Our wants and desires are by and large those of the world not those of God.  God may lead us to pain and sorrow to strengthen our faith in His healing power.  He may make us a pariah to society to teach us that the ways of the world cannot be our ways.  But in the end, He will lead us to Himself.

   The adage “let go and let God” is a life lesson we would do well to live by.  I used to see a bumper sticker that said, “God is my co-pilot”.  If so, I am in the wrong seat.  It is God who should be the pilot and I am not even qualified to be the co-pilot. 

Father, I may think I know best.

But my values are far from Yours.

Let me forsake self.

Lead me on the path You have chosen. 

Amen

 Inner Peace and Joy

 

   “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (John 16: 33) 

   What a blessing is it to know that God is in control.  He will determine all things and all things will occur according to His will.

   I look around and, like most others, I see the world in what seems to be a terrible mess.  Sin abounds, respect and love for others is at an all time low.  Our politicians and even many in our churches can’t be trusted to lead us where we need to go.  There seems to be no end to the degradation of society and the world at large.

   It would be quite easy to become despondent and question how we are to survive in such a world.  Our mortal life will come to an end on a day we do not know.  The world will cease to exist at a time known only to God.  Certainty is hard to come by, but what I am certain of is that those who believe in Him and do their best to live according to His will find eternal bliss when this life is over.

   Within me is a joy and peace in knowing that God truly is in charge; Jesus has indeed conquered the world.  There will be no end to the toils and tribulations of this world until He comes again and never should we doubt that He will come again.  He will come for each of us at our death and finally He will come in glory to renew the face of the earth.  How could I not have joy and peace in my heart when I trust in the promises of God? 

Lord, You said You will come again.

You will come and take me to Yourself.

There is great peace in this knowledge.

There is great hope in Your word. 

Amen

 To Become Holy 

   “God created us without us; but he did not will to save us without us.”  (St. Augustine) 

   Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.”  (Luke 1: 38).  If I am unwilling to make myself the servant of the Lord, to let it be done to me according to His word, I cannot attain holiness.  He will not make me holy unless I cooperate with His plan.

   When I read the lives of the saints, I find the one thing that is common to all is their desire to give themselves holy and completely to God.  They chose to walk the path He put before them regardless the cost.  They recognized that there is no earthly joy or pleasure that can compare to eternal life with God.

   The many martyrs who willing gave their lives rather than deny their faith lived with the same conviction.  They accepted the tortures, the pains, and the horribly brutal death they suffered because they were servants of the Lord; nothing was worth denying their faith in Him.

   I too want to be a servant of the Lord.  I too want Him to make me holy regardless of any earthly consequences.  Still, when I read of those saints and martyrs I often question if my faith would see me through what they experienced.  They relied totally on the promises of the Lord.  I pray that I might have that same faith and courage if called to follow in their footsteps.

I am Your servant Lord.

Do with me whatever You will.

Put me on the path that brings me to You.

Give me the strength to walk that path. 

Amen

 Aspire to Decency 

   “Aspire to decency.  Practice civility toward one another.  Admire and emulate ethical behavior wherever you find it.  Apply a rigid standard of morality to your lives; and if, periodically, you fail, as you surely will, adjust your lives, not the standards.”  (Ted Koppel, Stanford University commencement speech, 1998) 

   I can’t help but believe that the quote above could go a long way to correcting many of the problems we face in the world and in the church.  It seems to me that no one at Stanford, or anywhere else, has put Mr. Koppel’s thoughts into action.

   Decency is such a rare commodity in today’s society that most would probably have difficulty defining it.  There are few who apply a morale standard to their lives, rigid or otherwise.  It’s difficult to admire and emulate ethical behavior when there is so little of it.  No one respects others, and whether they admit it or not, very few truly respect themselves.

   Jesus taught a life of decency, a life with the moral courage to do what is right and reject what is wrong.  He admonished and condemned sinful behavior yet forgave the sinner.  In decency we can find ourselves as we are intended to be.  In a decent society love for one another is paramount.  The kingdom of God is a kingdom of decency; let’s join that kingdom. 

Lord, where is decency today.

We are all concerned with only ourselves.

Sinfulness has become the norm.

Help us regain some decency in our lives. 

Amen

Hypocrisy 

   The last few days at Mass we have been reading of Jesus’ upbraiding of the scribes and Pharisees (Matt 23: 13 – 30).  He points out numerous ways in which their lives do not reflect what they claim to be.  In each instance Jesus begins by saying, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites”.

   I think there are many religious leaders today who would do well to read these verses of Matthew’s gospel and seriously reflect on how they might apply to themselves.  Many are misleading those who they are to be guiding to Christ.  They are to be setting the example of Christian life but many, like the scribes and Pharisees, fall far short of that goal.  Woe to them, they will be required to answer for their failings.

   However, it’s not just religious leaders who live a life of hypocrisy.  I’ve known those who talk of their faith and yet will do whatever it takes to get ahead in their professional life.  Those who regularly attend attend Mass but whose hearts are far from Christian living in many ways.  They too will answer for their failings.

   I also need to regularly consider how I live my life.  I too am hypocritical at times.  I strive not to be, but sometimes fail.  The false gods of this world can be difficult to refuse at times.  And I too must answer for my failings. 

Lord, hypocrisy is rampant in life.

We say one thing and live another.

Help me to know Your way and live by it.

Take any hypocrisy from me. 

Amen 

God Loves Me 

   “God does not love us because we are valuable.  We are valuable because God loves us.”  (Bishop Fulton J. Sheen)  

   I need humility in my life.  It needs to guide me in everything I do, everything I say, in how I live my life.  If I begin to believe that I have intrinsic value, or especially if I somehow think I am of a higher value than God’s other children, I must stop and remember; I exist only because God chooses that I exist.

   There was no need for God to create mankind.  The world would have done quiet well with the rest of His creations; the sea, the stars, the many plants and animals.  Out of love He determined to create humanity, someone with whom He could share His overwhelming love.  Almost immediately, mankind betrayed that love in their prideful sin.  Still, His love remains.

   Not a day passes that I don’t offend God is some way; sinfulness is unavoidable in a world filled with evil.  The temptations are too often and too great for me to never fall and commit sin.  Yet, God still loves me and forgives my shortcomings and failures.

   I believe that should God ever stop loving me I would simply cease to exist.  It is by His love that I came into being and it is by His love that I remain.  My value lies only in that love.  My desire is to do return that love as best as I can.

   One day, when this live is over, I believe I will be able to love as God loves.  Until then I’ll just keep trying. 

Though I am unworthy,

You love me.

Grant me the grace.

To return that love to You.

 Amen 

 Distractions 

   I struggle with distractions in my spiritual life.  Even while at Holy Mass I find my mind wandering.  During prayer time it is the same; suddenly I find I’ve completely gone off track.  I’m sure others have this problem as well.

   I’m currently reading a collection of sayings of the early desert fathers called “The Wisdom of the Desert”, a compilation put together by the Trappist Monk, Thomas Merton.  This morning one of the sayings applied very aptly to my problem of distractions and even to the temptations of Satan.  I’d like to share it here.

   “A brother came to Abbot Pastor and said: Many distracting thoughts come into my mind, and I am in danger because of them.  Then the elder thrust him out into the open air and said: Open up the garments about your chest and catch the wind in them.  But he replied: This I cannot do.  So the elder said to him:  If you cannot catch the wind, neither can you prevent distracting thoughts from coming into your head.  You job is to say No to them.”

   We will never be free of distractions or temptations in this life.  St. Peter warned us, “Your opponent the devil is prowling about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5: 8).  But with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Blessed Mother we can gain the strength to simply, but emphatically, say “NO!” 

Lord the world is filled with distractions.

Satan awaits around every corner.

Be with us in these times.

Strengthen us to say no. 

Amen

 

Another Day

 

You have given me another day Lord.

Another day to walk this earth.

Will it bring joy and happiness?

Will it bring pain and sorrow?

 

No matter what else it brings,

Let it bring me closer to You.

Fill me with Your Holy Spirit.

Keep me on the right path.

 

At times I feel lost,

And don’t know which way to go.

That is when I need You most.

Guide me I pray.

 

Sometimes I feel alone,

But I know that You are with me.

You are my peace and my comfort.

You give me strength to carry on.

 

As I walk this earth.

Keep me safe I pray.

Never let me lose my way.

In You I trust and You will lead me home.

 

 

Amen

 Longing For God 

   “As a deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God.  (Psalm 42: 2) 

   There is no end to longing for God.  The more I come to know Him and experience Him in my life, the more I want to know and experience Him.  I have no doubt that as I draw my last breath I will still be longing to know my God more and more.

   St. Augustine, in his autobiographical “Confessions”, famously wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”  God made me for Himself, that I might love and serve Him and spend eternal life with Him.  There is no rest until I understand this and give my life to Him.

   Over the years my spiritual life has changed and deepened.  It is God’s plan that I continue to grow in love of Him for the rest of my days; to give more and more of my life to Him.  In short, to become His without reserve.

   This world will one day pass away.  All will once again be as it was intended when God created all things.  Perfection in love and peace will occur; there will be no tears, no sorrows, no pain.  How I long for that day to come. 

Take me Lord.

Make me Yours.

I long for You above all things.

Let me rest in You forever. 

Amen

 Love is the Answer 

   “Light of the world, shine on me, love is the answer.  Shine on us all, love is the answer.”  (“Love is the Answer”, lyrics by Todd Rundgren)  

   Whether or not it was His intention, Todd Rundgren wrote of what it means to be a Christian.  It is, always has been, and always will be about love.  Love truly is the answer.

   Love of God and love of neighbor.  Jesus said these were the two greatest commandments, that all the commandments and the prophets depend on these two (see Matt 22: 34 – 40).  His life was one of love for all of humanity.  His death and resurrection opened the door to heaven for those who would follow Him and strive to love as He did.

   St. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, wrote “If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Cor 13: 1).  He went on to give one of the most beautiful testimonies to love that can be found in Scripture.

   On the cross, as He was dying for my sins, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 34).  There is no greater example of love than that or our Savior giving His life for our sins.

   The love we know in the world is human love.  It is tainted by sin and error.  I cannot love as Christ loved, but it is my duty, my calling, my desire, to do the best I can. 

In You there is love.

Love in perfection and eternal.

In me there is sin.

Help me to love as You love.

 Amen

 Life is in the Son 

   “God has given us eternal life and this life is in his Son; anyone wo has the Son has life, anyone who does not have the Son does not have life.” (1 John 5: 12) 

   There is no confusion, no alternatives, eternal life is in the Son.  It was God’s will that all be saved through His Son Jesus Christ.  There is no other path to God except by Jesus.

   If I have Jesus, it must be evident in how I live my life.  Jesus will not be a silent partner, if He is within me, I must follow Him and His ways.  There will be joys and pleasures and there will also be pain and sorrows.  The life of our Lord was filled with both, and my life will be no different.

   In the joys and pleasures I give Him my thanks, but I must also recognize that the pains and sorrows are also on the path to God.  If I wish to be with Him in the good times, I must also be with Him in the bad.  Even in the bad times He is with me, He gives me strength to carry on and the peace to know that in His will is eternal life.

   “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matt 16: 24).  Jesus willingly suffered for me, He picked up His cross and carried it to Calvary.  He paid the debt for my sins by His death and resurrection.  Should I not do all He asks of me in return? 

Lord, live within me.

Let me die to self and life for You.

Let me walk the path you set before me.

The path that leads to eternal life. 

Amen

 Answered Prayers 

   “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.” (Matt 21: 22) 

   In some ways this scripture can imply that God is at my beck and call, that He is my servant and will provide whatever I ask.  Nothing could be further from the truth.   

   I think there is another caveat to this promise of prayer.  I must ask; I need the faith that I will receive; but I have to recognize that it must be in accord with God’s will.  All things are possible with Him, but I cannot expect that He change His will to accommodate my desires.

   The hard part is accepting “no”, or “not now” as God’s answer to my prayers.  I must understand that He knows what is best and will not grant anything that is not for my own good or is not according to His will for me.  Not only must I have faith that God can provide what I ask for, I must also have the humility to recognize that God’s will for me is always the right answer to my prayers.

   I will keep praying, and I will continue to ask for things, and I have absolute faith that the Father can do all things.  However, I will also pray that His will be done, knowing that all I ask may not be in accord with His will. 

I come to You in prayer.

I ask for those things I desire.

But only You only You know what is best.

Let me always seek and accept Your will. 

Amen

 God Knows Me 

   “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.” (Gen 1: 1 – 2) 

   And yet, even then He knew me.  He knew all there is to know about me, my sins, my failures, my successes.  He knew every thought that would come into my mind; He knew every decision I would ever make.  There was, and is, nothing He does not know about me.

   This gives me great peace, and at the same time is somewhat frightening.  It’s a bit disconcerting to know that nothing I do can be hidden from God.  The slightest or the most grievous sin I may commit is known to Him and has been known since before time began.

   My peace also comes from understanding that God knows all there is to know about me.  Even though He knows all my shortcomings and sins, He also knows that my greatest desire is to serve Him; to say as Mary did, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1: 38).  He knows that in my weakness I can never be sinless and forgives me when I come to Him in sorrow.  He knows that my desire is to never sin against Him, and though that is not possible, He gives me strength to try my best.

   The fact that God knows all about is me is a great blessing.  It says to me that I can forego the sinful desires of this world and trust in Him.  I can turn to Him in times of weakness, and He will give me strength.  I can come to Him in sorrow. and He will forgive my sins.  He knows my greatest desire is to spend eternity with Him and He will lead me there. 

You know me.

You know my sins and my failures.

Still, You love me and call me to Yourself.

In Your mercy lead me home. 

Amen

Following Him 

   “‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.’  When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Him.”  (Luke 5: 10 – 11)

   “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, ‘Follow me.’  And he got up and followed Him. (Matt: 9: 9) 

   I’m quite comfortable in my home, with the love of my friends and family.  I’m sure many of those Christ called to Himself also had the comforts of home and family, yet at His calling they forsake it all to follow Him.

   I often wonder if I have the faith and courage to do what the first apostles did?  Could I leave everything and follow Jesus.  I pray that, if Jesus asked, I would have the faith to do so, but I know it would only be by the grace of God.

   Even more, what of the martyrs who chose to die rather than deny their faith.  When I read of their martyrdom, I’m horrified by the incredibly gruesome means that were used to try to make them forsake Christ.  Again, could I do the same, forsaking even my life for Him?

   Sitting here today, in the comfort of my home, I can’t imagine my reaction should someone come to the door, knock me to the ground and demand that I deny Jesus or die.  Would I have the courage to die for Him?  I will most likely never have to make that decision, but should it happen I pray that He will give me the strength to accept martyrdom rather than betray Him. 

Whether in good times or in bad,

 I choose to follow You.

If the ultimate choice should come to me.

Give me the strength to choose You. 

Amen 

 To Belong to the Lord 

  “For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” (Romans 14: 8) 

   If I do not belong to God in this world, I cannot belong to Him in the next.  Once I take my last breath, salvation is no longer an option.  I must give my life to Him so that I may be with Him throughout eternity.

   I must die to self and my self-centered wants and desires, seeking only God and His will for me.  Though I know that I will fail in those efforts, I must try and keep trying to do better.  I believe that my honest, hard-fought struggle against sin pleases Him.  He knows that I can never achieve perfection in this life; but I can offer Him a sincere desire to be perfect and give my best efforts to reach that goal.

   To live for God means that I must die to this world and all that is in it.  It means that I must strive for perfection though I know that perfection is unattainable.  I must offer all I am to God and pray that He will do what I cannot, make me holy. 

I am a sinful man.

But I want to live for You.

I offer my life to You.

Make me holy, I pray. 

Amen

The Most Important Decision 

   “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.  And if you be unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the regions beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24: 14 – 15) 

   The decision that faced the Israelites still faces us today.  We live in a society full of false gods, many of which seem to be growing stronger and stronger.  It is not required of us that we serve the Lord, our God, but it is necessary that we decide whether we will serve our self-made gods, or the one true God.

   No one will force us to serve God.  In fact, in today’s world those who choose to serve God are often mocked and looked upon with scorn.  The gods of this world flaunt their attractive joys and pleasures and tell us that to sacrifice self for God is foolish.

   Worse yet, persecution and martyrdom is on the rise in many areas of the world.  It’s not enough to disdain Christianity, there are those who wish to destroy it and all its adherents.

   The choice, however, must be made.  If we do not choose to serve God we are, by default, choosing to serve the many earthly gods of this world.  As for me, like Joshua, I will serve the Lord. 

The gods of this world are of full lies and deceptions.

They have no truth within them.

Only You are the one true God.

Let me serve You always. 

Amen 

 Why 

   Like most children I think one of the first questions I learned to ask was “why?”  Me, “can I have a cookie?”; mom, “not right now.”, me, “Why?”.  Over and over until she would become frustrated and finally reply, “Because I’m the mom, and I said so.”  I also learned that when we reached this point it was time to stop asking “why?”.

   As Christians we sometimes go to God and ask “Why?”.  Why did I lose my job?  Why did I get this terrible disease?  Why did I lose my loved one?  Just like the children we were, we feel we have the right to know why something happens.  But is knowing why necessary or even helpful?

   This world is a mess, we all know that.  Naturally we want to know why and what we can do to fix it.  The answer is quite simple; it’s a mess because we live in a fallen world full of sin, and no, there’s not a lot we can do to fix the mess.

   What we can do is pray and keep in mind that God has a plan.  Though we don’t know exactly what all is involved in His plan, we do know that His plan is the right one.  If followed it will lead us to eternal life with Him.  Accepting without knowing why is hard, but that’s what faith is all about.

   When we ask God why, the answer is because He is God, and we are not.  What we need is faith, hope and trust; faith in God, hope in His promises, and trust that He will do all He has said He will do.  When we have these, we know longer need to ask why. 

Your ways are unknown to me.

I can’t understand, it is beyond me.

Let me never question why.

Let me always trust in You. 

Amen

 

 Look to God 

   “Hold your eyes on God and leave the doing to him.  That is all the doing you have to worry about.” (Saint Jane Frances de Chantal) 

   I was struck when I read St. Chantal’s advice to her sisters in the Congregation of the Visitation Order that she and St. Francis de Sales founded.  To me it is a beautiful way to live my life for God.

   It’s normal for people to want to define their own way in life.  We are taught that we should be in control of our life.  But the reality is that we can never be in control of our life; God is in control.  We try to decide what is best for us when we really don’t know what is best for us.  God knows, so we should forget self and look to Him.

   “Lord, you have probed me, you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. (Psalm 139: 1 -2).  Nothing about us in unknown to God, it is by His will that we exist.  We go through life wondering, but God knows.  We change our mind for the slightest reason, God never changes.

   When I look to God, when I sincerely seek His will in my life, He will lead me.  When I let go of my earthly desires and wants, seeking His desires for me I will find happiness.  When I keep my eyes on God, He will show me the path to Him. 

Take my earthy desires.

Take my selfish wants.

Let me desire only You and Your will.

Show me the path that leads to You. 

Amen

Casting Stones 

   “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. (John 8: 7) 

   Like many others, I am prone to picking up stones and throwing them at those who, in my opinion, have sinned.  Somehow, I ignore my own sins, but wish to hold others responsible for theirs.

   Those who had brought the prostitute to Jesus, seeking to stone her for her sin quietly walked away after Jesus suggested that the one without sin should begin the stoning.  Recognizing their own sins, they laid down their stones and left.

   Then those beautiful words of Jesus, “Woman, where are they?  Has not one condemned you?’  She replied, ‘No one, sir.’  Then Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you, go and from now on sin no more.’” (John 8: 10 – 11).  Mosaic law required she be stoned, the new law, brought by Jesus, offered forgiveness rather than condemnation.

   Why do we set ourselves up as judge, jury, and executioner?  Are we so arrogant as to assume that another’s sins will condemn them, but ours will not condemn us?  Jesus often called out sinfulness and the consequences that could result.  But His purpose was not to condemn, rather to forgive and encourage change of heart. 

   We too, must confront sin but we must never usurp the power of God by condemning those who have sinned.  We, like Jesus, are to forgive and encourage right behavior, leaving judgement to the one true judge, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

It’s so easy to notice the sins of others.

Yet I overlook my own.

Let me never condemn.

Let me seek forgiveness for myself and for others. 

Amen 

Be Still 

   “Be still and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46: 11) 

   In one sense be still can be understood to gaze in awe at the majesty of God’s creation; the universe and all that is in it.  From the stars of heaven to the depths of the ocean His glory is evident.  It is good to sit in wonder and give thanks and praise to the God of Creation.

   Be still can also be understood to accept the will of God.  To many times we want question God’s will in our life and ask why.  When the angel told St. Joseph that Mary was pregnant with the Son of God, he never hesitated, he took her into his home as his wife as the angel asked.  When the angel told him that Herod was seeking to kill Jesus and that he must take Mary and Jesus to Egypt for their protection, he did so immediately.  No questions, no doubts, just quiet obedience to the will of God.

   I believe that be still also means to quit grumbling and complaining because things are happening that we don’t like.  Jesus often referred to this as murmuring, perhaps under one’s breath or even in the mind but never spoken.  Complaining rarely, if ever, results in a solution, it usually makes the situation worse.

   Be still and know that He is God.  His ways are far beyond my understanding so I must praise His glory, accept His will in my life, and do so without complaint or doubt. 

You are God.

Your ways are far beyond my understanding.

Help me to be still.

 For You are God. 

Amen 

 What God Wants of Me 

   “Why did God make me?  God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.” (Baltimore Catechism) 

   I love the simplicity of the Baltimore Catechism.  In use from 1885 to the late 1960's it  helped school children better understand their faith.  As we mature it is right to look much more deeply into our faith, our purpose and what God wants of us.  But unless we have the basics, more advanced understanding will be quite difficult, if even possible.

   God wants me to know Him.  It’s not possible to know Him fully, but I can know Him in my life by the peace He gives, the love He has for me and for the many blessings He has given me.

   He wants me to love Him.  I can’t love as He loves but I can love Him to the best of my ability.  I believe that a sincere desire to love Him even more results in the grace to do so.

   I am not only to know and love Him, but to serve Him in all I do.  Being a Christian involves more than faith, it requires putting that faith into action.  If I believe, I must follow the example of Christ in my life.

   What does God want of me?  He wants me to give myself to Him totally and completely.  He wants me to put my earthly desires aside and desire only Him.  In this way, and with His help, I can become the man that God created me to be. 

You want me to be holy.

But only You can make me holy.

I give myself to You.

I plead with You, make me holy. 

Amen

 

 To Follow Christ 

   “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) 

   What does the Lord ask of me?  He asks me to replace my personal concerns and desires with His will for me.  He asks that I trust in Him, even when times are hard.  He asks that I give myself to Him without reserve.

   The cross that I must take up daily may be many things, some more difficult than others.  It can be as simple as not feeling well today or as devastating as a terminal illness.  It can be a temporary separation from the ones I love or the loss of my wife far too soon.  Whatever it may be, I can bear it because of His love and mercy.  There have been times when I felt that I could not go on, but my Lord is there beside me, to give me comfort and strength.

   Carrying my cross, whatever it may be, is possible because I know that the cares and woes of this life are short-lived.  Eternity is forever and with Jesus at my side I can carry my cross on the way. 

You give me strength,

You give me comfort.

Regardless the cross I bear,

With You all things are possible. 

Amen

 A Structured Life 

   I try to maintain structure in my life.  A time for prayer, necessary work, and even some entertainment.  I also reserve prayer time and solitude to be alone with my Lord.  Some days I do quite well, others I fail miserably.

   Sometimes I envy the structure of the monastery.  The day is well-planned and serves the Lord in all that is done.  There is a time for prayer, for Mass, for meals, for work, for spiritual reading and a time for rest.  The motto of the Benedictines is “Ore et labora”, Latin for pray and work.  A life designed around the needs of prayer and the work of God is a life of peace.

   Labor doesn’t necessarily mean physical labor.  It can also refer to intellectual labor such as better understanding scripture through prayer.  It can mean offering all that we do, regardless how small or seemingly unimportant, to God.

   In this way we can make our life one of continuous prayer.  We can live as St. Paul advised, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thes 5: 16 – 18). 

Let me live a life of prayer.

Take the distractions of this world from me.

Let me pray without ceasing.

Giving my life to You.

 

Amen

 Psalm 23

 

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”  The world tells me I need many things, money, fame, fortune, self-importance.  All I really need is the Lord to guide me.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters; he restores my soul.”  In sorrow, in pain, in confusion, in turmoil, Jesus calms my soul.  He gives me strength and courage to face the day.

“He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.”  There are many paths to follow in this world, but only one leads to eternal life; the path Jesus puts before me.

“Even though I walk in the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff – they comfort me.”  With Jesus even the fear of death does not dismay me.  Death has been overcome.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” In baptism my head was anointed with oil.   At His table I receive His body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Eucharist.  Even in the presence of the evil in the world I am filled with His peace.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.”  Life is not always easy, but I know the goodness He plans for me; His mercy is with me always.  If I follow Him, I will surely dwell in the house of the Lord for all eternity.

 

Jesus came to lead us to Himself.  Follow Him and He will lead us home.

 

The Combat Zone 

   “Let us always keep it before our eyes that here on earth is a place of combat and the crown is received in heaven; that here is the proving ground and the prize is up there; there here we are in a land of exile and our true homeland is heaven, to which we must continually aspire.” (St. Padre Pio) 

   God created the world to be a paradise.  A paradise to be lived in by us and all humanity.   Through the temptations of Satan, Adam and Eve renounced paradise in their effort to be like God, able to determine good and evil for themselves.  In their pride they lost paradise for themselves and for all mankind.

   I think every generation has, at some point, thought it was worse than it had ever been before.  I know many who think that of this generation.  But reality says that every generation has had their trials, hardships brought on by the sinfulness of mankind.  This one is worse than some and better than others.  It will continue this way until the Lord comes again in glory.

   Earth is a combat zone; battles fought daily between those who try to follow God and Satan.  These battles will continue, and we will lose some of them and fall into sin.  But Jesus came that sin might be forgiven, that we still might aspire to our heavenly home.

   Paradise still awaits us, but not in this life. The struggles, the pain, and the trials we face in this, our exile, are not the end. We still battle, but the war has been won. We must live our life so that we, like St. Paul, can say, “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim 7). 

I am in exile.

I am in a world of sinfulness and evil.

I long to come to You

To the paradise that awaits. 

Amen

 The Big Bang 

   I recently spent a very long day at Magic Kingdom in Disney World.  That evening I saw what was without question the most impressive fireworks display I have ever seen.  Leave it to Disney to pull out all stops and they certainly did with this event.

   As I watched, my mind wandered to how incredible it must have been when God created the heavens and the earth simply by speaking it into existence.  The explosions and trailing lights of the fireworks were indeed remarkable, but nothing compared with creating an entire universe; what some call the Big Bang.

   The “Big Bang Theory” of creation was first posited by a Catholic priest in the 1920’s.  A mathematician, astronomer, and professor of physics, Fr. Georges Lemaitre was a contemporary of Edwin Hubble (think the Hubble telescope) and Albert Einstein.

   I was once told that if the Big Bang theory is correct, then God had no part in it since it was all pure science.  I answered that if creation occurred because of a big bang it was because God lit the fuse.

   Maybe I’m the oddball, but I find no profit in worrying about how God has done all that He has done.  All that really matters to me is the fact that nothing exists except by the will of God. 

You created all that is.

How you did it isn’t what matters.

What matters is that You are the creator.

Nothing exists without You. 

Amen

 Created in God's Image 

   “When I see the heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you arrange, what is man that you should keep him in mind, the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8: 4 -5) 

   When I see the glory of God’s creation, I wonder why He loves me, a sinful man incapable of going even a day without offending Him.  When I prostrate myself before Him in sorrow, I’m amazed that He forgives rather than condemns.

   “God created man in the image of himself, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.” (Gen 1: 27).  When I look in a mirror, I do not see an image of God, rather I see a man guilty of sin, one who fails to do what he should, and does instead what he should not.  But scripture tells me that I am created in His image, and I place my trust in the word of God.

   God is not a physical being, so He did not create my physical being in His image.  He created me as a mortal man with an eternal soul.  A soul that desires to love Him and spend eternity with Him, one that longs for Him and can never be at rest except in Him.  A soul that is aware of the difference between right and wrong and desires what is right.

   My mortal self is of little, if any value, but the soul God placed within me is of incomparable worth.  It is in my soul that I am an image of God.  My soul belongs to Him alone and yearns to be with Him throughout eternity. 

You love me.

You desire that I spend eternity with You.

Fill me with Your spirit.

Make me Your in all ways. 

Amen

 Doers of the Word 

   “But you must do what the word tells you, and not just listen to it and deceive yourself.” (James 1: 22) 

   If all I do is go to Mass and listen to the readings and the homily, thinking that is all that is necessary, I am lying to myself.

   Believing in Christ entails much more that knowledge of His life and His teachings.  It requires putting that knowledge to use in my own life.  He taught love, I must love; He taught forgiveness, I must forgive; He taught mercy, I must show mercy to others.

   Our Lord did not come just to have others listen to His word.  He came to change lives.  If I am not willing to do all I can to model my life after His I am failing as a Christian.  I may learn many things in life but if I never incorporate what I have learned into my life then I have wasted my time.

   Jesus said, “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matt 16: 24).  Christianity is not an intellectual exercise; it is a way of life.  A way that must change virtually every aspect of my life.  If I am not willing to do that, I am not worthy to follow Christ.

   Those of the world are selfish, concerned primarily with their own wants and desires.  Jesus’ life was one of giving.  He gave love, forgiveness, mercy, and finally, He gave His life on the cross.  He never promised that following Him would be easy, only that it would lead to eternal life.

 

I must act, not just listen.

I must put Your word into practice.

I must be willing to pick up my cross.

I must follow wherever You lead.

 

Amen