A five-year-old boy was home with his father. This was the first time his Dad had to put his son to bed.  After some maneuvering and a lot of fun, the boys’ Dad got him into bed.

The little boy said, “But Daddy, I have to say my prayers.”   He usually knelt and prayed: “Now I lay be down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.”

But on this night he looked up at his dad and then raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, “Dear God, make me a great big good man like my daddy. Amen.”  A few minutes later he was in bed asleep.

Then the father knelt by his son’s bedside and prayed, “Dear Lord, make me a great big good man like my boy thinks I am.”

Dear Lord thank you for the gift of faith, may I use it to know You and to make You know.

May God Be Praised!

Robert Quillen wrote, “A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.”   

A good marriage is based on forgiveness, trust and love.  And the sacrament of marriage…is a total giving and sharing by each spouse so that the line between “his” and “hers” disappears into only “ours.”

de Sales, “Nothing in this world can satisfy the person who is not first satisfied with God.”  Each of us married or single, ordained or lay, are called to focus our lives on doing God’s will! 

Our relationship with the Lord is the most important relationship in our lives. For those of us who married -- our relationship with our spouse is next in importance.  Each relationship we have with another human being should bring us closer to God.        

In the book of Genesis, we read “… a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife and the two of them become one flesh.”

We are all aware of the high divorce rate and how painful the break up of a marriage is - - too many times people are married without the vocational call to marriage.  Without a mature understanding and commitment to the hard work and sacrifice needed to make a marriage successful.

Married life – Family life is under attack in our Nation and those of us who are married have a special responsibility to our family, our Church and our nation to live a life centered on loving God.

Whether married or single we can listen to and act on the words of de Sales: “I see good in you and am happy for your sake. I choose and act to make your goodness grow for your sake.” 

 

Or those of Thomas Merton, “… love seeks one thing, only the good of the one loved…Love, therefore, is its own reward.”

 

For a few minutes reflect on The Art of Marriage (Anonymous)

A good marriage must be created.

In the marriage, the little things are the big things…

It is never being too old to hold hands.

It is remembering to say “I love you” at least once each day.

It is never going to sleep angry.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.

It is standing together and facing the world.

It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.

It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.

It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is not only marrying the right person. 

It is being the right partner.

May God Be Praised!

[Here is part 3]  Remember the disciples on the Road to Emmaus “…were not our hearts burning…”  Has your heart ever been burning, the Eucharist helps hearts get ignited, helps them burn for the Lord and so does faithfulness to daily prayer.

 

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, “As he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct.”  (1 Peter 1:15)

All the children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic school for lunch.  At the head of the table was a large pile of apples.  The teacher left a note that read, “Take only one, God is watching.”

Moving through the line, to the other end of the table, was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.  A boy wrote this note, “Take all you want, God is watching the apples.

Jesus saved us over 2,000 years ago!  Now we are challenged to allow His saving grace to mold us, to renew us, and to form us.

Charles Taylor (A Secular Age)  and Fr. Michael Buckley, S.J. (At the Origins of Modern Atheism) point out that Secularism and Atheism are challenges that we face.

We need to deal with them in a serious manner, but we should not fear them.

Bishop Cupich said, “… we should welcome this moment as an opportunity to embrace more fully our own discipleship ….” (Origins, 9/5/13 p. 214)

The bishop offered several ideas on how to talk about Faith in a Secular Age; I think the key one is this: “Our confidence that the Gospel speaks to the deepest longings of the human heart ….”         (Ibid. p. 217)  The Gospel should be the foundation of how we speak, as well as how we live.

St. Francis de Sales tells us, “Take courage, and turn troubles which you cannot remedy into material for progress and maturity.” 

St. Paul says  “…God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength….” (1 Cor. 10:13b)

Christ is counting on us, We are His hands, His feet, His heart, His compassion, His love, His tears, His smile.

Jesus calls us to Truth that is to know, to Serve that is action along the way, to Love that is Life in the Spirit!

We need a plan to grow in holiness; maybe we need to revise our plan because of changing circumstances or the Spirit moving us in a new / different direction.

Each one of us has a unique glimpse of God in our hearts / souls that only we can share with the world.

What a privilege!  What a responsibility!

“I have called you by name. You are mine, I forbid you to be afraid. I am with you.”  (Isaiah 43)

“With what gift shall I commit Yahweh’s presence?

This is what Yahweh asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6; 6)

 Following Jesus is based on Wisdom. (Celtic Tradition)

1.  knowledge of self

2.  compassion for others

3.  friendship with God

Friendship with God is grounded in Scripture, the Sacraments (especially reconciliation and the Eucharist) and in prayer, in particular, quiet time with the Lord.

The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith; it is the FOOD for our soul, of our FAITH!  Stay close to Jesus, do the best you can and let Him handle all the rest.

I want to share one last story.  This is about William Dyke who when he was 10 years old was blinded in an accident.  Despite his disability he graduated from a university in England with high honors.  While in school he fell in love with the daughter of a high-ranking British Naval Officer and they became engaged.

Shortly before the Wedding William had eye surgery that would hopefully restore his eyesight.  He asked to keep his bandages on until his wedding day; because if the surgery was successful he wanted the 1^st person he saw to be his bride to be.

As William stood at the foot of the alter with his bride-to-be next to him, the surgeons carefully removed his bandages and William words echoed through the cathedral,

“You are more beautiful than I ever imagined!”

When we get to the “land of the living” – we shall be overwhelmed by God’s beauty and exclaim in awe and in wonder and in reverence: “You are more beautiful than I ever imagined.”  (Bausch, 40 Seasonal Homilies, p.59)

St. Therese of Lisieux gave us this simple but profound insight into living our discipleship, "Holiness consists simply in doing God's will, and being just what God wants us to be."

May God Be Praised!

We are called to Lead By Following Jesus! ( 2nd of three parts)

St. Paul shared this insight with us, “No longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”  We (you and I) are called to be Saints - that is the goal of Christian life, and “Saints are people who do ordinary, extraordinarily well.”

(St. Francis de Sales)

In fact, “There’s more to get thrilled about in the ordinary than the extraordinary.” (Colors, p. 73) We should live this wise insight, “Don’t waste your time trying to get people to love you. Instead, spend your time loving people and the other will follow.” (Colors, p. 78)

In Matthew’s Gospel (25: 31 – 46), Jesus tells us how we will be judged.

Thank you for responding to Jesus’ call to “Live Jesus”, to be His disciple.  St. Thomas, he gets a bad rap!  Thomas is mentioned four times in the Scriptures.  He could be Courageous Thomas, Questioning Thomas or Believing Thomas.

But he has been called Doubting Thomas, maybe so we have a saint to go too when we doubt, when we have reservations!

The way we live, our words but more importantly our actions, present Jesus to the world or cast “doubt” on Christianity.  Christianity is hard work, hard work filled with joy but hard work nonetheless.

Josh Groban has a wonderful song,

“You raise me up…to more than I can be.”

When I am down & oh my soul, so weary.

When troubles come & my heart burdened be.

Then, I am still & wait here in the silence.

Until you come & sit a while with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains.

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders.

You raise me up…to more than I can be.

Beautiful song BUT God raises us up to “BE ALL THAT WE CAN BE” – people made in God’s image and likeness! Remember that old Army commercial: troops, tanks “Be all that you can be join the Army!”

St. Francis de Sales tells us to “Be who you are and be that well, to give honor to the Master Craftsman whose handiwork you are.”  Remember you are someone made in the image and likeness of God!

We are called to Lead By Following Jesus! 

(1^st of three parts)

1. You have heard the expression, “Actions speak louder than Words!”  There is much truth in that statement. 

St. Francis Assisi, in his rule for the Franscians stated, a similar idea, that “All the Friars … should preach by their deeds.”    (Rule of 1221, Chapter XII)

St. Francis de Sales wrote, “Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life with fear; rather look upon them with strong hope that, as they arise, God, whose child you are, will deliver you from them.”  While St. Paul taught us that, “There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope given all of you by your call.  There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is our all, and works through all, and is in all.”  (St. Paul Letter to the Ephesians 4:3,4)

The Christian Life is a life of Prayer, “Live Jesus” as deSales said.  We pray inside God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our relationship with God is a bond, a covenant.

The Little Prince instructs us that to see rightly one only sees with the heart, in The Giving Tree we are reminded to keep giving, and in the story of the Rabbi’s Gift we are told that “One among you is the Lord!”

 St. John Paul II said that in the “… Incarnation we see the human face of God and the divine face of humanity.”

St. Augustine said, “You have made us for your self, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” 

A loving relationship is the communication of feelings, the willed decision to commitment and the openness to allow the graces that God gives us to direct our lives.

DeSales taught us that “The measure of love is to love without measure.”  Easy to say, very hard to live.

May God Be Praised!

In the book of Wisdom we are reminded that Grace and Mercy are with God’s holy ones, and you and I are called to be Holy.  Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is a demanding calling, but following Him is fulfilling beyond our wildest speculations.

I don’t know how many of you remember Dave Wottle the 800 m 1972 Olympic Gold Medal winner, after the first lap he was dead last and his only goal at that moment was not to finish last.   

His persistence and perseverance enabled him to not finish last but to win the gold medal, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=120Bi0vhRPg

In the spiritual life we need to be persistent and to preserve to finish with the gold medal in the “land of the living”, we need to be reminded this part of the journey is only the first lap.

Another running story may help us focus on the real goal of doing God’s will here on earth so we can be with the Lord forever in heaven. Dick and Dave Hoyt, http://www.teamhoyt.com.

Rick told his father while in his wheel chair, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not disabled.”

Remember what advice St. Francis de Sales gave us, “Be who you are and be it well.”  You are a child of God, “be it well”.

May God Be Praised!

    

When you are having a bad day, reflect part of Psalm 44!

Psalm 44 The misfortune of God’s people [Office of Readings, 9-05-19]

 

“This befell us though we had not forgotten you; though we had not been false to your covenant, though we had not withdrawn our hearts; though our feet had not strayed from your path.
 

Yet you have crushed us in a place of sorrows
and covered us with the shadow of death.

Had we forgotten the name of our God
or stretched out our hands to another god
would not God have found this out,
he who knows the secrets of the heart?
It is for you that we face death all day long
and are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Awake, O Lord, why do you sleep?
Arise, do not reject us for ever!
Why do you hide your face from us
and forget our oppression and misery?

For we are brought down low to the dust;
our body lies prostrate on the earth.
Stand up and come to our help!
Redeem us because of your love!”

May God Be Praised!

Even Ziggy had bad days, in fact bad years!

Yesterday on the blog we reflected on our call to Holiness, and yesterday we reflected on the burdens we sometimes are asked to carry in this life.  Today we are going to reflect on a song written by Sr. M. Lucy, “Here Am I”.

“Softly, as a gentle breeze blows,

 you can hear Him calling,

calling at your heart.

            Here am I Here am I;

                        ready to obey.

Gently, as a breath of springtime,

Just to feel His presence,

Touch upon your soul.

            Here am I, Here am I;

                        fill me with Your love.

Shining, as the splendor of the morning,

You will see His glory,

And live forevermore.

            Here am I, Here am I;

            all I have is Yours.”

  

We are called to discipleship in Jesus Christ, and accepting that call and living that call will enable us to walk through this life in the peace of Christ.

May God Be Praised!

Each one of us is Called to Holiness, accepting that Call takes courage and a willingness to dedicate our lives to following Jesus Christ.

An excellent way to seek Holiness is to pray and live the Direction of Intention daily.

My God, I give you this day.

I offer you, now, all of the good that I shall do … and

I promise to accept, for love of you, all of the difficulty that I shall meet.

Help me to conduct myself during this day In a manner pleasing to you.

“It is not always in your power to do important things; sufficient are the small things that offer themselves every hour of the day… But do them with devotion and love.”  (Every day with Francis deSales, p.231)

    An integral part of seeking Holiness is to Seek the good in each person we meet, and to pray for them. 

 

Then at the end of the day before retiring for the evening pray the Day is Ending Prayer to review our day.

"Thank you for all the gifts of the day, for the place I spent it
And for those with whom I spent it, for all its joys and all its sorrows, for the troubles overcome and for those that remain.
I offer you the silence of this night, its darkness and its solitude.
Whether you chose under the cover of this night to take away the problems of this day, or leave them for tomorrow, I will bless your name.  Thy will be done."    Amen.  [St. Francis de Sales]

May God Bless you on your journey.

May God Be Praised!

The prophet Jeremiah doesn’t mince his words regarding the bad shepherds, “Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter….” 

Jeremiah’s life was the message to live God’s will!  We should live God’s will in our lives.   

 

The model good shepherd is Jesus Christ. 

In the psalms we pray, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”  St. Paul tells us in his message to the Ephesians, “In Christ Jesus you who were far off have become near by the blood of Christ.

St. Francis de Sales offers us a beautiful image of the Incarnation, “God’s kiss to creation.”  That kiss created a special bond between God and us.

A 26 year old mother looked at her 6 year old son Billy and asked, “… did you ever think about what you wanted to be when you grew up?”  Mommy, “I always wanted to be a fireman….”  Billy was dying of terminal leukemia and His Mom smiled and said, “Let’s see what we can do!”

Billy’s Mom went to the local fire dept. in Phoenix.  She explained Billy’s dream and his situation; then asked if they could give her son a ride on a fire engine.  “… we can do better than that… have your son ready at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday  and we’ll make him an honorary fireman, with a hat and uniform with the Phoenix Fire Dept. emblem on them.

They picked up Billy from the hospital, and put him in a waiting hook and ladder.  A few weeks after his day as a fireman Billy’s vital signs dropped dramatically.  The head nurse called his Mom and the fire chief.  She asked the chief if they could send a fireman in uniform over to visit Billy.

We’ll be there in 5 minutes, when you hear the sirens announce over the PA system that the fire department is coming to see one of its’ finest, one last time.  16 firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy’s room, and with his permission they hugged him and told him how much they loved him.

Billy asked, “Chief, am I really a fireman now?”  “ Billy you are!”

And the big Chief, God is holding your hand ….”  Billy smiled and said, “I know He’s been holding my hand all day….”  Billy closed his eyes one last time.

Sometimes the Lord heals us and gives us additional time here;

Sometimes the Lord holds our hand and leads us home to the “…land of the living.”

Let us live our lives with compassion for God’s people because in doing that we live our lives with compassion for God, our true Shepherd.

May God Be Praised!