A Daily Dose of God

Today I thought I might share a little humor with you, the story is called “God Has Five Aces.”

“In her wonderful collection of poetry called, The Awful Rowing Toward

God, Anne Sexton examines her life like someone in a canoe rowing against the stream of life, encountering hazards along the way, and finally docking at the island of God's home.

The concluding poem in the book is called "The Rowing Endeth." In it she sees herself called by God's great laughter to join him for a game of poker. When the cards are dealt, she is surprised and thrilled. She has a royal straight flush. She will trounce God and win for herself whatever prizes God has brought to the table.  In great excitement she slaps down her cards, claiming her winnings. Nothing can beat this hand!

 

 

But God only laughs, a great, rolling, joyful exuberance that energizeseverything around. In rich good humor, with no malice at all, God throws down his cards. Five aces! That's impossible! But there it is. 

 

 

 

And when Anne loses to God, she knows that really she wins. For God is not stingy with his wealth or his earnings. There are never any losers when they sit at

table with God. God's laughter is always without malice or oneupmanship.

The Gospel parable about the generous landowner reminds us that god’s ways are not our ways, but they should be and that is why we are here on earth.

In spite of our good fortunes or savvy playing skills or sheer hard work, we never really win at the game of life when we play it by our own rules. But if God is bending them in the direction of grace, something wonderful always happens.”

[Wayne Brouwer, Political Religion, CSS Publishing Company, Inc.]

As we continue to pray for an end to the pandemic, see below, take a moment to laugh and remember what St. Juliana of Norwich said, “All will be well ….”

May God Be Praised!

We pray, Hear my cry!  “Lord, listen to my prayer: turn your ear to my appeal.”  You are my refuge and my hope, I turn to you during this COVID 19 Pandemic and plead for Your intercession.  In Your mercy and Your compassion “… grant eternal rest to the dead, comfort to mourners, healing to the sick ….”

[Psalm 143 and Collect from Mass Time in Pandemic]

 

Provide strength to the first responders, compassion to the medical personnel, and wisdom to government leaders.  End this coronavirus scourge.  Send Your light to me as I wander in the darkness of this pandemic and give me hope in Your eternal love today and every day.  Amen.  [Dcn. George Kelly]