Bringing a Cup of Cold Water

                    Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow, Vermont by Fr. Matt
  

“Can you help me get a $5,000 loan?”

That was the question Shirley asked me. Shirley is the sister of my neighbor, Maggie. The two sisters had recently visited a hearing aid vendor because Maggie’s hearing aids, which she had purchased three years earlier, were no longer working.

The store manager told them it would cost $600 to repair the hearing aids, but he also said that even after the repair they still would not work properly. Instead, he recommended that Maggie purchase a new pair for $5,500. To do that, she would need yet another loan.

As I looked into the situation, I discovered that Maggie had already paid $5,500 for her original hearing aids three years ago. At that time, the vendor had connected her with a finance company that loaned her $5,000. Maggie had faithfully been making monthly payments of $157, yet she still owed approximately $2,200 on that loan.

The manager had already measured her for new hearing aids and encouraged her to apply for another loan through the same lender. However, when Maggie returned to pick up the new hearing aids, she was informed that her loan application had been denied. Shirley and Maggie then asked if I could help them contact the lender again or perhaps work with their local bank. Unfortunately, both the finance company and the bank declined her request for additional funding.

Several questions came to mind. Why were the original hearing aids no longer covered by a warranty? Why would a customer be told that a repair would cost $600, yet still not solve the problem? Something did not seem right.

I decided to contact Maggie’s medical insurance company. During that conversation, I learned that she had a Medicaid plan that would provide up to $2,200 toward a pair of hearing aids. That was encouraging news. The next challenge was finding an audiology provider who accepted her insurance.

Customer service emailed me a list of 25 audiologists in Western New York who worked with her insurance plan. I called the office closest to her in Batavia. The first question the audiologist asked was, “What kind of insurance coverage does she have?” When I explained that I had already confirmed a $2,200 hearing aid benefit, she cautiously agreed to schedule an appointment.

At the appointment, the very first thing the audiologist did was contact Maggie’s insurance company to verify the coverage. They confirmed that her plan would indeed pay up to $2,200 toward hearing aids. Why the first vendor had never bothered to check her insurance benefits remains a mystery.

After testing Maggie’s hearing, the audiologist recommended that she first see a medical specialist. She was concerned that Maggie’s cleft palate might be contributing to her hearing difficulties. Once those medical evaluations are completed, the audiologist will move forward with ordering hearing aids that truly meet Maggie’s needs.

This experience reminded me that success often comes through persistence, asking good questions, and refusing to give up until a solution is found.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches:

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:42)

If someone asked me what ministry is all about, I would simply say that bringing a cup of cold water comes in many forms.

Sometimes it means helping someone navigate a complicated situation so they can obtain the hearing aids they need. Sometimes it means bringing food to a family struggling with unemployment. It may mean visiting a patient in the psychiatric unit, praying for a friend undergoing cancer treatment, encouraging someone who is afraid to drive again after a serious accident, or saying yes when a son asks you to come to the cemetery later this summer to bury his father.

Every day presents opportunities to bring a cup of cold water to someone in need.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who quietly go beyond the call of duty to care for family members, neighbors, and strangers alike. Bless their kindness, generosity, and compassion.

And today, I leave you with this question: What are you doing to bring a cup of cold water to someone else?

For the Lord assures us that such acts of love never go unnoticed, and we will not lose our reward.

 

What's Your Atlantic?

                     Coos Bay Sunset, Oregon by Fr. Matt
           

Hikers climb Everest. When asked, “were you afraid?” The hikers said “we wanted to see if we could do it.” Storm chasers drive into a tornado were asked “if they were afraid.” They responded “we wanted to see if we could do it.” When Amelia Earhart became the first to fly over the Atlantic, the press asked "Were you afraid?" She said, "Yeah." They said, "Why'd you do it?" She said, "I wanted to see if I could. That's all. The desire was nothing new to me. I'd flown Atlantics before. Everybody has his own Atlantics to fly. When I was asked by Bishop Pep to come to North Java and serve as pastor of a reborn Holy Family Parish, my response: “God’s will be done.”

Everybody has his own Atlantics to fly. Whatever you want to do against the opposition of fear, tradition, neighborhood opinions, so-called common sense, that's an Atlantic."

What's your Atlantic? What are you afraid of? The dominant emotion in our society today is fear. We're afraid of rejection and failure, afraid of certain parts of town, afraid of certain types of people, afraid of criticism, afraid of suffering, afraid of change, afraid to tell people how we really feel, afraid of losing the things that we've worked so hard to buy, afraid of what society will think. Maybe you're afraid of the past, no matter how hard you try, you just keep reliving it. Or perhaps you fear change. We all have that. Change is scary and we'd rather not risk anything, prefer just to leave things as they are.

The Gospel is an invitation to get beyond the comfortable center and explore the margins. The parts of life we avoid or ignore are the very parts of life Jesus is probably the most interested in. The type of people we avoid and ignore were the types of people Jesus was most interested in. What does that say about our lives? How does that invite us to change? What prevents us from changing? And what are we afraid of? And have we ever even considered the other side of the question? Rather than always framing it negatively, what are the possibilities that might come about if we open ourselves to more fully embrace the gospel?

What phrase did Jesus repeat more often than any other throughout the gospels? Be not afraid. In fact, it's in today's Gospel reading three times. Be not afraid. Why? Because Jesus knew more than anybody else that the measure of your life will be the measure of your courage.

Following Jesus requires incredible courage, it will take incredible courage to be counter-cultural. Incredible courage to pursue the dreams God gives you and shares for your life.

A deep, genuine relationship with God banishes our fears and fills us with the courage to live a great life. Faith overcomes fear. We worry about the future. God says, "I hold the future." We worry about failure. God says, "Walk in my ways and I will bless you."

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends and ask youself, what's your Atlantic? What are you afraid of? What's preventing you from being who God intends you to be? Because deep down, you know that God's power is greater than your fear.

 

 

Help Wanted

  

So Jesus sounds the call for volunteers. Up to this point in the Gospel story he’s been the only one curing the sick and casting out the demons, but he figures it’s time to call up some reserve troops. He deputizes his disciples—a motley assortment of working stiffs, none of whom have seminary degrees—and sends them out to do some work. You’ll notice he doesn’t send them out to save souls for Heaven. Instead, he sends them out to address the needs the people have in the moment and to tell them that the Kingdom of Heaven is already near them. 

I have a hunch that if the Church is to survive in 21^st Century America the message won’t be about saving souls but about expressing love and compassion for all souls. The Church which I see emerging is going to be about mission, not about doctrine. It will be about seeking out the “harassed and helpless” and bringing love and healing to them in whatever capacity we’re able to do it.

Last weekend, I had the privilege of traveling with Bishop Mack to San Antonio Texas to ordain two men into the Priesthood. Father Val a PhD and director of community housing for the poor and Fr Stephen a PhD retired military chaplain who leads retreats for active military and retired veterans.

 

 

These men will help Fr. Robert, administrator of the newly established St. Jude Catholic parish in San Antonio, to grow the Hispanic community and continue their specialized ministries.  

 

I believe the emerging Church of the future will focus on healing the neighborhood and the world, loving God and loving neighbors.

And, of course, like those first disciples, the disciples of today will get into trouble. They will cause controversy and say things which will aggravate people who just wish these Christians would stick to talking about the hereafter and not mention the problems of the here and now. Maybe some of them will end up in jail as Christians have in the past.

So what can I say to those of us who are harassed and helpless? There is still hope. The Kingdom of Heaven has come near, and the “help wanted” message of Jesus has been answered in the Buffalo-Pittsburg diocese with its unique vison of welcoming men from various traditions that in my past three years has welcomed, Fr. Erick, Fr. Don, Fr. Nadeem, Fr Corey, Fr. Joe, Fr. John, Fr. Richard, Fr. Marcus, Fr. Robert, Fr. Val and Fr. Steve to serve bringing that kingdom just a little bit closer to the people they serve throughout the country. We may be harassed by our vision by some, but we are not helpless, because we can still be here for each other and we can still pray “thy kingdom come” for the new work God’s people are and will be doing.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, especially my brothers in Christ who you have blessed me to serve as their mentor and guide. Bless their good work, give them, their spouse and children good health and our gratitude for the sacrifices they make in bringing the compassion and mercy to all people. Yes. our laborers may be few, but God can do a lot with them.

 

Potting New Growth

  

My wife Sue asked me for help to repot a bonsai white pine tree. A bonsai tree is a miniature living tree grown in a shallow container. Originating as an ancient Asian horticultural art form, it is not a genetically dwarfed plant, but rather a normal tree species that is meticulously trained, pruned, and wired to replicate the scale and beauty of a mature tree in nature.

I needed a dolly to move the pine tree planted ten years ago in a ten gallon plastic container that had become root bound. The tree’s roots had outgrown their container. The sign that the white pine was struggling were that its leaves were turning yellow. This tree would die if it were not repotted. Sue pointed out that two major branches needed to be sawed off. This severe pruning would help this tree to survive. I sawed the plastic pot to expose the roots and you could readily see that the roots were circling the pot and suffocating the roots from further growth. Sue carefully removed the compacted soil from the roots to allow future growth. Then we filled a twenty-gallon pot with an inorganic, coarse-draining mix that allows oxygen to reach the roots while retaining adequate moisture. This mix consists of Akadama, Pumice, and Lava Rock. I loaded the repotted pine onto the dolly and rolled it back into the bonsai garden. Sue poked the inorganic mixture with a chop stick to make sure there were no air pockets and carefully watered the tree deeply so that the roots would get the moisture it needs for healthy growth. This pine would not only survive, but thrive in years to come.

Now I had just attended a national evangelization workshop for the Polish National Catholic Church. Like our white pine bonsai tree with leaves  turning yellow, a participant shared that in his church there were no 20, 30, or 40 year olds, a sign that his faith community was failing to thrive. Their faith community’s tenacity highlights a stubborn, unyielding, and persistent dedication to their Polish tradition that mimics the root bound problem of our pine tree if left untreated would result in its death. What branches need to be cut to allow growth for its future? What teachings or doctrines need to be realigned so that Generation X would take a second look?

The transplanted roots of our pine tree reflect the faith, dedication and passion of the Polish Catholic people who reflect the love, compassion and mercy of Christ. However, roots that are compacted will rot and die. The gardener needs to prune the branches that rob the energy and open up the roots so that the tree can regain its energy for future growth. Note, the special inorganic, coarse-draining mix allows oxygen to reach the roots while retaining adequate moisture. When mixed together in equal parts, they create an optimal environment by balancing moisture retention, excellent drainage, and vital root aeration. This is the same environment that is critical to welcome Generation X. Faith teachings need to reflect an environment that is non-judgmental, accepting of differences and open to social justice issues.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that our faith flourishes rooted in prayer, compassion for our neighbors and teachings that accept all people as children of God.

Addumdum: the photo below shows our transplanted white pine with its yellow leaves. We trust our little tree will thrive with its root system feed with the tenderness and understanding of God’s mercy, compassion and love.

 

 

 

Trinity is a Mystery

 

Being Catholic means we love some mystery. We embrace it because who could possibly understand or explain completely God and His ways? And if we're upfront about it. Every time we celebrate Mass, we say, "We celebrate these sacred mysteries." Because we know we understand a lot, but we don't understand everything. I mean, who could possibly explain the Eucharist and transubstantiation, how the wine and the bread becomes the body and blood of Jesus? That's a mystery. Or the stigmata of Saint Francis, St. Catherine, and so many others. How does that happen, that they bear on their bodies the very wounds of Jesus.? That's a mystery.

But maybe the greatest mystery of them all is the Trinity. We hear those marvelous questions asked at every baptism we attend, "Do you believe in God, the Father? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord? And do you believe in the Holy Spirit?" Or the Holy Ghost. In other words, is God one? Yes, He is. Is God three? Yes, He is. How can this be? Yes.

Who could possibly explain God and his ways? God is three Persons relating to one another in communion. Three and one at the same time. Love defines God. He is love. He can do no other. It's His essence. Love is who God is. It's not merely what God does. In some ways, He's just like a family. You and I both know that families contain a lot of mystery. The biggest mystery in a family, what in the world ever caused Mom to fall in love with Dad? Mystery. But the best question is this, what's holding this family together? And I hope your answer is love, because that's true for God too. Three Persons, yes. One nature, yes. All God. Bonded together in love, with love, for love. That's God. That's why we make the sign of the cross. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And it reminds us, reminds you and me, that we belong to a great family. We belong to the family of God.

Two years ago, I gathered with my family to lay to rest my 93 year-old Aunt Helen. Family members traveled from Miami and Clearwater Florida. They came from Connecticut with their three children. Kathy, my aunt Helen’s daughter-in-law, was her caregiver for over 35 years. We were invited to Kathy's home after the funeral service at the cemetery to share memories of Helen’s faith and contagious joy and love for God and family, I came away from this family reunion to know that this was a God moment. God was indeed present in the love we shared for our aunt, mother-in-law, grandmother, neighbor and friend. 

Whenever someone would visit my Aunt Helen, she promised to pray for them and say, "God is good," and she would have us reply, "All the time." "God is good," and we say, "All the time." And then I shared with my family that if we were in Haiti, oftentimes the leader will say, "God is sweet," and the people will respond, "God is sweet." Yes. Yes, he is. So just before I left this family reunion and celebration of our dear Aunt Helen, I extended this blessing, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who humbly accept the reality that the trinity is a mystery, our family is a mystery but we are bonded in love and remember to say to one another God is sweet, all the time.

 

The Voice of Peace

    

                                        Phlox & Little Tonawanda Creek by Fr Matt

It happened again, My printer has a message on it’s home screen that says; “Error E-7700 call the representative.” I am frantic and beside myself. I need to download a document and I have no clue how to repair this printer. I contact Apple Care and the rep does the best she can to restore the function but determines the printer is not connected to the WiFi. I contact a Canon repair dealer but he’s not available on the road for a service call. Then I search online for Canon customer service and connect with Richard, the Canon technical rep, who has me press a series of icons on the printer but he announces the printer software has a malfunction. Since I have an active warranty he will send me a replacement printer. The voice of peace.

The Gospel this Pentecost Sunday is from John 20:19-23. "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' When He had said this, He showed them His hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. And Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so, I send you.' And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'"

Jesus comes, and He stands among them. They recognize Him not just as a spiritual being, but there in the flesh, the resurrected body of Jesus. And that's an incredibly powerful moment.

His greeting is, "Peace be with you." I think to myself like, "How much peace do we actually experience? And do we actually seek it? And how easily, readily are we willing to give up our peace?" Sometimes you'd be in a situation and you are losing your mind over something very, very small. There are moments we are acting out of a constant agitation or constant anxiety. Like my printer busted again for the third time.

Jesus has given us this gift of peace. His life, His death, His resurrection, His promises make peace for humanity possible. But where have we put the gift? I think it's time we found it. My neighbor once again was having trouble with her utility and cell phone bills not coming to her PO box. She worried that her utilities would be shut off. I called customer service and the voice of peace said they would correct the error and not to worry.

We need to really take some time and get into a peaceful place, and then go out into the world and be very mindful of that peace and bring it to ourselves and others.

I will call the canon customer service rep when the replacement printer arrives to install correctly so that I can download my documents. Also, I am grateful to the utility customer service rep who told my senior neighbor not to worry that her utilities would be shut off.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that we take the time to be quiet and listen to what Jesus said, "Peace be with you." And then He said it again. "Peace be with you." Let's find the peace He gave us and let's take that peace out into the world.

 

Bittersweet the Prayer of Jesus

                                  Sunrise Little Tonawanda Creek by Fr. Matt
                               

You know, there's something deeply moving about the words of a person who knows they're about to leave. Whether it's a parent on their deathbed, our son or daughter graduating from college, a soldier shipping out, or a friend moving across the country, the words spoken in those final moments carry a weight that ordinary conversation never does. We lean in closer. We listen more carefully. We remember.

 

That's exactly what we're given in today's Gospel from John chapter 17. Jesus is on the verge of his Passion. The cross looms before him. And what does he do? He prays. But not just any prayer. He prays for his disciples. He prays for those scruffy, stubborn, often-clueless men who had walked the dusty roads of Galilee with him for three years.

 

Now, I want you to think for a moment about the people in your own life who have loved you like this. The grandmother who prayed her rosary for you every single day. The father who worried about you when you made bad decisions but never stopped believing in you. The teacher who saw

something in you when you couldn't see it in yourself. The friend who stuck with you through your worst season. If you've ever experienced that kind of love, you've caught a glimpse, just a glimpse, of how Jesus loves us in this prayer. And if you've never felt that kind of love from another person, then know this: Jesus is praying it for you right now. You are not forgotten. You are not alone. You are held.

 

Think about what that means on your worst day. On those days that you would call "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days." On the day you get the diagnosis. On the day your marriage feels like it's falling apart. On the day you bury someone you love. On the day you feel completely lost

and don't know how you'll keep going. Even then, especially then, Jesus is praying for you. And look at what happened to those first disciples after Jesus ascended. They didn't immediately become spiritual superheroes.

 

Life is full of letting go,, isn't it? We let go of childhood. We let go of dreams that didn't work out. We let go of loved ones who pass on before us. We let go of seasons of life that we wish could have lasted longer. Every goodbye is a small death. And yet, in Christ, every goodbye is also a doorway

to something new. Jesus had to leave his disciples so that the Spirit could come. He had to ascend so that the Church could be born. The leaving was part of the love. And maybe, just maybe, the losses in our own lives

are not just losses. Maybe God is doing something new in the empty spaces.

 

So what do we do with all this? I think we do three things this week. First, we let ourselves be loved. Just sit with the truth that Jesus is praying for you, right now, by name. Don't argue with it. Don't deserve it. Just receive it.

 

Second, we pray for others the way Jesus prays for us. With tenderness. With patience. With a love that does not give up on people, even when they disappoint us.

 

And third, we trust. We trust that the same love that held those frightened disciples in the upper room is holding us now. We trust that resurrection follows every goodbye. We trust that nothing, not death, not life, not angels, not principalities, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ

Jesus our Lord.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that the prayer of Jesus echos in your heart this week. You are loved. You are remembered. You are not alone.