Whom Are You Kidding?

A patient struggling in his marriage and chemical disease said that he wanted to go to church. His partner did not want him to come with her because it would make her feel uncomfortable. He said that he grew up Catholic, but then he said something that shocked me. “I won’t go back to my church because they make everyone feel evil.”

Do you ever feel that your sins are too horrible or too terrible for God to forgive? That the volume of your sins is just too great to be forgiven. Do you have the feeling that there is little chance that God will ever let you into his heaven because of the very wicked life that you have led or because you have committed the same sins over and over? No offense to this beautiful bird, but the expression in his eyes reeks with an attitude that says: “Whom are you kidding?”

I believe that the God’s love doesn't care what you have done in the past, or how hideous, heinous, or horrendous your sins may have been. And he could care less about what sins you are committing right now. What he cares about is what you are going to do from now on. Let me share with you the Ten Commandments of Forgiveness. I will share the first three and follow up later in the month.

The First Commandment: Forgiveness is not easy. There is no cheap grace. There is no quick fix. A mother says to her child: “Tell him you’re sorry.” “I’m sorry.” The kid mumbles reluctantly. Doesn’t mean a thing. If it’s a quick and it’s easy it’s not real, especially for deep betrayals and hurts. So we need to ask God for help. We can’t forgive on our own. We need to ask God to start the process of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not easy and simple. It takes time.

The Second Commandment: Forgiveness is not Forgetting. We say, “Forgive and Forget.” I doubt think so. Forgiveness is about a change of heart, not a bad memory or having a senior moment. The wounds are too fresh or too deep. While forgiveness may not include harboring festering hurts, neither is it about forgetting. It may be helpful to remember the hurt from which you moved on, the occasion that began your journey to forgiveness.

The Third Commandment: Forgiveness does not overlook evil. I don't believe Catholics are responsible for all the evils in the world. We have done our share in history. It doesn’t mean that we accept injustice or naively believe that all is well when it isn’t. It doesn’t mean denial. It doesn’t mean, “Let’s pretend it never existed.” Forgiveness does not overlook evil.

God prays for us as we reflect: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who bear the burden of an unforgiving mind that is filled with despair. Help them to let go of the hurts and pain and walk with You as they journey toward peace.

Don't Get Worked Up

It’s hard to live in the now since we constantly worry about the future. How low will the stock market go? Will I have enough money to pay my bills? What will I do if I lose my job? Will I be able to retire? What do I need to do to ensure I will have everything I need?

An expert wood carver sat on his front porch, sipping lemonade and enjoying the sunshine on a spring afternoon. Around him on the porch sat his various creations. A friend of the wood carver stopped by for a visit and he was surprised to see the artisan relaxing. “It’s only 1:30PM, isn’t it a bit early for a break?” he asked. The artisan swallowed a mouthful of lemonade and yawned. “This isn’t a break,” he said, “I’m done for the day.”

His friend, a young executive, was confused. “What do you mean it’s too early to stop working? You could produce more. You could carve more figures. You could even hire an assistant to help you with your business. You could buy new tools. You could buy a shop and you wouldn’t have to carve at your house.” “Why would I want to do all that?” the carver asked. “So you could make more money,” his friend replied. “And what would I do with all that extra money?” the wood carver asked. “Why, enjoy life, of course.” The wood carver took another sip of lemonade, leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He then mumbled, “What do you think I’m doing?”

Jesus made it clear that we would often find ourselves in tension over trying to serve God and trying be successful. The illusion of our culture feeds our worries and creates anxiety. In recent years we've seen just how manipulative and powerful a politics of fear can be. Our capitalist economy legitimizes greed, creates artificial wants and needs, perfects advertising techniques that shape our attitudes, and makes sure that money, no matter how much or little you have, is our number one worry. The most insidious effects of capitalism might be on those who succeed at it rather than on the poor who fail. No one is immune from these and other powerful cultural forces. I know I'm not.

“You cannot add to your life span by worrying,” Jesus said. I believe that Jesus meant that we will be less anxious and most likely live longer when we are optimistic about life and not pessimistic.

When we are optimistic we are more hopeful. That doesn’t mean we won’t experience a negative balance on our 401K. When we do, God wants us to embrace this event and realize that God is with us. Worrying gets us nowhere. The past is over and the future has not yet arrived. All we can do is live in the now. Let me suggest that you offer this paraphrased prayer of St. Francis to calm your soul whenever your (whizzy brain) chronic worry gets the best of you.

"I want to be a channel for peace. May I bring love where there is hatred and healing where there is hurt; joy where there is sadness and hope where there is fear.

I pray that I may always try to understand and comfort other people as well as seeking comfort and understanding from them.

Wherever possible, may I choose to be a light in the darkness, a help in times of need, and a caring, honest friend. And may justice, kindness and peace flow from my heart forever."

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine friends that we experience the God we call Love in the people around us. Help us to unite ourselves to them as one, in ways that are even beyond our understanding, so that much of the anxiety, much of worry coming from the uncertainties of life are overcome.

Smile from the Heart

Where do you think God is in this picture? Does the divine dwell in the goat or in the "chubby cheeks"? I think it's in the hands that holds our heads up when we are feeling down about the "blah" weather or our life. On another cold, snowy day, take "FIVE" and meditate on this image until you allow the hand of God to melt your troubles and be at peace.

Share the Joy

Three to five inches of snow predicted in Rochester. Our friends in Buffalo had 23 inches yesterday. Take a peak at our young man with his prize winning "GOAT" not a sheep. Opps!

Caught My Eye

This young man caught my eye as he was waiting outside the judging ring. He was holding tight to his black and white face goat that he had brought to the winter fair. While all the other kids were preening their goats before walking into the ring, our young man had the greatest grin on his face showing off his favorite pet for the first time. That’s the ticket, he was oozing with enthusiasm because this was the first time he had ever been entered in a championship show ring.

One noticed that he was not nervous like his other competitors. You could see the tension on their faces, their eyes always looking at the judge to make sure that their sheep was standing in the right position looking their best. Our young lad was having a great time as he entered the ring; he was calm and beaming from chin to chin. His goat could sense that his owner was at ease so that made this fur ball calm and collected. While the other goats were bouncing around and jumping away from the other kids, our little fellow had perfect control of his friend. The two were in sync and you could feel their calm as the judge moved from one contestant to another.

When she approached our young man, he stood with quiet confidence that he held the prize goat. She had asked to look inside the goat’s mouth, not sure what this was all about, but our young man struggled a wee bit to get his friend to cooperate. That moment was priceless, so our image shows the precise moment when he tried to pry his friend’s mouth open for a look inside his dentures. It would appear his furry friend had better things to do.

The judge called out her best three goats and our young man placed third out of twenty-five entries. He walked out of the judging ring with the biggest smile that won my heart and expressed how thrilled he was by the whole experience.

Many things in life send us into a panic and make us numb. The current economic crisis makes our stomachs sick. I have been called over 60 times this year to staff on-site critical incidents that include fatal auto accidents, severe injuries on the job, and the sudden death of a co-worker in the office.

The God we pray to came to relieve the suffering of the world and wants us to experience joy in our lifetime. Perhaps, we need to look a little closer at the deer outside our windows, or our grandchildren crawling on the carpet or maybe it’s a wee small boy taking his goat to the fair for the first time.

We fear divine judgment, but we need to remind ourselves that Christ came to bring only mercy. So in a moment when you are feeling overwhelmed or not quite your perky self, take a glance at our young lad and allow the grace of God’s love to bathe you in His warmth and soothe your fears with a joy that can calm a nervous goat with a gentle heart.

God prays for us as we reflect: “…let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.“ (Psalm 5:11).

Lord I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are plagued with disease and fears that they cannot control. Calm our nerves and help us embrace Your strength and courage. Bring them joy.

Two Friends

Just up the road is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing. Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing.

If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her halter is a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray. When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owner of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see. Good friends are like this. You don't always see them, but you know they are always there. My good Sonshine friends at Heberle Farm rescue horses and give these abandoned horses another chance to rest, heal and find new homes where they will be cared for. Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

God prays for us as we reflect: “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory." Psalm 73:24.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine friends that we keep in mind all our friends who guide us with their wisdom. Help us to be kinder than necessary, for everyone we meet is struggling with some kind of challenge.