Do Something Religious

Some folks were afloat in a hot air balloon, touring the countryside hundreds of feet about the ground. They ooohhed and ahhhhed and were having a swell time. Cars appeared to be toys, humans looked like tiny figures, Introductions were done informally and one of the passengers happened to be a priest. Unfortunately the young lad in charge of the balloon didn’t instill confidence in the paying customers.

The balloon suddenly lost elevation. The problem could have been a faulty burner, or an unexpected gust of wind. The captain of this ship panics and he appears to no idea what to do, but all is well within a few seconds. Nonetheless everyone’s anxious and agitated. One of the passengers blurts out to the priest, “Do something religious!” “Should I take up an offering?” father says.

I love that silly punch line. Everyone in church laughed when I told this story. Do something religious. Do what? Pray? Cry aloud for God’s help? Bless or curse the fickle burner? Hey, why not pass the offering plate?

On Friday, as I was leaving my office, a lady in the handicapped parking spot opened her door and shouted, “Can you fix my car, it won’t start.” My immediate response in my head was that I’m no mechanic. Do something religious, humbly meant to ask what was the problem. She said her steering wheel wouldn’t turn when she tried to turn the ignition key. I got inside her car, inserted the key, and jiggled her steering wheel and the car turned on immediately. She was delighted and gave me thumbs up as she got inside her car and drove away. Do something religious might simply mean to jiggle your neighbor’s steering wheel.

Today, as we celebrate the feast of All Saints, I will offer Mass for the 500 names that were emailed to my attention. Do something religious means to pray for these special family members and friends. It meant getting up at 5 in the morning to cut and paste your email and more important to remember in thanksgiving the spirit and faith of these important people you wished to be remembered with God’s care and eternal love.

Do something religious, might be to give a special tour of your new floral shop to a lady physically challenged in her wheelchair. Or, the friend who comes to clean your furnace for the winter, or the neighbor who borrows their sander. It is the friend who flies back from a Denver hospital with her best friend diagnosed with cancer. It’s the person who drives you to your doctor’s appointment or the therapist who tells you not to lose hope in your new job search. It’s the farmer who finds the cap and puts it on his neighbor’s water well or the builder who goes beyond the call of duty and builds a masterpiece.

Do something religious. Say the rosary? Make a novena? Volunteer at the homeless shelter? Or, when the treat or treaters come to your door in the snow, you offer a treat to the parents with a warm cup of cocoa.

Jesus watches over us as we reflect: “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.” Psalm 25: 9.

Lord, I promise to pray for all my Sonshine Friends who daily do something religious by offering their time and gifts to those in need to bring your joy, peace and love.

I Want to Go Home

I want to go home is the prayer of all prisoners who suffer the indignity of confinement. A Sonshine friend has persevered in the hope that his appeal would win back his freedom. However, to the shock of his parents and friends, his appeal was denied.

I wanted to let this young man know that his family and friends cannot even imagine his disappointment and frustration. However, he will never be forgotten and we would never give up the fight to bring him home. So, I decided to take the five-hour trip to the prison near Saranac Lake to offer our support and friendship. Once again, I called upon the hospitality of St. Bernard’s Parish and found Fr. Mark the new pastor to be a generous host. He informed me that a new chaplain has been appointed to the prison and that this young priest would be attending a gathering in the rectory when I arrive.

As I pulled into the rectory parking lot, I received a phone call from our inmate’s mom that he had literally just hung up on his mother. She managed to tell him that a visitor was coming from Rochester to see him and this sent him into a rage in which he told his mother that he never wanted to see anyone and hung up the phone. “I don’t know what to tell you,” this mom cried.

Yes, there are times no words can express our darkness and despair. A justice process that has failed to show him mercy outraged this young man. Despite the diligent efforts of his appeal attorney, he would be confined for many years with no hope of an early release. The reality of this decision was sinking in and he just wanted to be left alone. I’m not turning back I say to this mother and I told myself I will humbly go to visit him in the morning and let God take care of the rest.

That evening, I met our new young chaplain and shared the story of our young inmate. We exchanged contact numbers and told him that this young man is loved very much by his family and friends and would he please bring that message to his cell from us.

At 7am, I am signed-in at the prison’s visitor shelter waiting to be called in for the visit. A bus from New York City pulls in with a dozen women and children who had come to visit their fathers and dads. The visiting room was like a childcare center with babies crying and kids running around the room with their toys. Finally, my number was called and I marched through a series of locked gates. The guards were pleasant and greeted me kindly. I was escorted to a table in the back to wait for our young friend. A few minutes went by and I noticed the guard walking in my directions. His only words, “The inmate has refused to see any visitors.” As I was escorted out the door. I was not shocked or angry, just sad to not be able to tell him that I love him. I heard a guard whisper under his breath to his colleagues that I had come all the way from Rochester.

Someone shared with me over the weekend that I had actually given this young man a wonderful gift. They were aware that prisoners have no rights and must do as they are told everyday throughout their sentence. The only thing they have in their control is the ability to say “No” to a visit. It offered some dignity to the person who has suffered so much indignity. If this was God’s will for me to make this drive to show him that his parents and friends love him then “let it be done according to your will Lord.” I do not understand and neither do his parents why their son must endure such a painful sentence. We struggle to understated why God has allowed this man to suffer this indignity. His parents ask your prayers to give them wisdom on what their next steps should be to help release their son.

As I drove home, I allowed God to speak to my broken heart through nature. I took a series of photos that I hope would offer inspiration and solace to the heaviness I carried home. At this precise moment, I recall these words from the cross: “My God, My God why have you abandoned me.” Even Our Lord had his moments.

With faith that leads to courage, let us pray for one another when we are confronted by an experience that makes no sense. When we feel that our prayers have fallen on deaf ears. When I was taking photos on the way home, I felt that God was trying to help me to heal and ask that you take a deep look into this journey home that became a true healing experience for me. I love this verse that beautifully expresses what God wants us to do in moments of despair.

Jesus watches over us as we reflect: “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.” (Isaiah 54:7).

Lord, I promise to pray for all my Sunshine Friends who feel abandoned in their trials. May the compassionate hand of God take us by the shoulders and allow our tears to fall so that hope and courage may take hold and bring us back to you.

May the Dear Lord Bless You

It was mommy’s birthday and the kids found a birthday cake with her favorite crème icing. This mom had reason to be grateful. A routine medical checkup found cancer that is being treated and a follow-up procedure hopes to keep this miserable disease in remission. However, she was anxious about her mother who was taken to the hospital on her birthday. Later in the day, she learned that the kid’s grandma‘s cancer had returned with a vengeance.

Grandma told her daughter to take the grandkids to Disney World and enjoy a few days in the sun and not to worry. At my suggestion, mom skipped mouseland and we took her kids on a thrilling airboat ride into Alligator Cove in Florida. The kids got to see Florida no one ever sees anymore. There were gators, eagles, “I-bends” better known as egrets, and real cows grazing in the marshes.

As all moms do, she mustered the courage to let her kids celebrate her birthday despite her fears about their grandmom. We held hands around the table and prayed to Jesus to take care of grandma. You could see the tired and worried look on her face. Then her beautiful children sang Happy Birthday. Suddenly after the last refrain, I believe an angel entered the room and whispered this message into the heart of her son when he immediately popped up and said that there’s a second verse to Happy Birthday. A little stunned, we sat in silence and awe as this choir boy on earth sang these sweet words: “May the dear Lord bless you, May the dear Lord bless you mommy! May the dear Lord bless you.”

His words pierced an anxious and aching heart. His tender voice and healing message was like a soothing balm for a troubled soul. Needless to say, mommy reached over the table and gave her son a hug, then she squeezed her daughter and I could see her holding back a tear. I can only imagine that her birthday wish was an urgent plea to God to save her dear mom and keep their grandma safe.

There are moments when no words can express the sorrow and pain. We look for answers but we shed only tears. This “little one” was blessed with a sacred revelation. His song came from the heart of Jesus. A sign that God indeed hears our desperate prayers. I can still hear his sweet voice as he sang with all his heart to his mommy these words: “May the dear Lord bless you.”

Jesus watches over us as we reflect: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelations 21: 4-5).

Lord, I promise to pray for all my Sonshine Friends who feel the shroud of death and despair. Help us to surrender our fear and allow the voice of Jesus to pierce our darkness with words of courage and hope that he indeed will make all things new. May the Dear Lord Bless You!