I Will Treat You As If You Have Never Been Away

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Abraham Lincoln was once asked how he was going to treat the rebellious southerners when they had finally been defeated and had returned to the Union of the United States. The questioner expected that Lincoln would seek vengeance, but he answered, 'I will treat them as if they had never been away.'"

This is just the way that God treats us: as if we had never been away. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, when the sons caused insult to their father, the father ignored the insults. The younger son's request includes the unspoken wish that his father would die soon. Then he sells his father's tradition down the river by feeding the swine. And how does the father respond? "While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, ran out to meet him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him." And then there is the refusal of the older son to come inside the house. And how does the father respond to this insult? Once again, "his father came out and began to plead with him." What a revelation Jesus is making about what God is like! God's love is unconditional.

This week, I responded to three trauma calls that included the suicide of a young adult, the drowning of a child and the death of a kindergarten student in need of a heart and lung transplant.

You might ask, where was the unconditional love of God to help these children? God’s love was present in the young coworker who felt something was wrong when her young friend did not come to work. She contacted 911 and through her tears learned that he had taken his life. He had suffered the death of his parents and his children and girlfriend had left him. In her tears, she shared memories of his humor and wonderful personality.  Then God was in the hospital room when the teachers came to say their good byes to their precious kindergarten student. It brought back memories to one staff whose sister had died from the same school. She shared how she and her mom would take her sister for walks at the mall to get a hot dog and see the dogs at the pet store. 

There is a painting by the Dutch artist Rembrandt called “The Prodigal Son.” As you view the painting, you notice the hands of the old father pressing his returning boy to his chest. God is here because you see forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, safety, rest and being at home.

Isn't that what we all yearn for, someplace where we can rest our weary heads? Someone who will take our cares upon themselves and give us peace? Someone who will forgive us our sins, no matter how grave they are, as long as we are truly repentant of them?

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, that the one image of God that we should carry through this Lenten season and with us for the rest of our lives is that of the loving, caring Father of the Prodigal Son. Let us bring our cares to Him and learn to "let go and let God".

Second Chance

The gospel story was a plea to give a plant ( the fig tree) another chance to grow fruit, despite the fact that it had not produce any fruit for three years. Jesus replied: “leave it for this year, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.”

In the retreat I taught this afternoon, I quoted the Dalai Lama as teaching that all people are a “masterpiece.” However, none of us are quite perfect and so in our journey of faith we may not produce the fruit that Jesus has in mind.

The fruit Jesus wants us to produce are compassion, empathy, forgiveness and generosity. However, there are obstacles to our growth which is why we fail to grow and worse sometimes come up barren.

So, like a good gardener, Our Lord gives us a “second chance.” The obstacles to joy in our life could be suffering and pain that we carry in our hearts. We cannot deny the hurts caused by injustice, poor decisions or selfishness. But instead of being paralyzed and failing to grow, we are asked to put on the mind and heart of Jesus and learn that it is through suffering that we become more compassionate, more generous, more a people who really care about others.

The secret to joy that is more than happiness is simply this. Put others ahead of you and let go of the anger and frustration that weigh you down. When you are focused on others, there is no room for self-pity or exhausting yourself with the stress found on your Twitter account.

I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that this Lent offers you the opportunity to be transformed into the masterpiece God sees in you. Let go of your stress and anxiety and concentrate your time, praying for others, lending a hand to a neighbor, or simply being grateful for all the wonderful people that God has given to you in this life. Spend a moment in silence and be humble and offer a prayer of gratitude for all the “gardeners” in your life who have given you a “second chance.”

When God Winks At You

Perhaps when you were little sitting at the dining room table and sharing a meal with your family, your grand-dad looked up at you and winked. It was his gesture that you were very special to him and that everything in life was going to be alright.

When Maggie’s hot water tank died, our Lutheran contractor installed the new tank that was a “Godwink” meaning everything was going to be alright. When the Office of the Aging petitioned the Ministry of Concern and they contributed $200 towards the purchase of the tank that was another “Godwink.” When Jana, the social worker called to share that Catholic Charities would donate $350 that was a “Godwink.” Then when Doug said that he would reach out to Angel Action for help, now we are praying for another “Godwink.”

Sadly, when I took Maggie to Social Security to apply for SSI, her claim was denied for the second time. She has two insurance policies and the government rules that you cannot have no more than $2,000 in your combined savings and insurance. 

After waiting two hours on the phone to speak with a Social Security agent, they sadly did not know how to help. When I called the local Batavia Social Security office, the agent was somewhat more helpful in looking up the rules but said she could not help me any longer because there were other people waiting on the phone. 

We are waiting for another “Godwink.” Someone who knows the Social Security SSI rules and would say in this case, “piece of cake.” We can help Maggie make her eligible to receive the funds she needs to pay for repairs, buy food and pay off her monthly loan for medical bills when she had cancer. You see “Godwinked” at her a decade ago so that her cancer is in remission.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who have the gifts, the potential, and the funds to be a “Godwink” to the “little ones” like Maggie in our world. God bless those people who make the time, find the means and walk the talk to bring your compassion and love to others. Now that’s a “Godwink.”

Positive Things to Do for Lent

Do you remember many Lents ago when your mother said: “Don’t forget to think about what you’re going to do for Lent, and make sure you do something positive, too.”

Of course, Lent is all about prayer, penance, and almsgiving. But, I’m convinced that’s never enough. Lent definitely is a time for repentance. Yet, it’s also a time for reaching out for God’s love and working with all our might to become better persons, better Christians.

Jesus taught his disciples what they should not do, but he also taught them what they should do, and that includes doing positive things that effect the spiritual growth of ourselves and others. And for this reason, I’ve reminded all the grownups in church this Lent to resolve daily to do at least a couple of positive things that will help them to grow in faith, hope, and charity and to facilitate that growth in others. I urged them to do things that would make them better people and the world around them a better place to live.

I’ve compiled a list of positive things you can do this Lent.

1. Resolve to perform one random act of kindness. Make coffee in the morning for your partner, hold a door open, let someone get in line first, refrain from cutting off the guy driving like a jerk in the car next to you, or do somebody’s else’s chore for them (and don’t ask for payback).

2. Eat well. Yes, we give up our favorite treats like chocolate or beer but…how about deciding to eat the foods that are good for you, even if you don’t like them?

3. Enlighten someone’s day. Send an uplifting thank you or get-well card, email, or phone a family member, friend, or acquaintance that shows you’re thinking about, and praying for them.

4. Don’t pray more, pray better. For most of us, it’s difficult to add more into our day. How about putting more into the prayer times you’ve already got in place? Light a candle, sit in a more attentive position, or change to a more secluded atmosphere so that you can really be alone and focused on God.

5. Go through your closets and select some clothes or toys to donate to the poor, a nursing home or children’s’ hospital.

6. Call up a neighbor and visit with them on the phone or better yet, take them a homemade treat like rhubarb pie, and spend some time with them in their home.

7.. Rise and shine. Get up 15 minutes earlier. Even if you’re dull and sleepy-headed, spend the time in God’s presence. Then go a step further and tell him how much you love him.

8. Spend at least one weekend or evening volunteering during Lent. Serve a meal at your local soup kitchen. Visit the elderly. Stock shelves at a food pantry.

9. Instead of going out every Friday during Lent to a different restaurant for a fish fry, stay home and cook a simple meatless or soup meal. Use the money you saved to go online and select a gift from the registry for Charlotte House.

10. Mark your calendar and attend your parish retreat. Holy Family invites you to attend our retreat on Sunday March 24 from 10am to 2pm. The theme is “How to Live a Joyful Life.”

As I placed ashes on foreheads, this was my blessing prayer: “So let us be marked not for sorrow, not for shame, not for false humility or for thinking we are less than we are but for claiming
what God can do within the dust, within the dirt, within the stuff of which the world is made. May Jesus create a clean heart in us, and put a new compassionate heart within us.” Psalm 51:10.

A Call to Action

Last Friday, Maggie, my neighbor, called to say that her hot water tank was not working. We roll our eyes and say: “Why me, Lord… I’m too busy, better yet, I’m no plumber.” But after that initial twinge of selfishness goes away, we move on to the next phase figuring out how to help someone Jesus describes as one of His “little ones.” 

I already knew the hot water tank was on its last leg. When I had Maggie’s home remodeled last year through a grant, I asked for a replacement of the tank but the director of the program said no. 

So, who do you call? For me, it’s my Lutheran builder, whose response was “we will be at her home on Tuesday and get it replaced.” Some people are willing to help and make no excuses.

Now my style was to contact the agencies who say that they are there to help our seniors. They go by various names: Community Action, US Rural Development, Pathstone, Ministry of Concern, Catholic Charities, Office of Aging. So, I drive Maggie to the Office of Aging where we meet Jana, a case worker, who explains that one director was meeting with another director to find out who can help. As per my style, I contacted three more agencies and let them know that Maggie needed their assistance and I was ready to help her fill out their forms. One agency shared that she had used them in the past and could not come back for a second helping. How sad to think our government sets limits on people in need.

After our visit to the Office of the Aging, I took Maggie for her eye exam and treated her to lunch. She had finished her julianne salad when I looked up and to my surprise she had taken her dentures out of her mouth. A tad embarrassed, she simply smiled back.

After our shopping trip, Maggie asked me to check her bath shower because there was no hot water. I taught her to let it run awhile until the water gets hot. We adjusted her shower head so that more warm water comes out. Later that day, Jana called to report that the Ministry of Concern would donate $200 towards the tank. We need $850, so I encouraged her to contact Community Action and ask Catholic Charities to help out.

You see, God loves our stories. He planted us on His good earth to die so that we might know eternal life and flowering into maturity by surrendering ourselves completely to God's Plan.  

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that we realize that each of us has the opportunity to make a unique contribution to the fulfillment of God's Grand Design. We are challenged to make our life story a story about helping God’s little ones like Maggie. May the story you are telling God with your life be a story of the "Good Life." God loves a "Good Life" story more than you can possibly imagine!