God Moment Movement

 

A once in a generation blizzard slammed into Buffalo, New York that sadly left many people without electricity in the cold and worse a few people were unable to get home and died. Despite the efforts of our heroic first responders, the blinding snow storm prevented finding people stranded in the storm to save their lives. I had been deployed to help utility workers who found the dead in their cars while repairing the down power lines to restore electricity to homes.

 

Then again there are many stories like Jay who recused people in the storm. He found an empty school that he broke into and brought the stranded survivors inside out of the cold. These survivors bunked on the floor and cooked cafeteria food until they were able to leave the school in safety leaving a note of thanks.

 

For 72 hours, I looked outside the windows of our farm and watched the 60 mile per hour plus winds toss the trees like twigs. Then on Christmas Day, while I was Zooming Mass from my study, we got over a foot of snow dumped on the farm. Not the 70 plus inches at the Buffalo airport, but at the end of the storm we had a new landmark, a large locust tree had been uprooted and it was lying over the driveway hung up on the trees. Thank God there were no electrical wires down or caught up in this tree, but this poised a danger for anyone driving to our home and the tree needed to be brought down. But who was I going to call for help?

 

John was my guardian angel. A retired teacher and expert forester, he checked out the location of the tree and call backed that he had a friend in Elma who cuts trees. My forester feared that we would not be able to save the serviceberry tree at the end of the driveway located near the 40 foot tall locust. He then introduced me to Patrick, whose truck had the sign printed “Timbercat.”  He was the expert.  He started to cut the locust from the bottom, a section at a time, so that the tree stood straight and did not roll to the side. John and Patrick huddled together to share their ideas how to fell the tree without damaging the serviceberry. I offered my two cents, and to my surprise they agreed it made sense to pull in the opposite direction to keep the giant locust from falling on the fragile serviceberry. 

 

 

At one point, John shared that Patrick was a widower after his wife had died a few years ago in her forties to a rare form of cancer. As Patrick was preparing to lasso the tree with his rope and tie down to his truck, I shared my sympathy and prayers. Patrick appreciated the support and shared a message he received from his uncle. His uncle told him that what helps us get through the difficult moments of life are the positive connections you make. That was a God moment. In his moment of agony with the lost of his beloved spouse, he was told that he was not alone and he had friends who would be there for him. 

 

 

2022 has had its share of pain and tragedies, Buffalo with its TOPS shootings, the blizzard of a generation that left many families grieving, and now I met a tree cutter who shared his lost but came to my rescue to make our land safe. In 2023, think about this. When was the last time you praised God for anything? In 2023, let our focus be on praising God for all those moments we have taken for granted. 

 

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that we learn to stay in the moment and ponder where God is calling you to be and do in 2023. By the way, the serviceberry tree still stands tall with no damage. Patrick did a great job in falling the tree away from the serviceberry. Now our driveway is safe, our serviceberry will grow for generations. “Praise God’ for all His goodness.”

 

 

 

Lifeline Doesn't Work With Metal Roofs

 

I ordered Lifeline for Maggie, my next door neighbor, after her recent fall.  We found her alive on the kitchen floor. A true miracle after lying on the floor for several days. Taken to the hospital, diagnosed with low sodium, she was later transferred to a rehab center and discharged back home. It seemed a practical idea to order Lifeline to call for help if she fell again.

 

I read the instructions and plugged the unit into the wall and waited until a voice announced “we received your message, please wait.” So we wait a minute, then five, another five. What gives? If someone fell, I would assume they would get a response immediately. I call customer service and told that ‘their lines are busy.”

 

Seems odd that if you fell you would expect an immediate response. The customer service agent asked: “ Are there any bars showing on the back of the unit.” This is the signal that the unit is connected to the cell towers. After a few minutes, two green bars appear. The agent says that’s good but makes the comment the signal is weak, trying plugging the unit near a window. Once again, I find an outlet near a window, point the unit north out the window and no “green bars.” The agent suggests try another window, this time the unit is facing East and after a few minutes two green bars show up. Now the chaos begins.

 

While I am on my cell phone with customer service, I am getting calls from the Bethany fire chief, at the same time my wife calls to say that she got a call from 911 that there is an emergency and the ambulance is being deployed. WHAT’S GOING ON!!!

 

The agent has no clue, but I contact 911 to say we are only testing the Lifeline unit and there is no emergency. The ambulance is called back, but there is a knock at the front door and it is a volunteer fireman responding to the emergency call. We assure the young man that Maggie is fine, but the Lifeline unit is “sick.”

 

I shared what happened with the Lifeline agent and they have “no clue” what happened and suggested to wait five minutes and she would call for a reset on the unit. Then she asked, “does the house have a metal roof?” Why yes. Maggie’s roof was leaking 10 years ago, she had no money, and I found an agricultural grant to replace her leaking roof with a 50 year metal roof. The agent reports, “ATT signals do not work in a house with a metal roof.” Does she have a land line and the answer is no. She uses cell service to save money. The solution, send the unit back to Lifeline for a refund.

 

It's good to know that when you need God, your prayers will be answered despite whatever material you have on your roof, even a metal roof.

 

Lord,. I pray for all my Sonshine Friends to keep them safe. If they can’t use Lifeline where they live, I pray they have good neighbors to check on them to make sure they are safe. Maggie’s sister promised to call her daily to check and she has my number to call anytime for an emergency. However, if you know a solution, please contact me.

 

 

Chrsitmas Card Delayed

 

Instead of fretting about what to get for your relatives and friends, I took on a different strategy. I put a blank white envelop inside the Christmas tree and the message I wrote to my wife Susan was this. In her name, I made donations to Volunteers4Animals where she volunteers and another donation to the Domincan nuns in Girard, Illinois who relocated from Elmira, New York. I asked the sisters to mail Christmas cards to all my Sonshine friends designed by one of their creative, artistic sisters. However, I received the following letters yesterday.

 

Dominican Nuns

Monastery of Mary the Queen

15635 Greenridge Road

Girard, IL 62640-7030

 

Dear Friends,

As we worked toward the big move of all our belongs to Girard, IL, it seemed reasonable that we could set up Sr. Grace’s equipment quite quickly once we arrived. She has been taking orders and filling them promptly before we moved and it seemed that she could just continue that efficiency once we arrived. And that is why we sent out this flyer.

But things did not work out as we had planned. Sister Mary Grace had a bad fall and has several fractures. She is bedridden at this time but we know that she will improve and with time and again be able to produce the cards as ordered.

But now it is obvious that she cannot accomplish the task of filling your order before Christmas. As soon as she is up and around again she will make the cards that you have ordered and we will get them to you as soon as we can. We have kept careful records so we can just hold your order until we are up and running again.

We are grateful for your response to this flyer and feel badly that our plans fell through. But we do intend to serve you better in the future. As soon as possible we will train another Sister to produce the cards that Sr. M. Grace paints. And this will facilitate the process. Please know that we do keep you and your intentions in our prayers.

Gratefully yours in Jesus and Mary, Sister Anna Marie,

Choose Your Battles Wisely

 

We don’t use the word meek too often nowadays. The only time I heard this word when I was growing up—other than in the Beatitudes (“Blessed are the meek”)—was in the Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy introduces herself to Oz, the great and powerful, as “Dorothy, the small and meek.” Naturally, I grew up thinking that to be meek was to be the opposite of powerful: weak and powerless.   In Scripture, meekness is not weakness and has no affinity for cowards. Rather, it is a quiet strength acquired through self-discipline. If meekness were an NHL hockey player, it would receive the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy—an award bestowed upon the player who combines sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct with excellence in the game. Among NHL greats who have won this trophy are Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Pavel Datsyuk, Alex Delvecchio, and Mike Bossy—and if you know anything about any of those players, you wouldn’t dare call them weak. However, they did indeed embody the scriptural characteristic of meekness in their approach to the game. They could take a hit, even a dirty one, and just keep on playing the game instead of retaliating and ending up in the penalty box along with the goon that roughed them up in the first place.   Unfortunately, since Jesus is described in the Gospels (Matthew 21:5) as being meek, we often wrongly see him characterized in art as looking weak. Not just weak, he too often looks like a wimp. But Jesus was certainly no wimp. As a carpenter, he would be the equivalent of a modern-day construction worker, hard hat and all. When he called himself the Good Shepherd, we need to recall that a shepherd was the equivalent of a cowboy. Jesus stood toe-to-toe with the most powerful men in society and never backed down. Even as he faced the abuse and taunts of his executioners, he did not cower, nor did he strike back. Rather, he absorbed their most ferocious blows, patiently trusting that God had something greater planned for him.   Smart hockey players will tell you that the best way to give payback for a cheap hit is to score a goal and win the game rather than respond with a cheap shot of your own. This type of meekness—disciplined, harnessed strength—allows one to strive for something greater instead of settling for a petty response. One who remains meek is able to see and think clearly and, as a result, is able to reach for higher things. Meekness is at the heart of the saying, “Choose your battles wisely.” Because of Emmanuel—God-with-us—we are able to absorb the blows that life and those in our lives send our way, knowing that we have a greater weapon and a greater goal in life.   Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who should be awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. Give them the strength to absorb the blows of life filled with the meekness that allows them to trust that Gods has great plans for their faith and courage.

Christmas Story

I have been asked by Bishop Mack to preach the Christmas homily on Christmas at the cathedral. In reviewing hundreds of online stories, I want you to notice that the story about the birth of Jesus is for children, not for adults.

Jesus said, “Unless you become a little child, you’ll never know what it’s all about.” On Christmas morning, I’m going to tell three true stories and then a small conclusion, because you cannot explain the gospel. We always look for explanations. The Bible is different: stories, just simple little stories. Jesus never explains anything. He says proverbs and stories. He entices the imagination. No explanations are necessary. In stories, you accept the story. And the truth is not in explaining the story, it is receiving the story into your own heart.

Here is a glimpse of one of my stories.

Grandma taught her little grandson everything about Christmas. However, his big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus, even dummies know that!"

Grandma was not the gushy kind, so he fled to her that day because he knew she would be straight with him. He knew Grandma always told the truth.

"No Santa Claus!" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad. Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

She drove to Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything, like Vidler’s in East Aurora. Grandma handed him ten dollars. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

He had no clue what to do, when suddenly he thought of Bobbie. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in class. Bobbie didn't have a coat. He would buy Bobbie a coat.

The lady cashier looked at the coat, the money, and me. "Is this a Christmas present for someone?" she asked kindly. "Yes," I replied shyly. "It's ... for Bobbie. He's in my class, and he doesn't have a coat." The nice lady smiled at me. He didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag and wished him a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped him wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons, and write, "To Bobbie, From Santa Claus" on it ... and we drove over to Bobbie’s house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santa's helpers. Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk.

Suddenly, Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his doorbell twice and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobbie. He looked down, looked around, picked up his present, took it inside and closed the door.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my grandma, in Bobbie bushes. That night, he realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: Ridiculous!

Santa was alive and well ... and we were on his team!

My stories are Christmas stories, but they’re only for children, not for adults, and if you want to understand them, you must become a child.

For Jesus says, “Unless you become a little child, you’ll never, never know what the love of the Kingdom is all about.”

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that they know deep in their hearts that You hear their every prayer and come into their hearts to bring us all peace and joy. Blessed Christmas Everyone. Fr. Matt

 

 

 

 

The Call of Advent is Not to Give Up

 

Sadly, when we went to visit friends in Nashua, New Hampshire, Tim a retired geriatric doctor whom I met 35 years ago working on the geriatric team shared that he has been diagnosed with bladder cancer. He wanted to tell us in person and not in a text or over the phone. He shared that there is a family history of cancer in his family. His aunt was diagnosed with the same cancer and she is a cancer survivor for seven years. He is now waiting for the tests results to see if they got all the cancer cells but knows further treatment will begin in January.

As you drive around and hear Christmas songs on the radio and see decorations everywhere. Hearing about the struggles of friends only heightens the emotion and pain. Maybe that’s an idealized thing from our childhoods that makes us want to lodge a complaint somewhere with the Lord reminding Him that this is supposed to be a “sadness-free” zone this close to His Birthday. It’s a difficult lesson in life to come to realize that whether it’s the Christmas season or not… whether you’re the most devout of believers or not – the reality that “life happens” that bad things happen to all people, good, bad, somewhere in between… is just that. It’s a reality we have to acknowledge. And it’s a reality that, in short, sucks.

Jesus – it’s not supposed to be this hard, this difficult….

Jesus it’s hard to believe in you when all these terrible things are happening around us – or when rough things are happening to my best friend Tim, your friends, your relatives – to me…

John the Baptist was in a desperate situation, imprisoned and Jesus speaks into his darkness… Not just to give him a hang in there buddy pep talk – but to speak faith-filled words that will renew John’s hope. And what an amazingly beautiful, hope filled response. No parables. No dodging. Jesus says : Go tell John what you hear and see – the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.”

Jesus reminds John and to all who will listen how the world is changing. God has come, and remains with us. Emmanuel – God is with us. John might not feel it at that moment… and here’s the thing, we might not either from time to time when we know so many who are suffering, or are in pain, or are feeling lost, or feeling without hope. There are still evil forces to contend with.

Yet the good news is that those aren’t the end of any of our stories. As messed up, as painful as that dark night you are going through might be… As terrible or scared or afraid as we might be… The call of Advent is to not give up.   We cry out “Come Lord Jesus”… whose coming is putting the forces of evil on notice that it’s reign is coming to an end.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are facing painful and dark nights. May we find hope and courage in your words to John: ”the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.” And the call of Advent is not to give up. I’m happy to report that my friend Tim received good news that he is cancer free. Praise God.

 

 

Thanksgiving Prayer

 

Good and gracious God, we give You thanks today, for the gift of creation and the gift of life. We ask You to bless this food, that it may nourish us and sustain us, and strengthen our ability to do Your will. We pray in thanksgiving for all the hands involved in bringing it to our table. You tell us, Lord, that to whom much is given, much is expected. May this meal and the fellowship we enjoy not only serve as clear reminders of Your love of us, but of Your call for us to share Your love and to serve our brothers and sisters, especially those most in need. And bless all my Sonshine Friends, keep them in good health and close to your heart always. We ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Blessings on your Thanksgiving table. Fr. Matt

Healing a Wounded Committee

 

 

On my recent visitation with the bishop to Divine Mercy parish, we met with the parish committee for a listening session. We were looking to affirm the miraculous growth of this dynamic Hispanic faith community. Sadly, we heard voices that suggested that there was turmoil for some members   who shared their hurt by volunteers who displayed an attitude of superiority. Their pastor pleaded for a solution fearful that this would severely divide the community. After prayerful reflection, I shared the following story at my Sunday services.

 

Looking out at the congregation, I spotted a young girl and asked her what did she dress up as for Halloween. A vampire was her reply. She got lots of treats and I shared that my favorite treat would have been a Reese’s peanut butter cup.

 

Part chocolate my favorite and part peanut butter, not so much. Give me the chocolate and you can keep the peanut butter. One of my favorite gospels is when Jesus teaches about the mustard seed. If you have faith the size of a mustard seed you’ve be amazed at what you can do.  Just need a little faith, yet we struggle to believe. This always reminds me of God’s great power, yet we struggle to believe. the size of a mustard seed, makes me think about David.

 

He was a little guy, not fully full grown, doubted by everybody, including his father and King Saul. Yet David had faith the size of a mustard seed. He knew that he could slay Goliath, the big giant. He put on the armor, nearly swallowed him whole. A grown man’s weapons on a little body. Picked up five smooth small stones, sling shot and walked bravely into the valley against that bully Goliath. A one-man weapon of mass destruction, against an enemy of God.

 

David had faith the size of a mustard seed. Boomed, down goes Goliath. That’s a personal favorite. But then in the gospel there’s this peanut butter part. Not so favorite. Jesus says when you’re doing the will of God, serving people, loving God, bringing justice, bringing peace, “do not looked to be thanked, or even recognized.” Hear these challenging words.

 

When you have done all that is commanded of you. You say, we are unworthy servants, we only done what was our duty. Just doing our duty. I got to admit I’m not all that crazy about that. I don’t mind doing my duty part, but being honest I liked to be thanked or at least acknowledged. Do you ever give somebody a gift and they failed to acknowledge it. And they never say thank you. Not very satisfying is it. I go where my gifts will be appreciated or wanted. But these words of Jesus, we are unworthy servants, we only done what is our duty make me think about Andrew.

 

He should be the patron saint of anonymous service. St. Andrew. poor old Andrew, when Peter James and John are called into ministry Andrew was there. He’s Peter’s brother for heaven’s sake. Don’t get any closer to Jesus than that. In fact, he’s the one who told Peter about Jesus and brought him to him the first time. You start following him in the gospels, you hear a tad about him in the beginning but not much after that.

 

Jesus does a special healing and He takes Peter, James and John with him, why not Andrew. He goes into the garden. Peter, James and John go with him. Why is Andrew not invited. Jesus goes up into the mountain to pray, Peter, James and John go and he’s transfigured before them with Elijah and Moses. Holy cow, what a day! The clouds open and God speaks and they see the glory of God and I got to wonder, where’s Andrew? Why didn’t he get included? Again, not there. You think Peter’s brother who introduced him to Jesus would be included, but no. You don’t hear much about Andrew after he introduced Peter to Jesus.

 

Evidently Andrew goes quietly following Jesus without recognition, or special treatment. Quiet, faithful, almost anonymous.

 

Think about it. Some of the most remarkable people in your life. in your parish are just like that. Stuff just gets done and nobody knows who did it. The donuts and bagels got delivered, the church just got cleaned up, the dishes and floors got washed, the bills got paid, the back wall of the sanctuary got painted with the image of Divine Mercy.

 

What do you do that nobody knows about? Are you faithful in the little things when no one is paying attention. Are you good at serving and doing things without recognition, no plague, no banquet, no titles, no special committee. Andrew understood that “we all serve an audience of one.” He was good about it, he went on to preach the gospel and remain faithful all the way to the end. These are tough words, only doing our duty. Expect no gratitude, expect no praise, expect no recognition, only done what is our duty. That’s the thing about Reese’s cups, Like the chocolate, got to have the peanut butter too.

We met your parish committee. A dedicated and passionate group of parishioners who serve on your parish and the bishop and I learned that they were feeling hurt by the lack of respect. The goal is to be a united parish but sometimes like in all our families we say or do stupid things that really hurt. How do we restore respect? How do we make the changes necessary to get back up after we feel someone has torn us down.

 

How many heard from their doctor that they needed to lose a little weight to stay healthy. (Bunches of hands go up). The process is to find a plan that you are comfortable with and you will follow so you choose Weight Watchers. Sounds like a plan but how many times do we fail? Because there is a third step that’s missing. We have to identify with the belief that will help us achieve our outcome. For example, “I have to think like a thin person.” They eat less often and choose to eat healthy food.

 

Your parish committee volunteers need to be united and the process is a willingness to listen to one another without judgement. You are blessed because the bishop and I recognized your volunteer committee members are blessed with many talents. However, their third step is to identify with the belief “to put on the mind and heart of Jesus.” Like Jesus they need to forgive those who have hurt them and they need to forgive themselves for being judgmental. Next, their goal of being united requires patience. Changing our attitude takes time, healing from the past hurts requires time. Finally, the mind and heart of Jesus requires perseverance. Jesus never gives up on us and as a committee they need your prayers for perseverance to be like the disciple Andrew who quietly went about his work helping people meet Jesus and bringing God’s love, peace and justice. 

 

Only doing our duty. Expect no gratitude, expect no praise, expect no recognition, only doing what is our duty. That’s the thing about Reese’s cups, Like the chocolate, got to have the peanut butter too.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who like Saint Andrew do many acts of kindness for family and friends without praise or recognition. Allow me to say “Thank You” for all their deeds that go unnoticed.

 

 

Persistence

 

You just got to love the widow in the gospel. Maybe you know someone just like her. I hope so. She has a legal dispute and she knows she’s right just waiting on the judge to rule in he favor. So she persists. She keeps showing up. She keeps knocking at the door until her knuckles are bleeding, pleading with the judge to vindicate me. The persistent widow we don’t even know her name.

That’s all we remember her for persistence. And her persistence pays off for eventually the judge says she’s going to wear him out with her continual coming and knocking and pleading and begging—"all right lady you win!"

Jesus says how much more will God vindicate those of us who persistently cry to Him day and night.

Persist now there’s a word. In spite of opposition, we endure, we tenaciously persist.

When my next door neighbor Maggie was brought to the rehab center, they told her that she was 100% dependent and that she would have to sell her home and live permanently in the assisted living facility..

However, when I asked Maggie what she wanted, she shouted back, “she wants to die in her home.”

Well that means Maggie you would have to put more effort into your rehab and physical therapy and quick complaining about the exercises.

Two weeks ago at a a family meeting, the nurses said she was still 100% dependent and she most likely plateau. I told them she’s motivated to come home and she needs to persevere on regaining her strength and stability.

Then last Friday, I get a call from the social worker who shared: “Maggie is 100% independent and most likely she return home in a couple of weeks with minimal services.

“How did that happen?” She said "you’re the boss, it was probably something you said to her that motivated her to improve her mood and get moving again.”

I don’t take the credit, rather I am delighted to hear that Medicaid will not be taking her home and that with support she will eventually be coming home.

That’s the meaning of persistence.

Getting out of bed when you’d rather sleep in and be left alone. Grab that walker, push those legs, take one step at a time, lift those ankles. Daily physical therapy from 9 in the morning until 12 noon. 3 hours a day for the past 2 months. Now she walks without a wobble, steady as she goes, no learning backwards, moves from bed to chair to bathroom without any fear of falling. "You go for it girl!"

Persist. It’s such a great word.

It applies to every area of your life. Even when you’re discouraged, don’t let discouragement possess you.

Discouragement is a devil that needs to be driven from our lives with inspiration. Find inspiration, drink from those waters each day. Like a cranky old retired priest telling you that you can do better, quit whining even when you don’t feel like it. Sure, you’ll get discouraged, just don’t stay discouraged.

Reset if you need to, take a break by all means but then press on. God has something in mind for your life, a reason He has made you, so that you might do it.

It may be small, it may be large, but it’s yours. Don’t leave your part undone. If you don’t do your part it goes undone.

Persevere. Persist. When people criticize you. Persist. When your inner critic tries to make you feel like you’re unworthy. You may be able to do very little that’s okay.

Persist in doing the little thing that you can do. There’s great satisfaction in  persistence. Nothing significant in life can be accomplished without it.

In other words, press on…

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who easily get discouraged, don’t let them stop them doing the little things today that will make a big difference in the future. With the strength of the Lord, press on…

Jesus Wants Your Heart

 

Ok I am going to warn you. Brace yourselves. More than half of Jesus teachings are about money. I can see your eyes roll from here. The church always talks about money. Father so and so only cares about money. All they want is money why they talk about money so much we should talk about something more spiritual. 

Hear me again, over half of Jesus teachings are about money and about two-thirds maybe three-quarters depending on how you count of Jesus’s parables have something to do with money.

Why does Jesus talk so much about money. And a better question I think really its why does talking about money make you and me so uncomfortable. In fact I have zero doubt that if you asked people what’s the subject you want to hear least about at church the answer unanimously would be money. I know I served for over 45 years years, I heard the sighs, I seen the crossed folded arms, I encountered the resistance of rolling eyes, shrugs and frown faces. If it’s the subject that makes us most nervous, most anxious, most resistant and yet Jesus continues to insist on bringing it up. Maybe, just maybe, he knows something. Maybe Jesus realizes that the greatest competition He has for our hearts is our stuff. The greatest competition that God faces for your heart isn’t Satan it’s money. Maybe Jesus knows that if you are not careful and I can grow so attached to things and money and possessions that we become detached from Him.

So hear me, Jesus doesn’t want your money, He wants your heart and He makes it clear that money is a spiritual issue. Why? Because your heart follows your money. You think it’s the other way around that your money follows your heart. But no, your hearts follows your money. let me sharer this cute story. 

At 15, when his family moved to Florida a young man discovered something fantastic, girls. God’s best work, Wow! He began to do extensive study on guys who got girls and he realized that they all had a car. He didn’t have a car. So he went to ask his dad who said, you better have a plan because I’m not paying for your car. So he got a job selling tennis shoes at a sporting goods store and saved his $3.35 an hour pay that he was earning. He began to save and scout out the car and found just the right car, a beautiful Volkswagon rabbit and it only had 300,000 miles on it. He was $500 short, so he went to his grandmother who first was going to loan him the money but then decided to give it to him with one stipulation that he make her a promise that anytime he ride in a car he would wear his seatbelt. So he made the promise. 

He loved that car. He started getting up every Saturday morning before he went to work and at 6:30 in the morning washed that car in the driveway, he would turtle wax clockwise, and he get Armorall and spray the dashboard, he gets Windex for the windshield. He couldn’t get enough of that car. Pretty soon, he couldn’t wait to get up in the morning and spend time with his car. All his energy, all his attention was on his car. Why because he had sucked very single penny in the universe in that car. 

Your heart follows your money. That’s why Jesus says in this gospel you can’t serve two masters. You can’t serve God and mammon. Mammon is a fancy word for stuff. You will either hate one or love the other.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who realize that Jesus doesn’t want your money, He wants to capture your heart.
 

What Can I do?

 

Yesterday, I was invited by Fr. Nadeem to return to Holy Family in North Java for their annual outdoor picnic and preach a children’s Mass. Drizzle, windy and a cool breeze made sense to change plans and celebrate Mass in church. But there were no children.

The gospel story was about the Good Samaritan and I was going to share the story about  a kind stranger who rescued a poor victim of violence by offering him water and comfort. I had brought bandages to pass out to the kids. We use bandages to heal the hurt we get when we bruise or scrap ourselves. Sometimes our hurts come from inside our hearts when people have said or done mean things to us. But with no kids in church, i looked at all our parishioners in the pews that morning and shared that there is another hurt that gives us a lot of pain. It comes in the form of a question that many grandparents have on their minds. “I am worried about my grandchildren. They don’t go to Mass. What can I do?

Yes, your adult children are all just so busy. They work. Their grandchildren play soccer, and spend lots of time on their computers and phones. They are all so busy doing so many things. And they tell me they just don’t have time to go to Mass. We’re worried. We don’t think our daughter and her husband are interested in Catholicism at all. And they are not teaching our grandchildren anything about it.”

As grandparents we feel the pain and ask ourselves, “Is it our fault? Did we do something wrong? We tried really hard, and now they don’t go to Mass at all. And our grandchildren are getting nothing. We’re worried. Our children are grown now and have lost some or all interest in the Church.

Then as grandparents we ask, “What can I do about it?”

You’re asking the right question.” What can I do about it? Is this your question? Are you worried about your grandchildren?  Are you concerned their future will not include the Catholic faith, or any faith at all? Does it pain you to see all the obstacles the world places in the path of your grand- child and the Church?

I have good news for you. That pain you are feeling is a gift from God. You can use it for good. It’s a gift. In fact, it’s a vocation. God made you to be a grandparent. If you are a new grandparent, God is giving you a new vocation. If you are a seasoned grandparent, God invites you to get really clear on what your role means and why He gave you this vocation in the first place.

Don’t waste your pain. If you are feeling that pain as you watch your grandchildren growing up separated from the Catholic Church, please know it is sending an important message. If it hurts you to watch our culture growing ever more toxic, please know that pain is good. Yes, it is a good thing that it’s painful. That pain in your soul exists because there is a lot at stake.

What is your pain telling you? First, it is God getting your attention. C. S. Lewis used to say that pain is God’s megaphone to get our attention in the middle of all the noise of our lives. God whispers to us in our pleasures. He shouts to us in our pain.

Second, that pain means you have a choice: to do something or to do nothing. God is nudging you. He is calling you through that uncomfortable pain in your soul. He is inviting you out of the pain and into something deeper and truer. Trust Him.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are parents and grandparents and know that  God can bring purpose out of the pain we are feeling. God hopes to use that pain to do significant things in our life and in the lives of the people around you. God is nudging you forward. He is calling you into action. You have a role to play.

The Place Where Anegels Can Strengthen Us

 

That’s one of the lessons of Gethsemane. It’s only after the deserts of loneliness, duty, and helplessness have done their work in Jesus that “an angel from heaven came and ministered to him.” A unique thing can happen to us when we are overwhelmed. When the burden of self-sacrifice prostrates us in weakness and leaves us sweating blood, it’s then that God’s strength can flow into us most deeply. Many people have experienced this.
Because of his strengthening Jesus brings a certain divine energy, he is indeed more ready than any athlete.Jesus gets up off the ground and walks with courage to face the ordeal that awaits him.

There’s a story about Martin Luther King who recounts his own Agony in the Garden and the angel that came to strengthen him:
“One night toward the end of January, I settled into bed late, after a strenuous day. Coretta had already fallen asleep and just as I was about to doze off the telephone rang. An angry voice said, ‘Listen, nigger, we’ve taken all we want from you, before next week you’ll be sorry you ever came to Montgomery.’ I hang up, but I couldn’t sleep. It seemed that all of my fears had come down on me at once. I had reached a saturation point. I got out of bed and began to walk the floor. Finally I went to the kitchen and heated a pot of coffee. I was ready to give up. With my cup of coffee sitting untouched before me I tried to think of a way to move out of the picture without appearing a coward.

In this state of exhaustion, when my courage had all but gone, I decided to take my problem to God. With my head in my hands, I bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud. The words I spoke to God that midnight are still vivid in my memory:
 
I am here taking a stand for what I believe is right. But now I am afraid. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they too will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I’ve come to the point where I can’t face it alone.” At that moment I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced him before.”

God sends angels to strengthen us precisely when God finds us lying prostrate, sweating the blood of duty. Moreover that particular kind of sweat does something else for us as well. In the Gethsemane accounts we’re told that Jesus, right after being strengthened by an angel, gets up off the ground and walks with courage to face the ordeal that awaits him. His agony and the strengthening he receives within it, readied him for the pain that lay ahead. Indeed, at the time of Jesus, the word “agony” had a double sense: beyond its more obvious meaning, it also referred to a particular “readying” that an athlete would do just before entering the arena or stadium. The athlete would ready himself (in those days the athlete normally was a he) for the contest by working up a certain sweat (agony) with the idea that this exercise and the lather it produced would concentrate and make ready both his energies and muscles for the rigors that lay ahead. No athlete wants to enter the contest unprepared, unready.

The gospel writers want us to have this same image of Jesus as he leaves the Garden of Gethsemane: his agony has brought about a certain emotional, physical, and spiritual lather so that he is now readied: a focused athlete, properly prepared to enter the battle. Moreover, because of his strengthening he brings a certain divine energy, he is indeed more ready than any athlete.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that when our own strength gives out, when the pain of duty seems too much, when we lie prostrate in weakness and cringe before what truth, justice—and God—seem to be asking of us, when we’ve come to the point where, like Martin Luther King, we can no longer face it alone, we’re finally at that place where angels can minister to us and we’ve finally worked up the spiritual lather that has readied our souls and bodies for the Good Fridays that await us all.

Halo of Hatred

 

I have the humble privilege of serving as a spiritual mentor to a young man who would make a great priest. However, he fears saying “yes” to his vocation because his former Roman Catholic pastor threatens to excommunicate him if he chooses to be a Polish National Catholic priest.

 

In this Sunday’s gospel story, we learn about a house divided. Father against son, daughter against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law, you get the picture.

 

Not everyone will embrace the gospel. Not everyone believes in the same way. Not everyone will be included. Some will choose through their own violation. Not to embrace God. To reject His invitation.

 

Mary gives her yes. Herod gives his resounding no. Nicodemus, a religious leader, says yes. The other religious leaders make sure that Jesus is crucified and dies in the end.

 

This is the gospel. Some will reject it. Some will spin the gospel in a way that ridicules and excludes those who choose not to follow the traditions of the past. The path of love is not always easy to accept.

 

Look around your family, your faith community, your workplace. Some people are going to say yes and others will not.

 

What do you do when you say yes and the people around you don’t. It can be painful. What do you do? Four simple things.

 

Be kind, listen, love and invite. Be kind is not a sign of weaknes. It’s the fruit of the spirit. Kindness shows that you care deeply about the human beings around you. They also were made in the image of God like you. Be kind listen. Patience and gentleness are your friends. Where everybody talks or tweets, listening is a rare gift.

 

Giving someone your undivided attention demonstrates real love. Be kind, listen, love. Love God, love your neighbor. Love you enemies. Love God. Be kind, listen love and invite.

 

People who love even people who reject us. I told our young vocation that I love him and the invitation to serve God as a priest is filled with the “halo of hatred.” And by the way, I told him and all my Sonshine friends that I love you and there’s nothing you can do about it

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who have been hated, excluded, spat upon, blamed for everything, ridiculed, shamed and made expendable and worse told that they are excommunicated from the church. Remember, the invitation to follow Christ means to imitate the victim that sees Jesus as surrounded by the halo of hatred.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Love You and There's Nothing You Can Do About It

 

This Sunday’s Gospel is filled with warnings. Here are a few things Jesus says: “Be watchful.” Don’t know when He’s coming. Repent or perish.

 

The gospel is exclusive. It’s dangerous to say that in these days. Not a popular word. Exclusive. Your house will be divided, daughter against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law, you get the picture.

 

“Not everyone will embrace the gospel.” The gospel in the end is exclusive. Not everyone will be included. Some will choose through their own violation. Not to embrace God. To reject His invitation.

 

Mary gives her yes. Herod gives his resounding no. Nicodemus, a religious leader, says yes. The other religious leaders make sure that Jesus is crucified and dies in the end.

 

This is the gospel. Some will reject it. The path of love is not always easy to accept.

 

Look around your family, your faith community, your workplace. Some people are going to say yes and others will not.

 

What do you do when you say yes and the people around you don’t. It can be painful. What do you do? Four simple things.

 

Be kind, listen, love and invite. Be kind is not a sign of weakness. It’s the fruit of the spirit. Kindness shows that you care deeply about the human beings around you. They also were made in the image of God like you. Be kind, listen. Patience and gentleness are your friends. Where everybody talks or tweets, listening is a rare gift.

 

Giving someone you undivided attention demonstrates real love. Be kind, listen, love. Love God, love your neighbor. Love you enemies. Love God. Be kind, listen love and invite.

 

Some who listen and love. The invitation won’t be forgotten. I love you and there’s nothing you can do about it. Because in the end that’s who we are.  It may be rejected but it won’t be forgotten.

 

I say that because that’s we care. People who love. People who love even people who reject us. Oh, by the way, I love you and there’s nothing you can do about it.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who have been hated, excluded, spat upon, blamed for everything, ridiculed, shamed and made expendable. The invitation to follow Christ means to imitate the victim that sees Jesus as surrounded by the halo of hatred.

 

I Got Too Much Stuff

 

Appetite, The gospel story this Sunday was about appetite. Appetites are a great thing. The problem is how quickly they grow. No matter how much we add, we always typically want a little more. How much is enough. The answer is usually just a wee bit more. The evidence is all around us. Almost half of American families spend more than they earn. And the average American family carries $6000 of credit card debt. Look at our houses. Somebody says we probably need a little more room. Look at our garages, they look bigger than our houses use to be.

 

Our appetites grow and grow and never really realize that they are out of control until it’s too late. I got lots of stuff. The older I get the more stuff I get. When your parents pass away, we get some of their stuff. Your kids keep giving you stuff and your grandkids give you even more stuff. I’m not jealous about my stuff or jealous about your stuff. I’m not one of those guys who wants your stuff. I don’t need your stuff. I’m happy you have your stuff. I’m happy that you have even better stuff. Just keep your hands off of my stuff. This is my stuff. You got your own stuff.

 

One day I was thinking what would happen it a tree fell on my stuff. So I call my insurance agent to learn how much it would cost to protect my stuff. He said lots of money. He advised to take an inventory of my stuff. Write down everything you have so if something does happen we know what you have. You won’t tell us that you got something better.

 

Make an Excel spread sheet keep it on google dock. If you have an IPhone take pictures of all your stuff. Be sure you get the manufacturer and serial number so we know clearly what kind of stuff you got.

 

So I did all that, I got so much stuff. I look at my wife Sue and say, “we got too much stuff” and she says, “you know just when you get rid of it then you need it.”  

 

Then it came to me like a revelation from God. I can rent one of those self-storage units to store my extra stuff. Not my good stuff that stays in my house, but my OK stuff. My good stuff stays in my house, my OK stuff is in my mini storage and includes the seasonal stuff like easter bunny stuff and my Santa stuff. I don’t want to give away stuff, because it’s my stuff.

 

I got too much stuff. However, I’m not alone. I read in the United States that there are three billion square feet of mini storage. We love our stuff. Maybe that’s why Jesus talks about greed and money. He talks about money 20 time more than about sex and lust. In confession, I heard folks confess to things they done in life but never heard anyone says “I love stuff.”: Father what my problem is: “I love stuff way too much.” I think my problem is greed.

 

Greed is one deadly sin that nobody thinks they’re guilty of. Greed the inordinate desire for stuff, not wanting it but wanting it too much, excessive worry and concern about where to store it, let’s just think for a moment.

 

On one hand Jesus talks about greed twenty times more than he talks about sex and lust. On the other hand, none of us think that we are guilty of greed.,

 

So if Jesus talks about greed that much and none of us think we are guilt of greed, then maybe, He’s right. It’s the one sin that we probably are not aware of.

 

Why did Jesus come into our world, you were the one thing that he didn’t have. He gave up his glory, His glory to purchase you. You are more valuable to him than anything. Anything. He will do anything to purchase you. Anything for us.

 

I wonder if you ever realized that you are Jesus’ ultimate treasure. It’s a wonderful thought that I think melts your heart. It changes you on the inside. It changes everything about you and everything else becomes just stuff.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that we realize that we are Our Lord’s greatest treasure. With this revelation, may we be free to use our life and our stuff to help heal the world.