Internet of the Heart

My friend and his wife had to replace their refrigerator. They heard about the state rebate program-that would refund $250 if they bought a high efficiency refrigerator.

So they scouted the sales that’s saved a couple of hundred dollars off the machine if you bought refrigerator at the same time and then on Labor day weekend, would take another 15 percent off. The rebate would make the deal even sweeter.

They went to the website of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to complete the rebate application. NYSERDA was running a tab to show how much of the $3.5 million in rebates had been claimed as of that moment. Online, the application for the site would not open. The phone number set up to register applicants kicked immediately to voice mail. They left a message and got no response. The following day the application still would not open and the $3.5 million rebate had been used by other applicants.

My friends reached a live human being who had heard that people had trouble with the application online. He sent them a copy of the form and put them on a waiting list. In three days the money was all gone.

The couple was not happy about not getting the rebate, but the reality is that just about every business, every agency, every organization exists almost exclusively online. The intenet is an essential tool that we could not function without it. But it is also too convenient to distance ourselves from other human beings, to avoid contact and to blame failure on software glitches.

Some appliance buyers could open the oniine rebate application, but my friends could not. Breakdowns are routine. Websites can open the door to far more traffic then they can handle. And those who can’t get through are left to fume I the privacy of their homes or offices, pounding aimlessly on keyboards or touch screens that take them nowhere. Recently, both this blog and my website were down and I had no one to talk to about the problems.

I am sure you have had this sensation of being stymied somewhere in cyberspace, knowing for certain that there is no one to talk to, no way to prove how hard you have tried to get through.

In prayer, we have a direct line to a compassionate God who listens to all our concerns. There is no waiting, no busy signal, no endless prompts that take you nowhere but the pit of frustration. In your heart, you can immediately go to Our Lord and let Him inside your soul and share what’s on your mind, how you are doing and where you need wisdom and strength. The prayer line to heaven is open 24/7 with call forward. Perhaps our prayer application receives a message that our requests will not been granted. We sometimes do not like the news, but we know that we have made contact, that someone who loves us noticed and keeps us always in their mind and heart.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayers.” (Psalm 17:6).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are praying at this moment for their family and friends. May the Internet in our hearts remain open to all calls and, like Jesus, respond with generosity and compassion for all who call upon us.

Take Our Breath Away

Imagine giving someone who works only one hour the same pay as someone who worked twelve hours! It doesn’t make sense. In the parable about the workers who had toiled all day in the oppressive heat, they felt cheated when they discovered that those who worked only an hour before quitting time received the same pay as they did.

But if you look closely there is an incredible message that slaps us in the face with delightful surprise.

There are four other parables that are precise variations on this gospel. First, there is the parable of the unforgiving servant, with its message of God’s extraordinary capacity to forgive someone with a huge debt he couldn’t possibly pay back. Then there are the familiar stories of the lost sheep, the woman with the lost coin and the prodigal son. In each of these stories, we see how a God acts toward us in a way that we would not naturally expect. They all reveal a God who comes to us in love and mercy, not as a harsh judge who justifiably wants to punish us for our sins.

Simply put, these five parables show God’s radical and surprising ways with us. No first century king, for example would forgive a huge debt any more than VISA or MasterCard would cancel thousands of dollars of our credit card debt. No sensible shepherd would leave ninety-nine sheep at huge risk to go looking for one measly lost animal. No sane woman would sweep her house for hours looking for a single coin worth ten cents. And certainly no first-century father would freely forgive his wayward son, running to meet him and then throwing a party to celebrate his return. A proper father would put the son on probation for a while to see if he was serious about repenting.

The workers who worked hard all day didn’t get it. They wanted more money than their co-workers who came at the end of the day. But you see, the same dynamic is at work here as in the other parables; the after hour workers are the indebted servant, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. They represent all of us who feel lost and broken. It might be our selfishness, our destructive lifestyle or thoughtless manners.

In all those stories Jesus is claiming that each of us is of infinite worth to Almighty God, no matter who we are or what we have done or not done, how long we have or haven’t worked. All fringe, indebted, lost latecomer folk are given underserved kindness and mercy. Do you see this profound truth? These are not stories about fairness or labor-management relations. They are stories about God, a God who leaves ninety-nine to search for one, who sweeps a house for ten cents, who embraces a son who had fled him—and who gives one-hour laborers too much money. It’s a story designed to take our breath away and ask, “What kind of a God is this who undermines all human expectations?

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.” (Psalm 6:9).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who feel lost and without hope. May your gift of forgiveness lift our spirits and bring us peace of mind and heart.

Hiddenness of the Kingdom

One of the most remarkable truths that Jesus taught is the unexpected hiddenness of the kingdom of God. Jesus made clear that the kingdom of God was going to save and rescue this world precisely by virtue of its being so very different from the powerful, flashy, showy political kingdoms which otherwise capture our attention.

The kingdom of God, Jesus said, looks small, even tiny. It looks foolish. In fact, the kingdom can even disappear completely the way a seed gets buried in the soil. It takes 750 mustard seeds to equal one gram. Drop one of those little wisps into the dirt and you won't even be able to see it. The same is true of yeast in dough: once it's mixed into the water, flour, and oil, the yeast disappears—you could not separate it back out again (much less locate it) if you tried. Yet these tiny things have great effects.

The kingdom is not what you expect in terms of political clout. The kingdom of God is not about gleaming capital cities studded with marble colonnades and soaring executive mansions. It's not about some fierce army plowing under opposition by sheer dint of its power. Compared to all of that, God's kingdom looks as insignificant as a grain of mustard or a packet of dry yeast. But the kingdom can change hearts. It can change the world. It has changed the world. So how many life changing moments have you had recently?

A grieving widow had received an invitation to drive to Vermont to visit her kids and grandkids but she never made this trip alone. Some friends from Boston were visiting and offered to drive home part of the way. However, their plans changed so our dear friend was faced with the decision to make the drive alone. She found the courage only to discover that her kids had to get back to work on Tuesday. It appeared she make the trip for nothing. But it seemed her older brother who lived in a nearby town caught wind that his sister was stranded. Instead, he took himself out of work and invited his older sister to go hiking in the Vermont mountain trails. This spontaneous act of kindness brought much joy and healing to his grieving sister. She enjoyed great comfort from her brother who took note of his sister’s grief. She described her adventure as a great relief and enjoyed taking their daypacks and hiking 4-6 miles a day. On the trail they just talked about everything and she never felt lonely or sad.

The kingdom simply means we find ourselves in a moment in which we might be asked to do the impossible-like take the extra days to spend with a family member, or go walk the dog or help a neighbor shop for groceries. The kingdom is here but it's modest. It's hidden. It's quiet.

The kingdom of God turns out to be utterly surprising in nature. How many times do I walk into the woods and get a glimpse of nature that I never noticed before. But you have to go slow and not be in a hurry. But once you embrace this quiet moment of bliss, you have accepted the invitation to live in a kingdom lifestyle. To do so becomes very contagious to those around us, which is why I can’t wait to start taking folks with me on journeys into the woods.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: And a highway will be there, it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way.” (Isaish 35:8).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who extend themselves to be quiet acts of your loving faithfulness. Help us to let the Kingdom grow and leaven in its own quiet, humble way so that people’s hearts will be changed by our gestures of acceptance and openness. Special thanks to all our Sonshine nurses who care for the sick and bring a special blessing and healing to all their patients and family members. You are the best!

You Need To Go Home

I was visiting a beautiful family who are preparing today to entertain 60 family and friends for a Fourth of July picnic at their home. On Friday, we were cleaning up the yard and helping to strain the seaweed floating up the side of their dock. Unbeknown to any of us, a worker from their truck farm came with a weedwacher that sent grass-clippings flying all over the sidewalk and into the water after we had just cleaned. The lady of the house kindly asked this eager beaver to be more watchful and keep the clippings out of the water. No sooner did she have this discussion then he pulled his ear protectors back on and proceeded to rip up the grass as the wacher sent clippings back into the water, on the dock and into the patio. My friend firmly went up to him, looked him straight in the eye and said: “You need to go home.”

The yard was a complete mess and we looked at one another wondering where did he come from? All we could do was head for the garden shed, get out the brooms and pans and sweep the mess away off the patio, the walks, and the dock and strain the shore again. I wonder if Jesus had moments when he went up to an apostle who was botching up the message and said: “You need to go home.”

Sometimes we are so exhausted that we are not thinking straight and it results in making lots of mistakes. Our intentions are good, but we are not listening very well because we have so many burdens on our mind.

A good friend was having another miserable day at his construction site, where everybody seemed to working at a snail pace despite the deadlines he had in his mind. To get away from this mess, we convinced him to take us for a boat ride on the lake to see the sunset. As we were heading for the lighthouse and the sun was setting, a coast guard boat came along side for an inspection. He has never been inspected in his life in 50 years. Instead of panic, he just slowed the boat and welcomed the guardsmen aboard to perform their drill. He had all the required flares and whistles, took his required boat courses in the 60's before any crew members were born and passed the inspection with flying colors. He wondered to himself what else could go wrong?

We could only laugh with him as the Coast Guard boat sailed off into the sunset. Instead of a yoke that was too heavy, he is loved by family and friends who were there to remind him that in times of trouble we need to “come to the Lord.”

Don’t you know that Christ is fully aware of what is going on in our lives at all times? We often do not acknowledge his presence. What we need to do is to tell Him our troubles, not so much for His information, but for our own benefit, to bring to our consciousness the fact that Christ must be present in our lives.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “Do not be far from me, my God; come quickly, God, to help me. “ (Psalm 71:12).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who feel exhausted and burnt-out from the burdens of life. In that moment, help us to know that we are never alone and that you are our side to give strength and courage. May we remember to come home to the Lord whenever we feel washed-out to find rest from all our burdens.

My Foster Dads

Some time ago, I had this problem of trying to dismantle mattress springs that were welded together with iron pipe. The frame weighed a ton and I wanted to take the frame to the recycling center, however, it would not come apart to fit in my truck. A sledgehammer would not budge the frame. God rest his soul, but Tony my 90 plus next-door neighbor came over to assess the problem. He returned from his basement with this special tool. He administered a few whacks in the right spots and the frame seemed to magically fall apart like a deck of cards.

Some men have all the rights tools. Advertisers know that men are more into their gadgets than flowers or chocolate. So Home Depot, Sears and Lowes are flooding their store shelves with every tool a man would want on their workbench. On Father’s Day, I like to offer my prayers for all the dads who have helped this “father” with their tools.

For Michael who patiently taught me the art of floral design, and Tom, who will bring a garden design to help me plant my first flower and herb garden. Then there are memories of Father Alex, who use to squeeze our thumbs and handout quarters during lunch break to all the children at St. Stanislaus. This was the same pastor who beamed with pride and stood by my side when I celebrated my First Mass at the altar.

I have been blessed with many “foster dads” in my lifetime, hard working farmers like Dick and Jim who taught me how to cultivate the land and Tom who taught me how to float and Jim for his help in surveying, and Ken for help in cutting the vines. Then there are the master craftsmen who know their trades: Rudy, Brad, and Mark who are masters in their trades and especially, Vince, the forester, who now is walking in the forests of heaven.

The blessings continue as other men have shared their spiritual gifts. I am humbled by my spiritual advisor, the professor whose faith and profound insights have fostered many reflections that show God is indeed by our side through the fears and pain of life.

My gratitude goes to Chet for his bread baking passion as I practice once a week kneading my pumpernickel recipe. There is Owen who took me under his arm decades ago and introduced me to the art of photography. It’s all about the light and not the technology, although I am grateful to Brandon, Louis, John and Glen who show me which buttons to push.

Then there is my dad who taught me that God loves all people without exceptions. A veteran with a passion to help his senior comrades and a faith that continues to inspire my ministry to bring comfort to the sick and hope to the dying.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.” (Jeremiah 17:7).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine “foster dads” who have blessed me with their with amazing tools and talents. May these men know in their hearts that I am forever grateful for their unselfishness and care for their family and friends. One thing I ask of all my Sonshine Friends on Father's Day and that is to pray for all our fathers whenever we think of them.

Darkness Always Yield to the Light

A young man and a priest are playing golf together. At a short par 3 the priest asks, 'What are you going to use on this hole, my son?' The young man says, 'An iron, father. How about you?' The priest says, 'I'm going to hit a soft seven and pray.' The young man hits his iron and puts the ball on the green. The priest tops his iron and dribbles the ball out a few yards. The young man says, 'I don't know about you, father, but in my church when we pray we keep our heads down.'

Obviously, father should have kept his head down to make a better shot. When Jesus ascended to heaven, it appears the disciples were looking up. However, I prefer that we take this familiar story and take a moment to look within.

There are moments when we are in shock and disbelief. Imagine, Jesus is pulling away in a U-haul and our memories flood with the times we hung out together, sharing meals, shopping trips and life changing events. It’s more likely the disciples are crying their eyes out because their hearts are broken. Jesus can’t be gone. You can’t leave us again. It’s not fair. I don’t understand. How will I survive without you? You mean so much to us. And once again you are going to disappear out of our life. How dare you leave us! Anger, despair, frustration, what’s with this God.

Don’t you understand Jesus that we need you to “stay with us.” We miss your humor, your compassion, your encouragement, your wisdom and your profound insights about life. The disciples memories about Jesus would be unique and express their humble appreciation for everything that he brought into their life. But this leaving again is painful. “Stay with us.” I can more imagine the disciples screaming at Jesus as he lifts off the ground heading for the pearly gates. “No, no, no, you can’t leave us again,” as their sobbing becomes uncontrollable.

It’s more rational for me to think that the disciples would get upset, even angry that Jesus made this decision to leave. What’s so good about losing your best friend? The message is humbling and gut wrenching. We must surrender our need and trust that we will grow in the spirit of love. This surrender makes us more compassionate, more flexible, more understanding, more forgiving. We never like to let go of anything. We definitely want to be in control. The key message of this ascension is that it can increase our trust.

The Hebrew word “Ehyeh” means “I will be with you.” That is God’s name. That is what God is all about. God is the one who is with us. When we are faced with something that we don’t think we are capable of doing “living without our best friend, our spouse, our child.” God is the light shining in the darkness, and make no mistake there is darkness in the world. But God comes to reassure us that we do not have to be afraid of the darkness because darkness will always yield to the light!

Where do you think the impulse comes from to strike down your grief, to intervene on the side of the powerless? And who gives you the strength to do these things? It was because Lord was with you.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” (Psalm 56:13).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine friends who have confronted the darkness feeling alone. Let your promise whisper within our hearts a voice to remind us that despite the hurt and pain God is always by our side to hold us up and give us the courage to know that all “darkness always yields to the light.”

Newman at its Best!

Just before an exam, literally some shared 15 minutes before their next exam at night, our Brockport College students walk from their dorms to the Newman House to take part in a wonderful tradition. Our generous and talented parishioners have cooked a variety of tasty meals from veggie soups to chili to mac and cheese, topped with a multitude of desserts to tank up before their studies. The students pass the word that free eats are available from 5 to 7 during exam week. As you see from this photo, this team was satisfied and posed for Fr. Matt to say "thank you" for your wonderful generosity and delicous food. They told me to say "keep it comin" they will be back tonight!.

On behalf of the Newman staff and myself, I want to thank each and every parishioner at Newman for your wonderful spirit of love that shows Chirst's love for all students. They promised to be back tonight and tomorrow!!! Fr. Matt

Is This Your Best?

A mother shared the story about her teenage son who had received his driving permit. When she returned from taking a walk, she noticed that the family van was not parked in its usual position. The radio was tuned to a rock station and the driver’s seat had been moved to a different position. When she asked her son if he had driven the family van for a spin without permission, her son wanted to know how she knew he had driven it to his friends to show off that he had received his driving permit.

This mom gave her son the riot act telling him that he could have caused an accident or worse hurt someone for life due to lack of experience. In addition, if the police caught him it would have cost the family thousands of dollars for legal fees and fines.

Mom knew her son was not perfect but she believed in him despite his foolish pranks that later took another turn for the worse. One day her son was caught with his buddy targeting their air guns at an official post office truck. The furious postman rang the front door that his truck was being vandalized by their prank and he was ready to call 911. Once again, this mom had to muster all her restraint for not killing these boys. Rather, she pointed out the harm they could have caused by injuring the postman in the truck. She kept their foolishness a secret, for their dad would never had let it go. Mom put her son on some serious restrictions to let him know that his behavior was not acceptable to say the least-this was not his best.

How many times did your mom catch you--not at your best? You pretended that it was only a joke-no harm done-but you were really not thinking about the consequences at the time. You tested your mother’s patience. However, instead of degrading you, she would follow the example of Jesus and let you know that you were capable of being a much more thoughtful, kind and responsible young person.

On our journey of life as we were growing up, there were many ups and downs, in which we tested our mother’s patience. Yet, she believed and saw the good inside of us even though our emotions stretched her to her limits.

Our moms had many expectations for our own lives. However, as we progressed or regressed, many of those expectations that she originally had for us remain unfulfilled. Our lives have moved in directions that we would never have guessed, almost as if they were being guided by something that is beyond us. We can respond to this unexpected direction in either of two ways: the way that the disciples did, with disillusionment because our expectations have not been met, or with contentment, because we know that there is a greater force at work, the spirit of a mother who knows the best version that we can be if we only trust in her.

So how do we achieve this contentment, this feeling of safety in the midst of all the adversity which life throws at us? We can achieve this contentment by realizing that Christ has stayed with us, just as our mother stayed by our side when we did our foolish pranks.

When we feel overwhelmed by life, when we feel that we just can't go on, when we feel all alone, we need to realize that we are not alone, that Christ and our moms are still with us.

But there is more. In the depths of our despair, we need to reach back into our faith that came to us from our mothers and see that she has provided us with a wonderful gift of faith that continues to help us get through some pretty tough times.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. “ (Matthew 25:40).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends mothers who believed in us through thick and thin. Bless these faithful women who gave us new life and a faith to help us in our daily journey. With a bouquet of flowers to place by their side or near their grave, may our prayer of gratitude rise to heaven for their many sacrifices, tender love and forgiving hearts. Blessed Mothers’ Day to all our Sonshine mommies

Thumbs Up

A Sonshine Friend had come to see me before Easter to share her sorrow over the recent death of her dad. Her father had suffered from mental illness all his life. After the death of her mother, his depression grew worse. He had often talked about suicide, but one morning she received a phone call from the police and her worse fears were realized. He had shot himself and left a note that police reported they had never seen such a well-organized suicide in their life.

She had prayed to God to help her dad during these years and now she feared about his soul. She knew the rules and wondered if God would ever forgive her father for taking his life.

I shared a story about my experience as a hospital chaplain when I was asked to find out the progress of a patient. Due to privacy laws, the medical staff has to maintain the privacy of information for each patient under their care. I understand and uphold this same integrity in the seal of confession, but at the time I was simply trying to learn if the patient was making progress. The nurse on call simple response was a “thumbs up.” I was grateful for her kindness that the patient was getting better and on their way home.

Our young daughter was suffering the death of her father and worse feared that he might be lost forever. Once again, I needed to remind her that the Resurrection is not about why there is suffering but that Jesus comes to redeem us from our fears, the worse fear is about death. So when I was asked what did I think happened to her dad. I simply gave her the “thumbs up” and she started to cry. She realized that the God she has always prayed to would be compassionate and take her father home to heaven.

Heaven knows we need more “thumbs up” gestures in a church that often times get blamed for damning too many people as not acceptable in the community. The end result is that there are many souls waiting to be admitted into the community of saints, but never felt welcomed by their churches. God save us from our arrogance and need for power.

Jesus invites us into the empty tomb to experience his light of life. That’s the Easter message, a “thumbs up” loving gesture that Jesus came to save us from our fears of sins, unworthiness or that we are not acceptable. In my community, all are welcomed and in God’s eyes he looks forward to the day when we will humbly walk with Our Lord into His wonderful garden of Paradise.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: "Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 22:43).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine friends during the Easter Season who need the reassurance that they are making progress in their spiritual journey. However despair or rejection take root, be reassured that the divine gardener comes along to offer you a “thumbs up” that all will be saved by the grace and power of His love. Alleluia!

Jelly Bean Prayer

Once upon a time, on Good Friday morning, I found a small zip-lock bag with eight jellybeans of assorted colors in my mailbox. The “Jelly Bean Prayer” was locked inside a plastic bag. There being no postage attached to the bag, a neighbor had left this Easter gift with the hope that each mouthful would be accompanied by a reflection of God’s goodness. I confess some disappointment that could my neighbor not reflect on God’s goodness with a solid chocolate Easter bunny from Andy’s Candies?

That jellybean bag was left unopened on my office desk. As I prepared to celebrate the Good Friday service, my eyes kept going back to that locked bag of colorful reminders of God’s goodness. The bag remained zipped tight; it was a strict day of fast.

On Holy Saturday, the beanbag was still sitting on my desk. Eight colorful reminders of God’s goodness zipped tight in plastic. While the morning sun poured through the window, outside sparrows were chirping anticipating the joy of the Resurrection feast, their songs as colorful as these jellybeans.

Throughout the day I was preparing for the Holy Saturday service and my Easter Sunday homily. I needed words to inspire and uplift, words to bring people out of the dark and into the light. Mostly, I thought about the many people I have counseled throughout the years and their pain and suffering. My mind was blank and my heart empty and my eyes kept focusing on that bag of jellybeans.

Then God struck with a revelation; I was no longer in darkness and needed inspiration and uplifting! That bag of candy was transformed, no longer jellybeans but it represented all the good things God has given me and my Sonshine Friends and yet to come. And here God’s gift sits on my desk, sealed, zipped tight, locked away from my experience. I could hear Him ask me, “What the matter with you Matt, do you not see?”

I looked out the open window, drawn by bird songs and sight of turkey and deer. Why would I choose to stay inside when the signs of Resurrection are outside? Why do I keep the reminders of God’s goodness so tightly shut away inside my life? I’ve been so often content with knowing that birds are singing in the glorious outside while I shut myself inside. I’ve been content with knowing that God’s good things are within my grasp –yet I leave them just beyond my reach—never actually experiencing them. It’s sometimes easier to remain in the cold, dark tomb then to come out into the sun, sensing this new life!

The very first thing I’m going to do on Easter Sunday is to pop one of those jellybeans into my mouth maybe yellow (for His sun is so bright) or pink (for a new tomorrow). And after I savor the first one, I’m going to meditate on the others as they follow the route of the first one. Then I’m going to pray for more jellybeans. To be open to the signs of God’s goodness everyday in my life.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: "For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” Psalm (56:13).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine friends on Easter Day that they rejoice in your goodness. As we munch on our jellybeans, white for His grace, pink for a new tomorrow. may we know it WILL happen because it already DID happen. Alleluia!

The Joy of Spring

On Saturday, I took my first walk into the woods in search of Spring. It was muddy and the leaves from last Fall make the trek slick. I wandered into an area with a stream, but the harsh light of the morning sun washed out any interesting detail. I was looking for a bouquet of colors, but my journey would take me to something much more sublime.

The professional photographer is looking for some punch and color that sets his image apart. However, the landscape was still drab and dreary from a long, harsh winter until you looked in another direction. Indeed, if you looked down through the woods, you could see pockets of green breaking up through the ground.

The leaves of unknown flowers were just beginning to peek out of the earth. I’m not versed in native plants, yet another book to read, but I fell to my knees and started to notice that the earth was brimming with new life. The mosses and fungi were clinging to the logs and though not spectacular, they made interesting patterns and designs that I will upload during the week for your meditation.

No crocus or hyacinths in a forest, but there were plenty of signs of trout lily, jack in the pulpit and native grasses. Plants have their own identities and souls, along with divine purpose and goals; however, their goals are much simpler than ours?

I believe their goal in this new incarnation is to feel the Joy of Spring! To you this may seem frivolous, but to the native plants, it is everything. It is all they know, all they yearn for, and all that they live for. The life of any plant is nothing if not for Spring.

It all began with a seed, and this seed was watered and nurtured by the sun and the earth, so that the plants may come and experience the Joy of Spring. This is all they want, this is all they will be, and this is simply perfect and divine, at least for each plant. But with Spring comes the power for new growth to sprout through the earth and soar into the heavens. Is this not our essence, to rise from the earth and join our Creator in the Garden of Paradise.

The Joy of Spring means drinking up the morning dew, quenching our thirst and feeling the breath of life move through our being. Then as the seasons progress, we spread our essence of selfless love, making it possible for our descendants to experience the Joy of Spring.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: "Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the peepers (frogs) can be heard in the fields.” (Song of Solomon 2:12).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who have broken through the crushed barriers of selfishness and rise above the need for power. May we share our essence that brings much joy and new life.

Whose Fault Is It?

I am learning how to use new software to tweak my images. More truthfully, I failed to shoot correctly and I now have the tools to correct my mistakes. Case in point, I have a close-up of a ladybug crawling up a lilac flower. It was an instantaneous moment when from the corner of my eye I saw this red speckled creature moving on the leaf. Was the wind blowing, did my camera shake—most likely all of the above. With a few clicks of the mouse my new software can correct the blur but not perfectly.

A couple sits down in the doctor’s office, waiting for the report. They have been trying for two years to get pregnant, with no success; now, they want to know why. Last week they came in for the battery of tests that will begin to give them some answers, but as the doctor sees the tension in their faces, how they are unable to look at one another or hold hands, the doctor knows how the couple is framing their questions:

• Is she the one—is it her inability to conceive?
• Is he the one—is his sperm count too low?
• Is it her organs that are malfunctioning?
• Is it his stress that is interfering?

The doctor opens the folder and takes a deep breath. The question hangs heavy in the air: Whose fault is it, that we cannot have a baby?

Maybe it’s human instinct, to find fault. My poor camera technique, the wind was blowing, the ladybug moved. Maybe it’s a coping mechanism. If we know whose fault it is, at least we have a way to understand what has happened. At least we have a way to explain our part in it. Even better, we may find a way to excuse our part in it—which is to say, to put the responsibility squarely on another’s shoulders. If our only job is to find out whose fault it is, we can be assured of some retributive satisfaction: someone will pay for what goes wrong.

Do you see this, where you are? When the basement floods, when you had a car accident, when the Sonshine reflection falls flat, why are we so quick to ask, "How could this have happened?" And when we determine whose fault it was, why does the fault-finding so quickly turn to blame?

Remember the gospel story about the man poor blind? The disciples asked Jesus whose to blame. They’re just curious. They really want to know: Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? It’s a fair question for disciples to ask of their teacher, given the theological equations of the day (blindness = sickness = sin = human fault).

It’s a fair question for Jesus’ disciples to ask, given the fact that Jesus keeps turning the theological tables. I think the disciples really are open to the possibility that there might be a new and different answer, here. They really want Jesus to teach them. So who sinned, Jesus?—this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

Jesus’ answer stumps everyone, and it stumps me. No one sinned. He was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. No blame. No fault. Just an opportunity for God to be seen and known.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: "Who is like the wise? Who know the explanation of things? A person’s wisdom brightens their face and changes its hard appearance.” (Ecclesiastes 8:1).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are looking for answers to put the blame on someone for our misfortunes when we might better ask ourselves what is God doing? Jesus changes the subject and wants us to ask ourselves-how can I help? It’s no one’s fault. Let God be God. Let we who are blind be healed.

Is This a Good Time?

Sometimes, our friends say things that come across a little too harsh. A family member comments that our home smells like pet odor. We get annoyed and want to tell her to mind her own business or better yet tell her that she has no clue how to take care of her animals. Things quickly get out of control. When is it a good time to sit down with your soul mate, colleague or friend and have a candid conversation about things that really irk you?

Jesus was outraged when the moneychangers were milking the folks to pay the Temple tax. For him, it was the gouging, the exorbitant rates, the fleecing of the pilgrims that got to him. It was the holiest of places yet! The Temple had become a veritable mall of ATM’s, a circus of noise and transactions. Jesus was merely acting in the ways of the prophets of old. Prophetic anger is what Jesus was showing, outrage at what should be not, but was, God’s honor and God’s people should not be treated like that.

This incident tells us something about Jesus, and something about ourselves. I believe people are measured by what angers them. True, anger can be dangerous. But anger that leads to reform, transformation and making ourselves into the best version of who we can be be is a respectable and desirable emotion.

We are judged by what angers us and what does not. Anger can become the Lenten energy that motivates us and forms the basis of reflective questions for this season. Such as: We get angry if we get stalled behind a slow moving vehicle and miss the first episode of our favorite TV show. But are we angry over our unemployed neighbors, or our young people not getting subsidies to help with college? The massacre in Libya, the massive greed of corporate executives and our leaders in government.

Are we angry that our seniors will not get a cost-of-living increase this year? Over the graphic violence and lack of respect for women in the media, the corruption of sports, the growing chasm between the very rich and very poor?

Are we just merely disgusted, a feeling that stays within us, but really angry, that moves us into action? Are we angry over our own buying into the culture’s norm of success: high consumption, low reflection, fierce competition, and tepid cooperation? Are we angry over our selfishness and petty jealousies, our picayune lying and cheating, our lack of a generous spirit, our failure to develop a truly spiritual life?

I don’ t know if you ever looked at it this way before, but Lent might be the season to get angry enough to overturn old tables and set up new ones. Which new ones might we set up? Here’s a sample of my Monday's night's Lenten Penance Service Lenten reflection.

Love the things that are worth loving. Some things are not worth loving, like SUVs, trucks, celebrities, or our addiction to the “screen” meaning our computers, cell phones and plasmas, or flirting with a temptation that comes in all shapes and sizes, colors and prints. The things worth loving are family, faith, God, Jesus, friend, neglected kitties, dogs and horses.

Strive for integrity of character, meaning I will not do anything to compromise my integrity. I will not yell and scream at anyone, always have it my way or the highway, engage in self-destructive behavior like drinking, drugs, gambling and overusing my prescription medicines. I won’t cheat on exams or my income taxes. I won’t do anything to get ahead or gain the whole world at the expense of my soul.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: "Trust in him at all times; pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:8).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that you help surrender the anger that blinds us from your patient and understanding love. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those you trespass against us and give us the insight to humbly turn ourselves over to you.

Mycorrhizae

Mycorrhizae are fungi. What is truly amazing is that these fungi help trees to grow healthy and strong. Think of mycorrhizae as tiny fibers that actually grow into the roots of trees. The tree roots and fungi become one. These fungi act as special assistants that creep into the soil particles and help the roots of the trees to absorb more water and nutrients.

On the other hand, fungi cannot make their own protein, but since the leaves of the trees are making sugars from photosynthesis, the sugars travel throughout the tree to its roots and the fungi get their protein. The fungus receives carbohydrates and vitamins from the tree and they reciprocate by breaking down the proteins in organic material that can be absorbed and utilized by the trees. The network of mycorrhizae in the soil vastly increases the potential surface area for absorption over and above the root’s own root hairs, so mycorrhizae are important in poor soils where mineral nutrients are hard to come by. So this Spring as you are planning to plant any trees into your garden, you can improve the health and growth of your plants by adding some mycorrhizae.

Our souls and personality are greatly enriched when we are connected to people that act like mycorrhizae who help us to grow in God’s love. Staying connected helps our spiritual roots to grow healthier and stronger. So who are the people in your life that help you spiritual roots grow in patience, generosity and forgiveness?

Staying connected to our older family members help us to appreciate our ancestral roots whose faith helped build our churches and schools in the past. Staying connected to family members who have endured great pain and struggles teach us to trust in God and persevere despite the crosses of life.

Our spiritual roots grow stronger if we stay connected with a faith community that worships and rallies together to reach out to families to bring hope and comfort to those who have lost their homes in foreclosure, lost a child to suicide or lost their faith because they no longer feel accepted by a faith community.

Staying connected to our spiritual mentors who teach us from our pulpits or monasteries a message of Jesus’ love that penetrates our stubborn hearts and helps our roots of faith renew themselves with the spirit of God’s love and forgiveness.

I am grateful to my social mentors who have enriched my life by sharing their gifts and talents with this apprentice priest. To my master floral designer, Michael; to my first photography teacher, Owen; to my fellow photo enthusiasts, Brandon, Glen and John, to my photo marketing team Ed, Bill, Lara, Lisa; to my horse trainers Judy in Vermont, Heather, Alto and to my bread baker, Chet.

The secret of a healthy spiritual garden is obvious, stay connected to people in our life who teach us how to pray humbly, walk joyfully and work diligently to bring God’s mercy and peace. Our roots will be energized and grow stronger this Lenten Season.Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: "They will be like a tree planted by the water that spends out roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:8).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that you help us remember with gratitude the family, friends and neighbors who have helped our spiritual roots to grow healthy and strong. May we never take their gifts for granted. Bless them for their generosity, wisdom and support during our most difficult moments and many thanks for being present in our desperate hour.

Reflections

A few years ago researchers at Stanford investigated how college students multitasked. They assumed they did it much more effectively than older adults. The researchers expected to find highly tuned cognitive abilities that allowed effective multitasking. What they actually found was that the more people multitasked, the worse at it they were.

They were worse at identifying relevant information, more distractable, and more disorganized. They even became worse at what multitasking is supposed to help with: switching tasks seamlessly. Multitasking, they concluded, impairs one’s ability to think reflectively. Such reflection is about thinking long enough on a topic to weigh a number of ideas. That can’t be done in 30-second bytes while also updating a Facebook page, changing the playlist on an iPod, or watching the latest cute cat video on YouTube.

As we thaw from a brutal winter, I am designing my garden. It requires some thought on what native plants I want to blossom for floral designs in the future. As different varieties of plants blossom at different seasons of the year, we need to reflect on how we want to blossom this Lent.

I think we suffer, if not from multitasking itself, certainly from the spirit of multitasking. Like Martha in Luke 10:41-42a (“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part.”), we become so distracted by the busyness of our lives that we do not make the time to think reflectively and prayerfully on our life and actions. It is not that we do not have the time. Of course we do. It is that we often lack the courage to live into such a prayerful and reflective relationship with God.

A traditional Lenten practice that we often neglect due to our multitasked, blackberried, and instant-messaged culture is reflection. As a gardener and floral designer who wants to use these blossoms to make beautiful bouquets, I need to reflect quietly on what I want to plant and grow. This morning take time to reflect on this Spring image of ice thawing in a creek and spent a quiet moment to reflecting on how God wants you to grow in the spirit of love this season.

We need to step back, gain perspective, listen to others, and spend time in solitude so we can think reflectively and prayerfully. Such reflective time is a necessary precursor to making our lives blossom. We must be able to think and see clearly before we can lead and act faithfully. In Mark 8:23-25, we read, “Jesus laid hands on the blind man and asked: ‘Can you see anything?’ And the man looked up and said, ‘I can see people, but they look like trees walking.’ Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.”

When we do not make the time for solitude so we can think reflectively and prayerfully, we often end up seeing “trees walking” and not the people, things, and circumstances of our lives that truly matter. Like with the blind man in the gospel, we need more time for Jesus to work on us, for the needed time to listen to the Holy Spirit in our daily prayers and in the prayers of our community.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “For now we see only as a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that during this Season of Lent we make time to reflect and come to know your will so that all our daily tasks may truly reflect your wisdom and love.

Blossoming

What does it mean to blossom? For a plant, a tree, or a vegeatable, it’s the point at which a flower forms. What we sometimes forget in our love for flowers is that it is really just a stage of growth that leads to pollination, and thus bearing fruit.

Blossoming could be compared to that part of our youth when we found our soul mates and produce our fruits and thus our little seeds (children!). But more often it seems as if there should be many blossoming moments in our lives, when the conditions are right for us to burst from our tight buds and become our most beautiful best selves.

Too often, we find ourselves consumed by petty irritations, conflicts, frustrations, and angers. Each of these might be small in itself but, cumulatively, they take the sunshine and delight out of our lives, like mosquitoes spoiling a picnic. Instead of feeling grateful, gracious, and magnanimous, we feel paranoid, fearful, and irritable and we end up acting out of a cold, irritated, paranoid part of ourselves rather than out of our real selves.

Why do we do that? Because we are asleep (a long, brutal winter does this to people) to who and what we really are, and we are asleep in two ways.When St. Luke describes Jesus’ agony in the garden, he tells us that after Jesus had undergone a powerful drama, sweating blood so as to give his life over in love, he turned to his disciples (who were supposed to be watching and praying with him) and found them asleep. However he uses a curious expression to describe why they were asleep. They were asleep, he says, not because they were tired and it was late, but they were asleep “out of sheer sorrow”.

That says a couple of things: First, that the disciples are asleep out of depression. Depression is what is preventing them from seeing straight. But they are also asleep to what is deepest inside of them, namely, that they carry the image and likeness of God. Jesus was not asleep to that and, because of this awareness, was able precisely to be big of heart.

As a people of God we believe that what ultimately defines us and gives us our dignity is the image and likeness of God inside us. This is our deepest identity, our real self. Inside each of us there is a piece of divinity, a god or goddess, a person who carries an inviolable dignity, with a heart as big as God’s.

And so it is in a garden. Think about it: What are the conditions we humans need to blossom? Just like plants, we need good nutrition, clean water and tender are. We need sunshine and darkness (good rest). We need to be planted in the right place to optimize our happiness. And once we do blossom, we need the pollinators and the people to enjoy and appreciate our beauty.

In our spiritual garden we need to awake to our great dignity, the Imago Dei inside each of us, is meant to be a center from which we can draw vision, grace, and strength to act in a way that, ironically, precisely helps us to swallow our pride and blossom.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “The desert and the parched land will be glad or Western New York version (The snow covered streets and frozen earth will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus,” (Isaiah 35:1).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that during this Season of Lent we feel ourselves about to blossom, knowing that something is happening inside of us because we are in touch that we “come from God and going back to God.” It’s like spiritual pollination, bringing joy, understanding, forgiveness and love, beyond wound, irritation, and the knowledge that’s it’s good to be alive because the spirit of the divine dwells within me.

Learn from the Wild Flowers

It’s Sunday morning and grandma is playing with her 5-year-old granddaughter on the living room carpet. This little one’s mom is also present listening carefully to her mother’s advice on getting the best educational resources for her daughter. It appears I am in the room of a living miracle. Our “little one” had a missing chromosome that the doctors said would result in a child who would never speak or walk. The early years of her life required feeding tubes and a host of complicated medical procedures. Yet, this morning with the love of her parents and family and a determined grandmother who never quits this child has the ability to walk, speaks and even swims like a fish. Sometimes grandmothers are God’s gift to us when our burdens seem too heavy.

God wants to help you with your burdens. Now, no doubt you know that. I know that. But last week I found myself in a situation where I was not letting God carry my burden. I had "given it to Him" with mental ascent, but actually I had taken it back right after I had given it to Him.

Does this sound familiar with you? This morning I like you to remember the words Jesus said, "Come unto me all of you who are laboring and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." (Matt. Ll: 28)

I don’t know why it is, but when faced with some heavy situations I say, "God, well you have told me to bring my burdens to you, so here they are. (And I would list 5 or 6.) Then I get up from my chair and walk to the door.....free? NO. Why because I find myself "chained to them" I have "tied them" to my very being. So, in fact, I lied to Jesus when I told him I was leaving my burdens with him. How could Jesus take care of them when I, as if it were, "pulled" them away from his loving tender strong arms?

So, I have found myself much like the farmer who was going along the country road in his buckboard when he overtook a fellow who was walking - with great difficulty - with a very heavy bundle. He asked the man if he wanted a ride and if so, hop in. The traveler got into the buckboard, sat down very tired and put his heavy bundle in his lap. "I'm caring you," said the farmer, but "you are still carrying your burden."

Jesus our burden bearer has asked us to come to him with our cares, yet we fail to do so. We suffer - spiritually, physically. Let us throw it all on Him - be free of that which plagues us with fear and torment.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: " Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you…” (Matthew 6:28-30).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that they be set free from the burdens that weigh them down. Let them give to you that which has been a concern so that they can straighten up in you...load free.

Heaven's Language of Love

Last Sunday, I witnessed the baptism of three miracle babies. Trevor, Emma and Ella were born pre-mature and struggled in the early hours of life to survive. But with lots of prayers and blessings and the gifts of a brilliant medical team they are all thriving as they received the waters of everlasting life at their baptism.

Their young mother described her delight in watching her new babies awake to more awareness. Her words: “They are all beautiful. Each baby is starting to vocalize a bit and smiles a lot when we talk to them.” This morning, while her five year-old son was having breakfast, he looked into Trevor’s eyes and said: ‘Are you talking to me?’ Little Trevor replied with something that sounded like ‘yeah!’ His brother was so excited - ‘Mommy, he talked!’ Mom didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was just a random utterance.”

Now this is a wonderful image, I believe, to describe what it will be like for each of us when we are born again into heaven. The maternal side of God will be looking us in the eyes, smiling, and trying to coax a smile and some words out of us, but we will be a bit too overwhelmed and underdeveloped to speak.

Heaven is going to be wonderful, no doubt. I believe we will wake up in heaven, like an infant again, too overwhelmed to speak, needing to be coaxed into a new language and a new consciousness by God’s smile.

We will have to try to learn the language of God’s stillness and divine quiet, in our own way. For me, walking in two feet of snow in quiet woods brings me into focus with this stillness. Perhaps it might be through your intimate relationships in your family, where words become superfluous; or perhaps a parent’s exhaustion changing the diapers of your triplets, or it will be in our loneliness and solitude, where silence breaks through both so painfully and peacefully; or maybe it will be through the very tediousness of our daily tasks, where burdens often reduce us to silence. There are many ways of learning divine silence and all of them are good.

Jesus told us that each of us needs to be born twice, once from below and once from above. We need also to be taught twice how to speak. Our mothers once gave us birth, from below, and they also coaxed, cajoled, and lured us into speech. Each of us has a “mother-tongue.”

Our second birth, our rebirth, our birth from above, will, I suspect, be somewhat similar. There will be time of having to leave the womb, the familiar, this life, and then a lonely journey down an unwanted birth canal into the greatest of all unknowns. Light, love, and community will greet us upon arrival. However it will be somewhat overwhelming, beyond language and imagination. We will be too stunned to speak, but God’s smile will awaken within us a smile and evoke from us something that sounds like a “yeah!”

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: "What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1Cor 2:9).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are leaving the womb of this life. May their journey into the unknown be filled with loving family and friends at their side. Too stunned to speak, may God’s smile wipe away all our fears and from our lips a sound like a “yeah” that proclaims our faith and endless joy.