Saturday, May 30, 2020
2020/05/31 - Pentecost - "Something BIG"
Before Mass:
We’re gonna do something different right now – I had a vision that we’re supposed to sing this song today…. I’ll explain it more in my homily, but I need your help to make this happen.
Emily and Ayane and I are going to sing a beautiful song from Hillsong called ‘King of Kings’. It tells of how God’s plan of salvation came to life - These ladies will do a beautiful job of singing it – but there’s a spot where we sing ‘Then the Church of Christ was born’…. At that moment – I need everybody to stand up and sing along.
Now this is tough – because most of you don’t know the song. I put the words in the bulletin, but we can’t pass those out until after Mass!!!! So – if you CAN sing along, please do…. At least the chorus should sound familiar the third time we sing it, so let’s see how this goes… If it goes well, the Spirit gets the credit. If it flops – you can blame me :)
HOMILY
Something BIG happened today… know what it was? We didn’t hear it but right AFTER today’s first reading, The apostles preached about Jesus and 3000 people became Christian that day!!! 3000! What did the apostles say that day that would convert 3000 people?
It wasn’t WHAT they said, but how they said it. Their hearts were on fire… they had enthusiasm, conviction, there was a joy and hope about them that was beyond explanation. They had given total control of their bodies over to the Holy Spirit so that the Spirit could speak THROUGH them. People didn’t just HEAR the wonders of God – they could SEE and feel THE WONDERS OF God.
Again – it’s not what they said – but how they said it.
They were able to speak a message directly to the hearts of these people – I mean – it MUST have been touching if 3000 of them handed their lives over to Christ that day. That doesn’t just HAPPEN. No – God had prepared for this day… Jesus had spent 40 days with the Apostles after the Resurrection – he HAD to be teaching them and preparing them for this very mission - preparing them for THIS day. But the people in the temple that day – they ALSO had to be prepared. They came to the temple EXPECTING God to act – totally open to allowing God to change them.
Think about yourself – how many of US come to church EXPECTING something amazing and life-changing to happen when we get here? If we’re honest – we kind-of expect the same thing to happen each week… that doesn’t take away from the miracle of the Eucharist – but it does point to that fact that we – or I can at least speak for myself – I don’t really EXPECT God to perform any miracles when I come to Church. Do you?
But if we really want to see miracles – if we really want to see the Lord at work and let it change our lives, we have to ANTICIPATE it. We have to be OPEN to allowing the Spirit to take over.
St. Bonaventure said the Holy Spirit comes where He is Loved, where His is invited, and where He is EXPECTED. That’s worth repeating…
What did Jesus say would happen when we receive the Holy Spirit? He said, “you will receive power”! YOU will receive power! Did you get power yet? Do you see anybody around you that HAS that power yet? He also said, “whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these”… You and I are supposed to have power to do what Jesus did – and even greater. So let me get a show of hands… how many people here have raised anybody from the dead? How many have healed a blind man by smearing mud on his eyes? Fed 5000 from just a couple of fish? Anybody turned water into wine without grapes?
Hmmm… we’re not doing too good, are we? Something’s missing… but what? Why AREN’T you and I doing the same deeds and greater? I propose to you it’s because we don’t EXPECT it – we don’t ANTICIPATE it. Again, we get into kind of a comfort-zone in our religion and don’t really even TRY to harness that power that Jesus gave us… why?
I have an example – Let’s pretend that I’m giving you this as a gift… what do you say? (thank you) Your mother taught you well. Let me ask you – are you excited about this gift? Why aren’t you excited? – because you don’t know what it is, right? How can you be excited about a gift if you don’t know what it is or how to use it. I’ll tell you what’s in there- It’s a power-pack – it’s capable of jump-starting your vehicle a bunch of times … you could charge your phone many-many times…. there is a LOT of power in this little box – really! So – now are you excited yet? Maybe a little more – but you still haven’t SEEN the power. You still don’t know how to plug it in.
Kind of like when Jesus explained that the disciples would be given power to do great deeds, that might have mildly excited the apostles – but what difference did that make? They didn’t know what it was – nor how to plug into it. I mean – look - The Apostles received the Holy Spirit in the Gospel today – that was Easter evening. When was Easter evening…do the calculation…?? – 50 days ago! What happened in those 50 days since they received the HS? Not much… I mean they huddled together in the upper room for much of that time – scared – praying. It’s like they had a power pack, but didn’t know how to use it.
Until TODAY – It’s like Peter picked it up and thought – hmmm – I wonder what happens if I plug this thing in… and WOW! A noise like a violent, rushing wind – fire came from heaven – their hearts were set ablaze and they were propelled out into the streets to proclaim the good news to the world. Again, it’s not WHAT they said, but how they said it. They were ON-FIRE! Why – because they had plugged- in to the Holy Spirit. Remember – they had the HS for 50 days already but until they plugged in, it made no difference.
Reminds me of our own Sacramental life… we all receive the Holy Spirit at Baptism – yet we don’t know what it is – or how to use it. The Spirit DOES make a difference in our lives because He guides us in prayer and Sacraments. It’s only by the Spirit that we can believe in Jesus at ALL – that’s what Paul reminded us in the 2nd reading. So the Spirit has a way of helping/influencing us – but you and I are still NOT doing the greater deeds like Jesus. What’s missing?
We need to plug in. How do we do that practically? I’ll give you an example: about 6 weeks ago, I had a vision while praying – OK – don’t get excited – it wasn’t like a Biblical vision – just a thought that crossed my mind. I saw our parish gathered for Pentecost Sunday, on one of the first weeks after the quarantine – and I saw us singing this song, King of Kings, and the whole congregation standing up to sing just like we did before Mass.
Now – where did that vision come from? Was it the Spirit? Or just me having wishful dreams? At the time, we didn’t KNOW when we would get to come back to Mass. At the time, I didn’t KNOW I would be preaching this weekend – I hadn’t looked that far ahead! When I saw the ‘coincidences’ stacking up, I figured this must be a vision from the Spirit… so I called Emily and Ayane and asked them to help me make it happen – to fulfill the vision. Why, because I think the Spirit wanted Instead of me just TALKING about the Spirit – He wants everyone to have an EXPERIENCE of the Spirit. Hopefully as we all stood up, maybe you felt a chill go down your spine – that’s just a HINT of the presence of the Spirit.
It may not sound like a big deal – but that’s the point – you and I, I think, get these kind of visions and promptings from the HS all the time, but we usually just ignore them… brush them off. To plug in, we need to start listening/watching/ANTICIPATING.
Another example, I was driving to town one day and a parishioner crossed my mind. That happens all the time – but this time I thought – hmmm.. wonder why that person came to mind right now? So I asked the Holy Spirit – do you have a message for this lady? I felt compelled to stop by to talk to her – but she wasn’t there – so I sent her an email with what I felt God wanted to tell her. She emailed back explaining she was in tears because she’d had a particularly stressful week, and THAT message was exactly what she needed to hear that day! This led to a great 2-3 hour conversation.
Why do I tell you that? Not to build me up – but just to show you that we all get these simple promptings – and if we open ourselves up to them, God can do amazing things for the people around us! You can tell by my voice that this not only made her day, but it set my own heart on fire.
I think it’s time we all start LOOKING for God to act – ANTICIPATING the HS to work miracles – EXPECTING God to reveal His presence to the world THROUGH US. God doesn’t NEED us to work miracles –but He chooses to use the Body of Christ – the Church – to touch His people.
All we gotta do… is plug in…. and then EXPECT something BIG to happen.
Saturday, April 25, 2020
2020/04/26 3rd Sunday of Easter - Heart to Heart
I’m going to ask you a question – and I want you to answer to yourself… but pay attention to HOW you answer it – because most of us will have a knee-jerk response to the question.
"How ya doin?"
We likely hear that question daily – and if you work with the public like maybe at a grocery store, you probably hear it a hundred times each day. How ya doin? Most of us have a standard answer: fine, not bad, awesome. These aren’t bad responses, but they don’t REALLY answer the question –because we can’t – and don’t really WANT to answer that question to everyone who asks – because that they don’t really WANT to know the answer!
But in December, a young lady who is quickly becoming a close friend asked a different question:
"How is your heart?"
The question stopped me in my tracks…. I mean, That question takes on a whole ‘nother dimension. It’s obviously not just your standard greeting which we can answer in the grocery line. This question is more piercing – like the scalpel of a surgeon – it wants to cut below the surface relationship and dig into questions like ‘what makes you tick’ – or ‘what grief are you dealing with’.
To really answer a question at that level changes you…. And it also changes your relationship…. Think about that…. Answering ‘how ya doin?’ doesn’t even scratch the surface – but “how’s your heart”…. That involves sharing – REAL sharing – being vulnerable - opening up your heart….not only to let OUT some of your pain – but to let IN the love that is offered through friendship.
Which brings me back to the Gospel…Did you notice the question that Jesus asked the two disciples on the road to Emmaus? As we read it, we likely didn’t even hear it – because it doesn’t sound like part of the real action –but it is SO important. The questions in our lives are powerful.
In this case, Jesus asked “What are you discussing as you walk along?”
Simple question – but it tells us a lot. Jesus is giving us an example of how to evangelize – how to share the good news. Notice, he doesn’t just run up and say, look, I’m alive! Repent and Believe! He doesn’t run up and point out their sins or ask them if they’ve been SAVED. He doesn’t start spouting off to them about doctrine or morality or anything really – his first move is to ask the question: 'what are you discussing?’.
See, Jesus recognized they were downcast – grieving – and his question was intended to draw them out of their inner turmoil – to open their hearts – to reveal to Him where their pain was. THEN, and only then, could He speak into that grief. Questions can be powerful. When Jesus asked the question, the disciples had to put a name to their grief. They were obviously depressed and sinking further as they shared their disappointments with each other walking along – Maybe it's a coincidence, but Jerusalem is built on a hill... so leaving Jerusalem, the disciples were headed DOWN... figuratively heading into the downward spiral of despair.
But Jesus' question pulls them out of their funk – makes them define it – name it. For a lot of people – that act alone can be healing – just naming the monsters that scare us can help us realize they’re not so big. Naming our problems is like going to the doctor… the hardest part is often identifying the problem – naming it - diagnosing. Then, and only then can they take their scalpel and try to heal us.
Once Jesus knows their pain, or actually – once He gets THEM to NAME their pain….to open their hearts… THEN He speaks hope directly into their hearts…into their grief. He opened up the scripture to show that everything that happened HAD to happen. It wasn’t the end of the world… this was part of God’s plan! Notice the pattern here: Jesus asked them to open their hearts BEFORE He opened scripture to them. Can you imagine walking with Jesus and having him personally reveal the meaning of scripture to you? Wow – I’m positive all of our hearts would be burning within us as well. Notice too that immediately they returned to Jerusalem… figuratively, they head UP – back out of the depths of despair.
How can we apply this to our lives?
First – as disciples – our Mission is to share the good news with everyone. How? Follow Jesus’ example… start by asking questions. See - If I jump immediately into hot-button morality issues or political statements, nobody will listen to me. If I point out their personal sins and moral flaws, I’ll introduce nobody to Jesus. If I complain about what the people in the church or government are doing or not doing – I’m just a noisy gong or a clanging symbol. None of those topics get to the real point of evangelization: we MUST build relationships. In order to build relationships, we have to get to the point of opening our hearts to one another – and the example given to us by Jesus himself is to START by asking questions.
Many people are grieving right now. Uncertainty about health, job, worried about loved ones, grieving the loss of a parent and they didn’t get to say goodbye because no visitors allowed…. Frontline workers, worried about bringing something home to their kids… there’s lots of pain and grief out there right now. People are hurting, and you and I are called to touch their hearts.
Consider for a moment the encounters you’ve had with people in the last week – both in person and on social media. How many of them have been superficial – how many of them went deep? We don’t have to go deep with everyone, but try this – next time you’re in the check-out and you ask how the clerk is doing – go just a little deeper. Ask a question that touches their heart. I tried it this week – last time I’d seen this cashier she was VERY stressed out because of the overwhelming crowds in the stores a month ago – so I mentioned that I’d noticed her stress and asked if it was better. That got her talking…she opened up. It did her good to be seen as a person and not just a cashier – and it does you and me good too by forcing us to open our eyes to the people around us.
Like my friend who asks, ‘how is your heart’… I know that when we ask that question of each other, this is going to be more than a superficial conversation. Now – it doesn’t always have to be a conversation that requires Kleenex – but just knowing there is a person who cares about me and is willing to be vulnerable with their feelings – and take time to just sit and listen - that softens my heart…. I’ve noticed in the past month, many people are eager for that kind of relationship. We all ache, in fact, for intimate relationships with one another and with our Lord. We were made in the image and likeness of God – who IS a relationship of Father/Son/and Spirit. That desire for relationship is built-in to our DNA.
And it’s when we share that kind of heart to heart friendship – answering the deeper questions – THAT is when our eyes are finally opened to recognize Christ right in front of us.
Sunday, March 29, 2020
2020/03/29 - God is Only this Big
As humans, it's normal for us to put God into a box.... Because in our minds, God is only this big (make a visual box in my hands). Obviously, God has limitations - I mean - he if He was a good God, surely he would have stopped the virus by now. Heck, If he was a good God, the virus never would have happened - and all those people wouldn't have died! Obviously, God has limitations, because God is only this big.
Is that what we believe? Our readings help us get a different perspective.
In the first reading, the Israelites had been exiled to Babylon - kicked out of their land - and for the Israelites - God was only this big - As with most ancient religions, they believed that God was tied to the LAND of Israel and specifically to the Temple in Jerusalem. So, to be exiled from their land was to be hopelessly far away from God - because - God is in a box - God has limitations. But Ezekiel has a vision - we don't hear about the first part of it in our text today, but it's an interesting hook to our topic - He had a vision of the Presence of God - or the Glory of God - with wheels on it - moving around from place to place. The meaning of the vision is that God's glory is NOT tied to the land - He is present with His people WHEREVER they are - even in Babylon! God had NOT left them. God was NOT limited.
Then we come to the prophecy in our first reading - "I will open your graves! I will bring you back to your homeland!" What a great promise - sealed with an oath from God - "I have promised and I will do it, says the Lord". I would imagine for the Israelites in exile this would seem unimaginable... far-fetched... they were SO FAR removed from their homeland that even God could not get them home...it was a hopeless situation... because to them God was only this big. But God revealed His glory by fulfilling that promise! Some of them were still alive when they were finally allowed to go home. It blew the lid off their box - our God is even more powerful than we gave Him credit for!
Which brings us to the Gospel - this is Jesus' direct attack on this idea that God has limitations. The key line, I think, is when He says that Lazarus' death was "so that the Glory of God may be revealed". We hear it over and over in the reading how the disciples and then Martha and Mary don't even THINK that Jesus can raise Lazarus from the dead. I don't think it even crossed their minds! They had faith that he could have SAVED Lazarus from dying, but hey - even Jesus has his limitations -death is beyond him. Martha might have been wise enough to think that maybe Jesus could resurrect Lazarus right after he died... since in their custom, you weren't legally dead until the third day - you know, Once a body has been dead for more than 3 days, it starts to decay - there ain't no bringing him back now - it's hopeless. It's THAT hopelessness that Jesus steps into - showing that God is God EVEN over death. He wants to blow the lid off of the box
As we continue our quarantine, we are like the Israelites - kinda in our own Exile - taken away from the Sacraments at Church. Could this be a way for God to remind us that - God's glory is on wheels! YES - Jesus IS substantially present in our Tabernacles and in the Eucharist we receive and we all Long to come back to the Sacrament - but even though we can't come to Church, God is with us! You know this - just look around - even amidst all the seeming craziness and hopelessness, God's glory is being revealed in each of our lives. If we don't see it, we're missing out.
God is Love... so if we want to see God's glory, look for the Love in our lives. If we find a place where there IS not love, then WE should take love into that situation- and THEN God's glory is revealed through us! We can show love to our neighbors by checking in on them - share extra food or toilet paper with somebody we know is struggling, or pick up sticks in the yard for our elderly neighbor after the storms - spend our time praying for the World, which is in so desperate need of prayer - THAT is when WE reveal the Glory of God.
Jesus came to show us that God's love is not limited - God is not 'this' big (box) - but Jesus stretched out his arms on the cross to show us that God is bigger even than this: (cruciform).
Is that what we believe? Our readings help us get a different perspective.
In the first reading, the Israelites had been exiled to Babylon - kicked out of their land - and for the Israelites - God was only this big - As with most ancient religions, they believed that God was tied to the LAND of Israel and specifically to the Temple in Jerusalem. So, to be exiled from their land was to be hopelessly far away from God - because - God is in a box - God has limitations. But Ezekiel has a vision - we don't hear about the first part of it in our text today, but it's an interesting hook to our topic - He had a vision of the Presence of God - or the Glory of God - with wheels on it - moving around from place to place. The meaning of the vision is that God's glory is NOT tied to the land - He is present with His people WHEREVER they are - even in Babylon! God had NOT left them. God was NOT limited.
Then we come to the prophecy in our first reading - "I will open your graves! I will bring you back to your homeland!" What a great promise - sealed with an oath from God - "I have promised and I will do it, says the Lord". I would imagine for the Israelites in exile this would seem unimaginable... far-fetched... they were SO FAR removed from their homeland that even God could not get them home...it was a hopeless situation... because to them God was only this big. But God revealed His glory by fulfilling that promise! Some of them were still alive when they were finally allowed to go home. It blew the lid off their box - our God is even more powerful than we gave Him credit for!
Which brings us to the Gospel - this is Jesus' direct attack on this idea that God has limitations. The key line, I think, is when He says that Lazarus' death was "so that the Glory of God may be revealed". We hear it over and over in the reading how the disciples and then Martha and Mary don't even THINK that Jesus can raise Lazarus from the dead. I don't think it even crossed their minds! They had faith that he could have SAVED Lazarus from dying, but hey - even Jesus has his limitations -death is beyond him. Martha might have been wise enough to think that maybe Jesus could resurrect Lazarus right after he died... since in their custom, you weren't legally dead until the third day - you know, Once a body has been dead for more than 3 days, it starts to decay - there ain't no bringing him back now - it's hopeless. It's THAT hopelessness that Jesus steps into - showing that God is God EVEN over death. He wants to blow the lid off of the box
As we continue our quarantine, we are like the Israelites - kinda in our own Exile - taken away from the Sacraments at Church. Could this be a way for God to remind us that - God's glory is on wheels! YES - Jesus IS substantially present in our Tabernacles and in the Eucharist we receive and we all Long to come back to the Sacrament - but even though we can't come to Church, God is with us! You know this - just look around - even amidst all the seeming craziness and hopelessness, God's glory is being revealed in each of our lives. If we don't see it, we're missing out.
God is Love... so if we want to see God's glory, look for the Love in our lives. If we find a place where there IS not love, then WE should take love into that situation- and THEN God's glory is revealed through us! We can show love to our neighbors by checking in on them - share extra food or toilet paper with somebody we know is struggling, or pick up sticks in the yard for our elderly neighbor after the storms - spend our time praying for the World, which is in so desperate need of prayer - THAT is when WE reveal the Glory of God.
Jesus came to show us that God's love is not limited - God is not 'this' big (box) - but Jesus stretched out his arms on the cross to show us that God is bigger even than this: (cruciform).
Friday, February 21, 2020
Ideas for Lent
MEN
“INTO THE BREACH”
Into the Breach is a call to battle for Catholic Men which urges them to embrace wholeheartedly masculine virtues in a world in crisis. This hard-hitting new video series illustrates the gravity of our duty as men of Christ and offers an inspiring invitation to renew authentic masculinity.
https://www.kofc.org/en/campaigns/into-the-breach.html
“ISIDORE 45"
Kind of like "Exodus 90" but not as intense. Challenge yourself to take on some ascetic and prayer practices to ramp-up your relationship with our Faith. Saturday mornings 6:30 at St. Celestine, those accepting this challenge will meet to discuss how we're doing, encourage each other, and discuss what we're learning in the little black books.
Into the Breach is a call to battle for Catholic Men which urges them to embrace wholeheartedly masculine virtues in a world in crisis. This hard-hitting new video series illustrates the gravity of our duty as men of Christ and offers an inspiring invitation to renew authentic masculinity.
https://www.kofc.org/en/campaigns/into-the-breach.html
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Kind of like "Exodus 90" but not as intense. Challenge yourself to take on some ascetic and prayer practices to ramp-up your relationship with our Faith. Saturday mornings 6:30 at St. Celestine, those accepting this challenge will meet to discuss how we're doing, encourage each other, and discuss what we're learning in the little black books.
- 30 minutes of prayer each day
- 30 minutes of work-out each day
- Limit screen time (phone/computer/tv) - maybe read a book instead?
- no desserts / reduce sugar
- no eating between meals (unless you're turning into a bear, eat some fruit!)
- Go out of your way to do something for your wife or kids (or family)
- Fast every Friday (you decide the level you can commit to: no food, one meal, reduced portions, etc)
- Read the Little Black Book devotional daily
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
WOMEN
The modern woman's guide to the Bible.
Have you ever considered that your
day-to-day struggles are, at their core, timeless and universal? Though your challenges are deeply personal, they are
also deeply human, and God has provided workable solutions for you through the
teachings of Christ and the Roman Catholic Church.
Walking with Purpose would like to help you
enjoy a deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ, nurtured through
personal Bible study and small group discussions created just for women.
https://walkingwithpurpose.com
https://walkingwithpurpose.com
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Little Children
Consider having
children give up "screens": cell phones, video games, tablets, and
television. Read a book each week instead.
Consider encouraging your little ones to abstain from meat on Friday and
even to fast (under your supervision of course). Have them put 10% of
their piggy bank into the collection basket. Bring them with you to the Way of
the Cross or your Holy Hour each week.
Take them along to serve at a soup kitchen or visit the elderly.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
EVERYONE
“Best Lent Ever”
Don’t Give Up Chocolate for Lent
SO… WHAT IS BEST LENT EVER?
It’s a totally free and totally awesome
daily Lenten video program (sent straight to your email) that will help you
unlock your God-given potential.
from Dynamic
Catholic (Matthew Kelly’s organization)
https://dynamiccatholic.com/best-lent-ever
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Our
Lady of Fatima Traveling Pilgrimage Statue
(Check the local parish bulletins for specific events. Here is when it will be close to our parish:)
Huntingburg, Monday, March 16th – starting with
Mass and procession at 6 pm. Ending 6:30
a.m. Tues
Holy Trinity Catholic School (Precious Blood campus) –
Tuesday, March 17, 8 am Mass/procession.
Holy Trinity Catholic School (Holy Family campus) – Tuesday,
March 17, 1 pm procession and rosary
St. Joe, Jasper – Tuesday, March 17, 6:20 pm Procession/Mass. Ending 4:30 pm Wed.
Also at Daylight Mar 13-15, Vincennes March 15-16, Dale
March 18-19 and Rockport March 19-20..
Also MOVIE : Fatima: A Message of Hope Monday, MARCH 9 TH, TIME: 6-8PM CDT
WHERE: ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH (Lower Level) LENGTH: 52 minutes
Everyone Invited & Snacks Provided!
WHERE: ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH (Lower Level) LENGTH: 52 minutes
Everyone Invited & Snacks Provided!
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Personal Retreat on your computer
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Little Black Book
The Knights of Columbus sponsor having these books for reflection at all the doors. They're a simple way to add a daily reflection to your prayer life for Lent.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
THE
ULTIMATE LENT LIST
2. Receive Communion
at Mass every day.
3. Go to Confession
every Friday or once a week.
4. Pray the Family
Rosary every day or once a week.
5. Pray the Stations
of the Cross every Friday.
6. Pray in silence 15
minutes a day.
7. Make a Eucharistic
visit every day.
8. Pray the Divine
Mercy Chaplet every day.
9. Fast on bread and
water one to three times per week.
10. Read a spiritual
book
11. Give a painfully
large donation to charity.
(Try adding an extra "zero" when
you write the check.)
12. Donate to charity
instead of buying something for yourself.
13. Pray "Jesus,
I love you!" in the first waking seconds of the day.
15. Do something
romantic or sacrificial to improve your marriage.
16. Volunteer
anywhere: at your kid's school, homeless shelter, etc
.
17. Visit a home for
the elderly.
18. Read a Gospel or
all four Gospels.
19. Memorize ten
favorite Bible verses.
20. Did we mention
fasting one to three times a week?
21. Look through the
CD’s at the church door and give some away to those you think might need them.
22. Oh, why not Pray
in silence for an hour every day.
23. Set more time
aside to be with your children or grandchildren.
24. Give up something
you absolutely love, crave, or spend time on, or that annoys others, including:
• lying
• your cellphone
(or texting, shopping online, social media, etc.)
• television or your
favorite television show
• television before a
certain hour
• television after a
certain hour
• eating while watching television
• coffee or tea (yes,
coffee)
• coffee or tea you don't brew at home
• caffeine in any form
• diet soda (or soda)
• donuts
• hamburgers
• pizza (yes, pizza)
• chocolate
• anything with
chocolate flavor
• all snacks or
desserts
• going to movies
or Netflix, Hulu, Redbox, etc.
•
non-essential Internet
• March Madness
• following your
favorite sports team
• video games
• slouching
• gambling (legal or
otherwise)
• celebrity magazines
• golf (an objectively
grave moral evil) (only kidding)
• booze (yes, booze)
• a destructive,
irresistible "friendship"
• foul language
• picking your nose
• showing up late
• not grooming
properly
• not flossing every day (yuck!)
• sports, music, or
talk radio
• fantasy sports
• restaurants
• eating lunch outside
of work
• driving when you
could walk
• sleeping in late
• hitting the Snooze
Button in the morning
• fast food
drive-throughs
• not cooking
breakfast for your kids
• shopping for clothes
or food
• not stopping by your
neighbors to say hello
• failing to visit or
call your relatives
• soap operas
• the beach (for those
of you lucky enough to have one nearby)
• the woods, lakes, or
mountains (ditto)
• working on cars
• working in your shop
• chess, checkers,
cards, board games
• fishing, hunting,
four-wheeling
• skateboarding
• some of your
"me" time doing any hobby
• your absolute
favorite hobby (aha, you just fainted!)
• not reading
•
reading (ha!)
• not
exercising regularly
•
exercising (too much)
• nagging your husband
(you know who you are)
• criticizing your
wife (she knows who you are)
• interrupting others
• not smiling whenever
you meet someone
• crossword puzzles,
jigsaw puzzles, sudoku
• knitting? (you
addicts understand)
• cigarettes
•
half or a third of those cigarettes
• vaping
• cigars, gum, and
"phony candy" breath mints
• not taking real
breath mints
• cookies
• chips or pretzels (I
skipped pretzels when I was a kid)
• cellphone calls in
your car (more difficult than you think)
• podcasts (or listen only to religious podcasts)
• all non-necessary
texting
• not eating your
vegetables (even you adults)
• ice cream, donuts,
cake
• your favorite dish
•
fudging on your tax return
• gossiping at
work—say something nice instead
•
gossiping anywhere
• stealing
"little stuff" from your employer, including time online
• relations with your
spouse (on certain days or weeks)
• not having relations
with your spouse (if it applies)
• thinking about
yourself when you wake up or go to bed (pray instead)
• thinking about
yourself when you drive (pray instead)
•
talking when you could listen
• buying anything you
don't really need
• not making your bed
Sunday, February 2, 2020
2020/02/02 Feast of the Presentation: 490 is a Big Deal.... wait for it...
Before Mass
Today is the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple – big deal, right? Actually – it IS a big deal, but in order to appreciate that – as usual – we gotta dig back into a bit of history – so put on your seat belts ‘cause I’ll be moving fast.
To put this into perspective, do you remember when the wall was knocked down between East and West Berlin? It was BIG deal – I remember the night it happened. Now for those too young, you may not even remember the event – or appreciate why it was such a big deal…how, after WWII, families were torn apart as the wall was built – and thousands of people died trying to cross the manmade border. You don’t remember all the years of the cold war and how the world lived in fear of a nuclear war. But that night, it ended… it was HUGE. That’s a view of what happened in the temple TODAY.
Apply that to your own life – think about something you waited a LONG time for – like getting married – or graduating from school – or having kids – or retiring…. Or MOTHERS – you waiting 9 months for your child to arrive. Think of THAT moment and how you felt when whatever you were waiting for finally arrived. Keep that in mind as you listen to the Gospel.
Homily
Don’t know if you noticed that Luke is very particular about the number of days for some reason. He starts today with “when the days for their purification were complete’…. What’s that mean? When a Jewish woman had a baby boy, on the 7th day he would be circumcised – then the mother was still considered unclean for 33 days. That’s 40 days, right – so what happened 40 days ago today? Christmas – right. What happened 9 months before then… obviously, the annunciation on March 25 when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary telling her she was gonna have a baby. What happened 6 months before that? The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah announcing that Elizabeth would give birth to John the Baptist. Count that up- 40 days plus 9 months plus 6 months…. That is 490 days. Anybody here recognize the significance of 490? Didn’t think so… but if we were in 1st century Israel, EVERYbody would raise their hands because 490 is a SIGNIFICANT number.
To understand why, this is where I have to give a quick history lesson: 600 years prior to Jesus’ birth, the prophet Ezekiel saw the glory of God LEAVE the temple! You may remember that the Glory Cloud was a physical presence of God that was settled on the Arch of the Covenant, which was housed in the Holy of Holies of the Temple. But that day, Ezekiel saw the glory cloud lift and exit to the east. It was devastating! God had left his people! All hope left with him… and not long after that, Babylon came in and destroyed the Temple and exiled many people to Babylon. Yes, all hope was gone.
Until, a few years later, in Babylon, Gabriel appeared to Daniel and told him that the glory of God would reappear in the temple in 7 weeks of 70 years…. Yeah it’s a weird way to speak, but I won’t get into that. What is 7 weeks of 70 years? ….7x70= 490. Recognize that number: 490? It’s hard to figure out the exactly when the 490 years started, but many people believed that the time of fulfillment was now! In fact, Herod had just rebuilt the temple 20 years prior, but they were waiting for the glory of God to come back. The Holy of Holies was an empty room – no arc of the covenant – no glory cloud.
That’s why people like Simeon and Anna were hanging around the temple every day. The 490 years were up… the glory was going to reappear in the temple any day now… and TODAY it did. The Lord, Jesus, came back into the temple for the first time in 490 years….and just to make the point clearer, Luke’s timeline shows that this event was on the 490th day of his story. Luke wanted to make SURE that everyone recognized that THIS was the fulfillment of the prophesy to Daniel! This was a huge day… hope was restored. God had come back among his chosen people.
Because the underlying message is that God fulfills His promises. He may seem to delay – but his timing is perfect. Even when hope seems completely lost, we can wait for God to fulfill his promises.
Apply this to your own life: was there a time you were without hope and waiting for God to intervene? Maybe that’s you right now… your health, your marriage, your job, your kids, your future – so many uncertainties – things that give us a pit in our stomach. It’s not supposed to be like this, God – when will you act? When will you come? I don’t have the answers. Hopefully each of us HAS recognized those moments when God DID let his glory shine and we can put our hope in that. Regardless – even when it seems God has forgotten us – we can put our trust in His promise to be with us always.
Here’s a short story to maybe make that point clearer:
The king of a certain country was growing old, and he had no son to succeed him. He announced to his people that he would choose an heir to the throne from among the young men of the kingdom by holding a competition. On the appointed day, hundreds – maybe thousands of men of all ages showed up. Various tests and trials were presented - and some failed while others passed. Then other tests and more trials – and each time some were rejected till at last only three were left.
The competition continued for several more hours - They were put through test after test, but all seemed equally able to meet them, so the king announced through his heralds that on the next day the matter would be decided by a foot-race. The course was marked off, the judges were at their places, and all was ready. Just before the start of the race, a man came up to each of the contestants and said secretly to him, "The king is taking special note of you. Do not run when the gun fires, but wait until the king gives you a special signal." The three took their places eager for the race. Three-two-one… the gun was fired…, one bounded forward quickly, then hesitated and stopped – apparently remembering the instruction given; but by then another man sprang forward after him, not wanting to be left behind – so the first man started sprinting again and they ran for the finish line as fast as they could. The third man stood looking anxiously at the king and at the two runners, murmuring to himself, "I can make it yet, I can make it yet." The king gazed at the runners and gave no heed to the one still standing. The waiting man thought himself forgotten and his heart sank as he realized that it would be impossible for him to win the race.
The two runners ran on at top speed, reaching the finish line neck and neck. They were brought back, and all three stood before the king. To the first he said, "Were you not told not to run until I gave you the signal? Why then did you run?"
"I was so excited, I forgot," said the man.
Of the second he asked the same question. His reply was, "I thought it would be but a moment till you would give the signal, and seeing the other guy running I ran also."
To the third he said, "And why did not you run?"
"Because you did not give me the signal, sir," he answered.
"My son," said the king, "I knew that you could run, but I did not know that you could wait."
So the young man found that the test was not a test of doing but of waiting.
Today is the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple – big deal, right? Actually – it IS a big deal, but in order to appreciate that – as usual – we gotta dig back into a bit of history – so put on your seat belts ‘cause I’ll be moving fast.
To put this into perspective, do you remember when the wall was knocked down between East and West Berlin? It was BIG deal – I remember the night it happened. Now for those too young, you may not even remember the event – or appreciate why it was such a big deal…how, after WWII, families were torn apart as the wall was built – and thousands of people died trying to cross the manmade border. You don’t remember all the years of the cold war and how the world lived in fear of a nuclear war. But that night, it ended… it was HUGE. That’s a view of what happened in the temple TODAY.
Apply that to your own life – think about something you waited a LONG time for – like getting married – or graduating from school – or having kids – or retiring…. Or MOTHERS – you waiting 9 months for your child to arrive. Think of THAT moment and how you felt when whatever you were waiting for finally arrived. Keep that in mind as you listen to the Gospel.
Homily
Don’t know if you noticed that Luke is very particular about the number of days for some reason. He starts today with “when the days for their purification were complete’…. What’s that mean? When a Jewish woman had a baby boy, on the 7th day he would be circumcised – then the mother was still considered unclean for 33 days. That’s 40 days, right – so what happened 40 days ago today? Christmas – right. What happened 9 months before then… obviously, the annunciation on March 25 when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary telling her she was gonna have a baby. What happened 6 months before that? The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah announcing that Elizabeth would give birth to John the Baptist. Count that up- 40 days plus 9 months plus 6 months…. That is 490 days. Anybody here recognize the significance of 490? Didn’t think so… but if we were in 1st century Israel, EVERYbody would raise their hands because 490 is a SIGNIFICANT number.
To understand why, this is where I have to give a quick history lesson: 600 years prior to Jesus’ birth, the prophet Ezekiel saw the glory of God LEAVE the temple! You may remember that the Glory Cloud was a physical presence of God that was settled on the Arch of the Covenant, which was housed in the Holy of Holies of the Temple. But that day, Ezekiel saw the glory cloud lift and exit to the east. It was devastating! God had left his people! All hope left with him… and not long after that, Babylon came in and destroyed the Temple and exiled many people to Babylon. Yes, all hope was gone.
Until, a few years later, in Babylon, Gabriel appeared to Daniel and told him that the glory of God would reappear in the temple in 7 weeks of 70 years…. Yeah it’s a weird way to speak, but I won’t get into that. What is 7 weeks of 70 years? ….7x70= 490. Recognize that number: 490? It’s hard to figure out the exactly when the 490 years started, but many people believed that the time of fulfillment was now! In fact, Herod had just rebuilt the temple 20 years prior, but they were waiting for the glory of God to come back. The Holy of Holies was an empty room – no arc of the covenant – no glory cloud.
That’s why people like Simeon and Anna were hanging around the temple every day. The 490 years were up… the glory was going to reappear in the temple any day now… and TODAY it did. The Lord, Jesus, came back into the temple for the first time in 490 years….and just to make the point clearer, Luke’s timeline shows that this event was on the 490th day of his story. Luke wanted to make SURE that everyone recognized that THIS was the fulfillment of the prophesy to Daniel! This was a huge day… hope was restored. God had come back among his chosen people.
Big deal, right?
Why should we care…
Because the underlying message is that God fulfills His promises. He may seem to delay – but his timing is perfect. Even when hope seems completely lost, we can wait for God to fulfill his promises.
Apply this to your own life: was there a time you were without hope and waiting for God to intervene? Maybe that’s you right now… your health, your marriage, your job, your kids, your future – so many uncertainties – things that give us a pit in our stomach. It’s not supposed to be like this, God – when will you act? When will you come? I don’t have the answers. Hopefully each of us HAS recognized those moments when God DID let his glory shine and we can put our hope in that. Regardless – even when it seems God has forgotten us – we can put our trust in His promise to be with us always.
Here’s a short story to maybe make that point clearer:
The king of a certain country was growing old, and he had no son to succeed him. He announced to his people that he would choose an heir to the throne from among the young men of the kingdom by holding a competition. On the appointed day, hundreds – maybe thousands of men of all ages showed up. Various tests and trials were presented - and some failed while others passed. Then other tests and more trials – and each time some were rejected till at last only three were left.
The competition continued for several more hours - They were put through test after test, but all seemed equally able to meet them, so the king announced through his heralds that on the next day the matter would be decided by a foot-race. The course was marked off, the judges were at their places, and all was ready. Just before the start of the race, a man came up to each of the contestants and said secretly to him, "The king is taking special note of you. Do not run when the gun fires, but wait until the king gives you a special signal." The three took their places eager for the race. Three-two-one… the gun was fired…, one bounded forward quickly, then hesitated and stopped – apparently remembering the instruction given; but by then another man sprang forward after him, not wanting to be left behind – so the first man started sprinting again and they ran for the finish line as fast as they could. The third man stood looking anxiously at the king and at the two runners, murmuring to himself, "I can make it yet, I can make it yet." The king gazed at the runners and gave no heed to the one still standing. The waiting man thought himself forgotten and his heart sank as he realized that it would be impossible for him to win the race.
The two runners ran on at top speed, reaching the finish line neck and neck. They were brought back, and all three stood before the king. To the first he said, "Were you not told not to run until I gave you the signal? Why then did you run?"
"I was so excited, I forgot," said the man.
Of the second he asked the same question. His reply was, "I thought it would be but a moment till you would give the signal, and seeing the other guy running I ran also."
To the third he said, "And why did not you run?"
"Because you did not give me the signal, sir," he answered.
"My son," said the king, "I knew that you could run, but I did not know that you could wait."
So the young man found that the test was not a test of doing but of waiting.
Saturday, December 21, 2019
2019/12/22 Joseph and Coincidence (4th Sunday Advent)
Sometimes I listen for preaching ideas from other preachers, and I often get some great insights into scripture that I’m not wise enough to think of. But there’s one thing that sometimes bothers me – especially this time of year – it’s like some of them have to dance around a bit to try to limit the role of Mary and Joseph. You know – so much of the Christmas readings center on Mary and Joseph, but they seem to want to play it down. Their main point is true - it’s all God’s plan and God IS the one who makes it all happen, but it’s like they want to ignore that God uses some very specific people in achieving His plan of salvation.
For example- today’s reading speaks pretty highly of Joseph – he kinda sound like a real stand-up dude with a lot of guts – but I listened to three of them this week who’s perspective is “well, Joseph’s not that great of a guy – I mean – he was going to divorce Mary after all”. At a glance, it sounds like they have a good point – it might sound like Joseph is kicking her to the curb like a jerk… but if we take time to understand what’s really happening here, I think we’ll get a different picture.
First – we gotta clear up the confusion about Jewish betrothal. Notice in that first line it says, “ when Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together”. Betrothal sounds a lot like our modern ‘engagement’…and until this week, I always thought it was the same….but it’s different. Jewish marriage has two parts – first is kiddushin they exchange vows or promises, and at that moment they are legally married – but the woman still lives at home until the man can pay the ‘bride price’ – some amount agreed on between the groom-to-be and the woman’s father. This may take up to a year. Then after the price is paid and the home is ready, comes the second step: nisuin, when the bride moves in with her husband.
Notice right there in the first line is says they are betrothed but not yet living together… which means they are in this in-between state: but legally married…that’s an important point…. If they WEREN’T legally married, why would it say he decided to divorce her? If they were just engaged, you could simply call it off.
Keep that in mind – now – It says, Joseph was a ‘righteous man but he didn’t want to expose her to shame’. What’s it mean that he was ‘righteous’? It means he followed the Jewish law. What’s the law say about a woman who has sex outside of marriage? She should be stoned. Did Mary have sex outside of marriage NO – but all Joseph knew was there was a baby coming and HE wasn’t the daddy – cause if he was the daddy, he would remember being there! So putting two and two together, he figures she MUST have been unfaithful.
It must have cut him to the core.
He THOUGHT that divorce was the only option. I mean, obviously, she didn’t want to be married to him if she’s fooling around on the side – so obviously, we shouldn’t complete this marriage. Now any normal man would have been really ticked off – don’t you think?! He would have run into the streets “exposing her to the shame” – which means he would lead the charge to stone her – why – because she hurt his pride. But Joseph swallowed his pride. He was just going to quietly end the marriage – not because he was a jerk – but because he wanted to save her life and let her find happiness with the man she had apparently chosen instead of him. I got a lot of respect for Joseph.
Next - did you notice that Joseph had a dream – and he believed the dream?! - and he actually DID what he felt God called him to do in that dream!??! I wonder how many people here have had a dream where God told them to do something and we actually got up and did it!? I’m sure there are a few people here, but for most of us, that would take a giant leap of faith to make that big of a life decision based on a dream.
OK – so all that’s interesting, I guess – but does any of this have to do with you and me?
I think it comes down to that last line: he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him.
That one sentence implies some important lessons for us:
First lesson – Obedience. When he felt like God told him to do something, he obeyed. That’s another reason to respect Joseph. Do WE do what God tells us to do? Sometimes, I’m sure – but I’d bet that every person here DOESN’T do what God tells us to do at least once a day. I can make that bet because that’s what sin is – not doing what God has revealed to us – and every one of us falls into that.
Second lesson for us - we should be ready to recognize a sign from God. Joseph recognized this sign because the angel spoke the exact words that were in the prophecy about the virgin giving birth and ‘he shall be called Emmanuel’. Would you and I recognize a sign from God if we saw it? I would also bet that every person here DOES receive signs from God – probably every day! But we have to train ourselves to see the signs. Sometimes they’re flashy and grab our attention, but often they’re subtle and we only catch them if we’re awake.
What’s that look like?
Some people say that when someone dies, if you see a redbird hanging around, it’s a sign that your beloved is still with you. That sign brings comfort.
I know the day of Tim Friedman’s funeral, I went home and saw two bald eagles circling over our house. I rarely see even one eagle, but that day there were two. I took that as a comforting sign…
My friend, Jerry was driving to work one morning and for some reason, his old buddy Tom popped into his head. He and Tom used to talk a lot at work and even prayed together quite often, but Tom had moved to another location, so they rarely ran into each other. Jerry punched the hands-free dialer and 3 seconds later, these two old friends were catching up – and he found out about all the struggles Tom was going through dealing with a major health issue for one of his kids. Jerry suddenly felt the need to support Tom face-to-face, so he swung by Tom’s workplace and waited for him. Tom teared up as soon as he saw his old buddy’s truck… To anybody walking by it might have looked odd to see two grown men hugging in the parking lot, but that gesture meant the world to Tom. Then Jerry rushed back to his truck to leave and noticed a strange light in his front seat. He had picked up two of those electric candles for his wife and they were in a box on his front seat – but somehow – while he was talking to Tom, those candles had turned on. Was there a logical explanation? Nope. Jerry took it as a sign – kind of like a thank you from God for listening to His prompting that morning.
What’s a sign look like? A coincidence. Think about it. Sometimes, God makes it OBVIOUS that He’s at work. But more often, a sign from God usually looks like just a coincidence. However, to those with the eyes of faith, we see the hand that moves the world at work.
But as Albert Einstein said, “A coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous”.
For example- today’s reading speaks pretty highly of Joseph – he kinda sound like a real stand-up dude with a lot of guts – but I listened to three of them this week who’s perspective is “well, Joseph’s not that great of a guy – I mean – he was going to divorce Mary after all”. At a glance, it sounds like they have a good point – it might sound like Joseph is kicking her to the curb like a jerk… but if we take time to understand what’s really happening here, I think we’ll get a different picture.
First – we gotta clear up the confusion about Jewish betrothal. Notice in that first line it says, “ when Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together”. Betrothal sounds a lot like our modern ‘engagement’…and until this week, I always thought it was the same….but it’s different. Jewish marriage has two parts – first is kiddushin they exchange vows or promises, and at that moment they are legally married – but the woman still lives at home until the man can pay the ‘bride price’ – some amount agreed on between the groom-to-be and the woman’s father. This may take up to a year. Then after the price is paid and the home is ready, comes the second step: nisuin, when the bride moves in with her husband.
Notice right there in the first line is says they are betrothed but not yet living together… which means they are in this in-between state: but legally married…that’s an important point…. If they WEREN’T legally married, why would it say he decided to divorce her? If they were just engaged, you could simply call it off.
Keep that in mind – now – It says, Joseph was a ‘righteous man but he didn’t want to expose her to shame’. What’s it mean that he was ‘righteous’? It means he followed the Jewish law. What’s the law say about a woman who has sex outside of marriage? She should be stoned. Did Mary have sex outside of marriage NO – but all Joseph knew was there was a baby coming and HE wasn’t the daddy – cause if he was the daddy, he would remember being there! So putting two and two together, he figures she MUST have been unfaithful.
It must have cut him to the core.
He THOUGHT that divorce was the only option. I mean, obviously, she didn’t want to be married to him if she’s fooling around on the side – so obviously, we shouldn’t complete this marriage. Now any normal man would have been really ticked off – don’t you think?! He would have run into the streets “exposing her to the shame” – which means he would lead the charge to stone her – why – because she hurt his pride. But Joseph swallowed his pride. He was just going to quietly end the marriage – not because he was a jerk – but because he wanted to save her life and let her find happiness with the man she had apparently chosen instead of him. I got a lot of respect for Joseph.
Next - did you notice that Joseph had a dream – and he believed the dream?! - and he actually DID what he felt God called him to do in that dream!??! I wonder how many people here have had a dream where God told them to do something and we actually got up and did it!? I’m sure there are a few people here, but for most of us, that would take a giant leap of faith to make that big of a life decision based on a dream.
OK – so all that’s interesting, I guess – but does any of this have to do with you and me?
I think it comes down to that last line: he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him.
That one sentence implies some important lessons for us:
First lesson – Obedience. When he felt like God told him to do something, he obeyed. That’s another reason to respect Joseph. Do WE do what God tells us to do? Sometimes, I’m sure – but I’d bet that every person here DOESN’T do what God tells us to do at least once a day. I can make that bet because that’s what sin is – not doing what God has revealed to us – and every one of us falls into that.
Second lesson for us - we should be ready to recognize a sign from God. Joseph recognized this sign because the angel spoke the exact words that were in the prophecy about the virgin giving birth and ‘he shall be called Emmanuel’. Would you and I recognize a sign from God if we saw it? I would also bet that every person here DOES receive signs from God – probably every day! But we have to train ourselves to see the signs. Sometimes they’re flashy and grab our attention, but often they’re subtle and we only catch them if we’re awake.
What’s that look like?
Some people say that when someone dies, if you see a redbird hanging around, it’s a sign that your beloved is still with you. That sign brings comfort.
I know the day of Tim Friedman’s funeral, I went home and saw two bald eagles circling over our house. I rarely see even one eagle, but that day there were two. I took that as a comforting sign…
My friend, Jerry was driving to work one morning and for some reason, his old buddy Tom popped into his head. He and Tom used to talk a lot at work and even prayed together quite often, but Tom had moved to another location, so they rarely ran into each other. Jerry punched the hands-free dialer and 3 seconds later, these two old friends were catching up – and he found out about all the struggles Tom was going through dealing with a major health issue for one of his kids. Jerry suddenly felt the need to support Tom face-to-face, so he swung by Tom’s workplace and waited for him. Tom teared up as soon as he saw his old buddy’s truck… To anybody walking by it might have looked odd to see two grown men hugging in the parking lot, but that gesture meant the world to Tom. Then Jerry rushed back to his truck to leave and noticed a strange light in his front seat. He had picked up two of those electric candles for his wife and they were in a box on his front seat – but somehow – while he was talking to Tom, those candles had turned on. Was there a logical explanation? Nope. Jerry took it as a sign – kind of like a thank you from God for listening to His prompting that morning.
What’s a sign look like? A coincidence. Think about it. Sometimes, God makes it OBVIOUS that He’s at work. But more often, a sign from God usually looks like just a coincidence. However, to those with the eyes of faith, we see the hand that moves the world at work.
But as Albert Einstein said, “A coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous”.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
