How Can It Be?

When I question how it can be
I must remember He is not me.
For He is God it's plain to see
And "all things possible" is the key.

So I believe...I guarantee
in those things that puzzle me.
It does not take a masters degree
To fall down upon bended knee.

So I pray that all would agree
That from His love you do not flee.

Amen.

What Is God Saying To Me?

As usual…I sit listening to the silence…hoping to hear some words of wisdom, some words of encouragement or just some confirmation from God.  But the only voice I hear is mine.  I never know if God is talking to me or I’m talking to myself. 

It would be nice if God used his own voice or maybe the voice of Charles Heston or perhaps Morgan Freeman…but it is always my voice…and I find that confusing.

On the other hand…there are times when I get a feeling that washes over me like a huge wave that leaves me gasping for breath and drowning in tears…that's when I know that God is real and that He is there to save me from myself.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I thank you for your gracious companionship.  I praise you for being my Creator, Savior, and Lord.  May I take your blessings to my day, and may your presence envelop and permeate all my thoughts and actions, through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

My Spastic Mind

As I followed along with the first reading…taken from Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesians…my spastic mind transported me back to grade school and diagramming sentences, a concept I’ve never really grasped.

Brothers and sisters:

I, a prisoner for the Lord,

urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,

with all humility and gentleness, with patience,

bearing with one another through love,

striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit

through the bond of peace:

one Body and one Spirit,

as you were also called to the one hope of your call;

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

one God and Father of all,

who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us

according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,

others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,

to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,

for building up the Body of Christ,

until we all attain to the unity of faith

and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,

to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

Eph 4:1-7,11-13

I stared at the run-on sentences wondering how on earth they would fit onto a tree branch diagram that meandered across the black boards of the fifth grade classroom.  Perhaps the original Greek would have been easer to deal with.

Dear Lord Jesus,

At times your words seem Greek to me

But for you I will a prisoner be

Pray never from your graces flee

And with your help be true to Thee

Amen.

A Dream Come True

As a kid I dreamed of riding around the country on a motorcycle perhaps as a result of watching too many shows like “Easy Rider” and “Then Came Bronson”.  So in a moment of nostalgia and low mental acuity I decided to do the Colorado Butler Motorcycle Map Challenge.

Butler is a company the makes high quality, waterproof maps for motorcycle riders.  They rate and highlight the roads; good, better and best…and I was going to ride every road they recommended.

So I packed my saddlebags, gassed up the tank, and off I went to Colorado with my old classic BMW airhead…accompanied by my son with his red ST1100 Honda.  Fortunately, with a spark of sanity I decided to leave my sleeping bag at home and take my VISA card instead. 

Without perseverating on the boring details we spent seven days experiencing knee-dragging sweepers, heart-stopping switchbacks and eye-popping vistas.  We crossed the Continental Divide numerous times racing over the high mountain passes, down twisting canyons, and passed by rocky spires and stony crags.  We experienced the stone walls of Stonewall, the quaint little towns like La Veta, Lake City and Creede…not to mention all the regular tourist traps.

Getting high in Colorado!  Yes, indeed, the Rocky Mountain National Park is two and a half miles up into the thin air above the tree line.  This sea level dweller huffed and puffed just twisting the throttle while the bicycle riders peddled there way to the top with apparent ease.

We experienced Colorado’s morning lows and afternoon highs, the flat almost endless high plains that stretched to the horizon, the great sand dunes, the dust devils, snow covered mountaintops, cold mountain rains, old railroad tunnels, Boulder’s bicycles and Denver’s traffic.

It was a great adventure but my dream of riding cross-country on a motorcycle at 17 years old is more of a nightmare at 71.  I am exhausted!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for getting us home safe and sound.

Thank you for allowing me to see your awesome handy work.

For you are indeed an amazing God that does amazing things.

Thank you for blessing me in so many ways.

Amen.

Dancing And Weeping

‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.

We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’  Luke 7:32

As I stood listening to today’s gospel…I could not help but think of my life long lukewarm approach to the God’s word.  Neither leaping for joy at the good news nor weeping over the terrible injustice Our Lord suffered.

But some how something has changed…I discreetly wiped the tear from my cheek and held my breath. 

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for all you have done and all you continue to do for me. Today…I pray that you give me the wisdom to know and the fortitude to do your will not mine. 

Amen.

Let Peace Control Your Heart

In today's first reading (Col 3:12-17) the words,
"...let the peace of Christ control your hearts,..." ,
founded their way into the chink of my worldly armor. 

The realization that I am far to up tight about many things of this world that really have little significance in the overall scheme of God's plan. 

Dear Lord,
Let me be thankful.
Let your word dwell in me,
as in all wisdom you teach.
May I sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in my heart.
And whatever I do, in word or in deed,
I do in the your name, Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through you.
Amen.

Under The Fig Tree

It never made much sense to me why Nathanael, aka Bartholomew, instantly believed just because Jesus saw him under the fig tree.  It was always…so what…what is so special about seeing him under the fig tree.  I always wondered what ole Nate was doing under that tree…what made this encounter so special.  Was he eating figs, stealing figs, taking a nap…what was it?    

Well…today, the feast of Bartholomew, I found out.  Thanks to Father Christopher’s explanation…it seems Bart was praying. Probably praying for a sign, a sign from God…and BAM…he got it. 

Dear Lord Jesus, my prayer today is that I be more like Nathanael…so You might say to me “there is no duplicity in him”.  Amen

Today’s Gospel: John 1:45-51

The Puzzle's Missing Piece

I never quite understood the parable in Matthew’s gospel about the man who was bound hands and feet and thrown out of the wedding feast because he was not wearing the wedding garment.  I always thought his treatment was a bit harsh. After all maybe he couldn’t afford a nice coat and tie or perhaps his only suit was at the cleaners. The parable just never made good sense to me. 

But today…I was given the missing piece to the puzzle.  Father Gary explained; it was common knowledge, back then, that the party host supplied everyone with the proper garment.   

So this guy just refused to wear it.

Well now…that makes a lot more sense…no wonder he got thrown out.

Thank you, Lord Jesus…

When I puzzle over words I read

You supply my every need

You are there to sow the seed

And guide my hands in every deed.

Help me, Lord, follow your lead

I want not to be an ugly weed

You were ready and willing to bleed

So...that I might be freed

Your every word I must heed

And on your body I must feed

Please forgive my selfish greed

For this is my earnest plead.

Amen.

Today’s gospel reading….. Matthew 22:1-14

One More Behind Me

One more funeral behind me, one more funeral closer to being able to recline through the entire Mass without having to do all that sitting, kneeling and standing…I contemplated.  Eyeing Father Celestino Say’s simple pine box casket I could not help but be a little envious…envious that I was not more like him, a man of God, a man who finished the race, a man who fought the good fight.   

The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.

They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;

and their passing away was thought an affliction

and their going forth from us, utter destruction.

But they are in peace.

For if to others, indeed, they seem punished,

yet is their hope full of immortality;

Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,

because God tried them

and found them worthy of himself.

As gold in the furnace, he proved them,

and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

In the time of their judgment they shall shine

and dart about as sparks through stubble;

They shall judge nations and rule over peoples,

and the LORD shall be their King forever.

Those who trust in him shall understand truth,

and the faithful shall abide with him in love:

Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,

and his care is with the elect.   Wisdom 3:1-9

8/8/15

Just Another Day

Another day, another daily Mass…I worry that I’ve fallen into a rut, into a routine, a meaningless habit of just going though the motions.  I sit in the same ole pew…my “monkey mind” swinging from daydream to daydream.  

But, then, without warning…something wakes me from my stupor.  It is like a huge wave that crashes over me and washes away all my doubts and worries…leaves me gasping for air with an uncontrollable feeling of gratitude that forces me to hold my breath, clench my teeth and fight back the tears. To realize what is taking place is overpowering…it is like actually being at the last supper and the foot of the cross all at the same time.

To comprehend what has been given me…with no strings attached…is overwhelming.  What a humbling thought…to think that it is a debt that I can never repay.  All I can do is say “Thank You”.   

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for all my many blessings most of all the gift of salvation.  Thank you…Thank you…Thank you. 

Amen.

And then Mass is over and I am sent forth into a world that just does not get it.  I wish I had the words to explain the difference between living WITH or living WITHOUT….JESUS.