Friday, October 11, 2013

A Father’s Sin


When I was about eight years old I use to play with a friend who lived just down the street and across the ally from us. One day while playing in his front yard I saw my father’s car drive past us and the woman who lived next door was riding in the front seat with him. I didn’t think much about it but when I got home I told my mom and she was not happy with that news.

When dad got home mom told him what I had said. He became angry and accused me of lying. He then beat me with a belt for lying. When I say beat I mean just that and it was severe.


Years later – 30 years – I learned that he knew that I had not lied and that I was punished for his sin. 

Thursday, October 10, 2013

EVERYDAY SAINTS


Christmas items are showing up in the stores so we will soon celebrate “All Saints Day” and society will make more of  “All Hollows Eve” also known as Halloween.  The saints of the first-century were men and women of flesh and blood, the same as you and I. They are people who had work to do day in and day out, but who also had a first hand interest in the Church, and worship of God. 

Please consider the men we call saints who's names are on the books of the New Testament:

1.         Matthew earned his living collecting taxes, the IRS auditor of his day.
2.         Mark was a private secretary.
3.         Luke was a physician.
4.         John, James, and Peter were engage in the fish industry.
5.         Paul was a tent maker.
6.         Timothy and Titus were expert organizers.
7.         Jude was a small landowner.
8.         Philemon was a possessor of an enviable list of diversified securities.

It was lay men and women, not angels, who had surrendered their lives to Jesus, who built the Church. It is still lay men and women, who having surrendered their lives to Jesus, continue to build the Church and change the world. It is your faith in action in your daily life, committed to Christ that will make the difference in this world. As you plan for all of the sacred days coming up at the last part of the year with All Saints Day, Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas to keep it spiritual.


Remember the people of the New Testament as you think about your role in the life and work of the Church. You are also an EVERYDAY SAINT.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Things we can not change


There are things in life we cannot alter. We can try but it only leads to frustration. Mother Nature brings storms and violent actions that damage our living space and we can not stop that from happening. War happens and people we love die and we can not change that. Other people do things that cause us grief and we must deal with the fall out in our lives.

 

Things have happened in the past that affect us but they are beyond our repair. Until we recognize the reality of the past as it was and everyone in it as they were, the past will control us. If we let it all stand as history and simply let it be we can find peace with in us. Then we can create a peaceful now and a peaceful future. If we learn from the past we can keep from repeating the mistakes and grow as a person and as a society.

 It is how we live out this day that affects our lives and the lives of those around us. Each choice in the now matters in our future so each point of change is under our control for that moment. So let us live each day to the fullest, loving God and loving others in each action we take.