Does anyone know Christ is alive because of me ? That was the question we were invited last week to ask ourselves everyday this past week as we looked at whether or not we are still alive in our commitment to Christ! Hope you did it ! Hope you are alive !
Being alive - well - is what we accepted at Baptism - to be alive in our commitment to serve Him, to love Him, to know Him. Remember - we can’t be that cool uncle who says yes to everything - we have to stand for something ! We have to “Accept the Challenge” - apply the truths of our faith to family, friendships and future. Last week we touched on how we must know who we are and whose we are and we must make sure we pray often in order to stay close to the Lord.
A classmate of mine got a new book for Christmas! “ When God Winks at You.” He has not read a page of it - well because, fascinated by the title, I’m reading it ! It is a book of stories about amazing coincidences that happen in people’s lives. The author makes the assertion that there are no coincidences. There are only "God winks."
God winks are those moments when God is sending you a direct personal message. It is a fun book to read. There is power in a wink. When someone winks at you, it is a sign, a form of communication, a non-verbal message: “I am with you, I am thinking about you.” Sometimes a wink says, “Trust me; it is going to be alright.” Coincidences are really God’s way of winking at you and me, reassuring us, guiding us, comforting us, speaking to us, or giving us hope. We often use the phrase “that was just a God thing,” meaning “that had to be more than just a coincidence.” We have all had unexpected moments of insight, direction, reassurance, and comfort. Those are God winks.
In the Gospel of today (John 2:1-12), Jesus is an invited Guest at a wedding. Now the unimaginable happens - especially if your Portuguese - they run out of wine ! Goodness Gracious ! So He ministers to the family - is there for them - performs His first miracle. Now here is my question - was that a coincidence that He was there? Is it a coincidence that we are here ?Is it a coincidence that you work where you do? Is it a coincidence that people come into your life when they do? Is it a coincidence that your best friend is who he? Or a coincidence that your children have been entrusted to you?
We are here, at this time, in this moment, on this occasion - well not by coincidence - but for a reason! Thing is - we have to accept that - we have to will that ! See Last week when Jesus heard (Luke 3.15-16, 21-22) “ You are my Son the beloved, with you I am well pleased”. Well, He had to accept that ! He could have walked away from the baptismal site - well that was odd - thought I heard a voice from heaven!
We could walk away from Church today saying - well that was alright - got to see and sing with friends! Sometimes we can’t help but want to hear the words “The Mass is ended” in order to be first out the door! Remember we meet on the Lord’s Day Weekend not in a Holy Huddle: but in a Place of Holiness in the Presence of Holiness to become People of Holiness. Or we can say - I accept - the challenge - to be alive this week ! To make Him know, to make a difference, to make His name know - to stand for something !
“Do what ever He tells you” - was Mary’s words in the Gospel of today - are they ours ? Are you alive enough to want to learn what He tells us ? Or do you just think - well - it something I have to do - and life - well its all a coincidence ?
This past week I had the great joy of spending a full day with the young people in our Grade 1 classes of our two parish elementary schools. Over 120 young faces, full of energy and smiles. It was amazing, it was elevating, it was stimulating, it was inspirational - - it was exhausting !!!
That evening as I was staring at the television screen, my mind went to the first time I visited Grade 1's as a priest. It was in Georgetown and the young teacher was so amazing to me in her kindness, gentleness and yet firmness with her class of students. I walked in and was greeted with smiles, a few hugs and just before beginning the teacher took me aside and said “ O, Father, we have a new student, Noah." Then with a very low voice and close to my ear ; “ He has only one hand Father, and this is his third day here."
I spoke with the children, joked with them and I got carried away with the visit, the moment, thinking this is awesome, that I played a simple game that forever changed how I see a wink. You know the game, when you put your hands together - clasp them - this is the church, this is the steeple, open them up, here are the people. As I was playing it, showing it, and then were following, it dawned on me. Noah! One hand! O Goodness Gracious ! Glancing over, hoping he was ok. I was the one humbled! A little girl had snuggled over to him, classmate, new friend of only three days had lent her hand and they were doing it together. A coincidence? No! That was a God wink.
Are you alive ? Have you accepted who you are and whose you are? Are you willing to permit God’s naming of you as His beloved child to make a difference in your life, and are you willing to learn about Him so that you can do what He tells you ? Pay attention to things you call a coincidence. It may be God winking at you. Accept the Challenge and Him!