Trinity Sunday - The Blueprints of God's Vision - Step 2 - Living the Characteristics

So last week we began a small series of reflections called “Blueprints for a Bigger Vision.” A Vision is a picture of the future which produces passion. God has a blueprint, a vision for you and me! His vision for us is beyond what we can imagine, understand, undertake - at least without His guidance.

Last Week, it being Pentecost, we looked at “Where to Start?”, and determined that we need to be people who are looking for ways to understand the language of God. God is speaking to us - like He spoke to the Apostles and Disciples in the Upper Room, and helping us to expand our language and understanding of what His Vision for Us is. Then today, Trinity Sunday, and next week Corpus Christi Sunday, we will reflect on “The Characteristics of a Godly Vision” and “Overcoming Obstacles”.

The Movie - the "Wizard of Oz" is a true classic. Several remakes and updates recently to its original - but its the original that is just so impressive - black & white or colour - doesn’t matter. One of my favorite scenes is when Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion arrived to see the Wizard.

As they get into the huge castle, a large reflection of a man appears and there is the thunderous directive “who dares to come and see the "Wizard of Oz" . While the dialogue is going on where Dorothy asks to go home - Dorothy's tiny terrier Toto has pulled back the curtain that kept the true identity of "The Wizard" a secret.

Instead of being "Oz, the Great and Powerful," the "wizard" was revealed by the pup to be an ordinary man, a con artist, practicing the art of smoke and mirrors to impress the people with his faked naked powers. "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" We are told !

There are times, if we are honest, that our relationship with God looks a lot like that. He is great and powerful, we see ourselves on a road toward Him and along the way we make requests and when they don’t go our way - well we want to in our minds to find that curtain to pull back, so that we can say - He isn’t real - and that will make it all better - so we think. Reality, however is, that His Vision - which is true, and right, and good - is so much more powerful and His Will for us is so much more life giving - than any journey toward Oz. So what are the Characteristics of a Godly Vision? I’d like to propose three quick ones today found in our Gospel (John 16.12-15):

First, Jesus says “I still have many things to say to you but you can not bear them now.” Trust - we have to be willing to trust the Lord - surrender to Him - and honestly say, believe, act and live out the sense that “God knows best.” A neighbour of mine as a child one day demonstrated for me the opposite lesson.

She proclaimed to us one day that her husband was undertaking the task of cutting down a tree in their back yard. Shortly after that we began to notice various companies coming to their family home during the day time when he husband was at work. They would come and then they would leave. Finally we asked what that was all about. “They are tree cutting companies, I am getting a quote” She replied. "Oh, I thought your husband was cutting down the tree. “ I said. Her reply; "O yes, he said he would, but it is always good to have a back up plan when it comes to him.”

Is our relationship with God like that ? Do we ask Him, seek His Vision, say ok you can do it and then starting devising the backup plan? Godly Vision - His Bigger Vision for Us needs Trust!

Secondly Jesus says “ when the Spirit of truth, he will guide you into all the truth.” Willingness to be Lead. During my first year in the seminary, as an ice breaker, we where asked to come up with what was our favorite children’s game. The list went on and on when one of the fellows mentioned “Follow the Leader”. Another of the new seminarians quickly replied “ I hate that game, that is not what life is about”. The stunned silence was only broken by our Professor saying “ guess you are not in the right place”. A Godly Vision is one lead by God - not us - we must be willing in our life to undertake “Follow the Leader”, but not as a game but a life mantra.

Finally Jesus says “He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” A Vision anointed by God is one that glorifies Him - It Gives Glory to God - because it takes a part of Himself and shares it with us as we seek to become who He wishes for us to be!

On September 7, 1857 a year before the founding of the Village of Hespeler, the founding families dedicated this parish “ to the Glory of God” it was carved into the cornerstone of the original Church. God Blesses what is dedicated to Him. The blessings that this parish has seen in the last number of years, the growth, the positive spirit, the deep sense of prayerfulness and community - are not the doings of any group, person or plan - but the fact that in it all - we have dedicated it to God - from the start - it is His Vision !

On this our Feast Day Weekend may we ask the intercession of Mary, Elizabeth and the angel Gabriel - models of the Visitation - to guide us - so our “Yes” is as faithful as was their “Yes” to wish to be a part of His Vision: Trusting, Being Lead and Glorifying Him as we continue to be a parish community that is connected to our Past, committed to our future and compassionately focused on being a family of faith with something for everyone !

Pentecost Sunday - The Blueprints of God's Vision - Step 1 - Learning the Language

Riding in the elevator at the hospital in Hamilton a few months back a nice gentleman was in the elevator with me. He looked a little dishevel, and had the scent of a recent visit to the LCBO upon him. He looked at me and said “So are you a priest?”. I replied “yes.” Then there was a pause. “Can I ask you something?” he quickly mumbled. “Yes of course”, I replied. “Have you ever had visions?” He immediately inquired. Staring at him for a minute, and pausing in my mind to see where the emergency button on the elevator was located, I replied "No, not really”. Then with an admitted fear I said “Have you?”. Then with a stern look upon his face he said “Not today, not today”.

Visions - when we think of having them, well they do at times make us wonder. But having a Vision is a very important and extremely different thing. Having a Vision is about knowing a direction a purpose.

In fact a Vision is a picture of the future which produces passion. God has a blueprint, a vision for you and me! His vision for us in beyond what we can imagine, understand, undertake - at least without His guidance. The Feast of Pentecost is all about Vision !

Over the next three weekends as we celebrate Pentecost, Trinity Sunday and Corpus Christi Sunday we will look at “Blueprints for a Bigger Vision”. we are going to reflect on “Where to Start?”,“The Characteristics of a Godly Vision” and “Overcoming Obstacles”.

The Feast of Pentecost was all about Vision. The apostles were seeking to live faithfully following the Ascension of Jesus, but God’s Spirit came to them in that room and inspired them to live Abundantly. God had a bigger vision for them. He has one for you and me too.

Our Holy Father Pope Francis recently said this:

“In this Year of Faith, let us ask ourselves what steps are we taking so that faith may guide all our existence. One isn’t a Christian part time, at certain moments, in certain circumstances, in some choices. One cannot be a Christian like this. One is a Christian at all times! Totally! The truth of Christ, which the Holy Spirit teaches us and gives us, forever, totally affects our daily lives. Let us invoke him more often so that he may guide us on the road of the disciples of Christ.”

As we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost in this Year of Faith, we remember that on the first Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell upon the crowd and touched the hearts of those who received the Apostles' preaching - the Gospel reminds us they were "amazed and astonished." Why ? Because they were hearing something which they already knew voiced, visioned - in a bigger way, a larger way, a deeper way, a more dynamic way. They knew it came from God - because they could never have envisioned such things themselves.

Our story - our life - is so much richer then we can imagine. Our life is not a byline or headline on the world stage. Our life is a detailed blueprint in the heart of God that He is trying to get us to understand, comprehend and undertake. So - “Where to Start?”

Watch and Witness : In the First Reading from Acts (1:1-11), the crowds stood there watching the Apostles speak in their own language, in their own tongue, and as a result they understood. God does not speak to us in a language we don’t understand. He comes to us in a tongue we can, but sometimes we have to expand our vocabulary a little. Let me tell you what I mean.

When we undertook the Parish Centre construction project in 2009, the project managers brought me almost daily plans, sketches, architectural drawings, blue prints. They all had codes, symbols, indicators. They wanted me to sign off on them. Well it was not a language I totally knew, but it was part of the vision. So I took the time to learn it, understand it, study it. Now I look at blue prints and I know exactly what every symbol means, colour represents, indicators shows. I watched, learned and now understand.

Our lives. Our story is richer, deeper, more profound, than we think.

■ If you are not picking up on conversations you have with people on the elevator,

■ If you are not making sense of encounters you have with people at Zehrs and Target.

■ If that subtle voice of a child, that eager witness of an elder, that challenging question from a co worker or teenager is passing you by....

Then you are just walking around trying to get thru life in a mode of maintenance rather than mission - my friend - you are missing out !

Can you imagine if you were in that public square when the apostles came out of the room on Pentecost, and they were all speaking of what had happened and you stood there and said ‘what are they talking about?” - you would have missed out ! But they understood ! God spoke in their language; God taught them His. God wishes to teach us His language, His symbols, His codes, His blueprints - are you willing to listen?

Taking the time to reflect on the encounters you have in life, and to break open our story is a real opportunity that we all have. Perhaps the greatest challenge is taking the time to reflect on our story, particularly using scripture to help us understand our story.

As we approach our Feast Day - St Elizabeth and Mary are examples for us. They did not hear the voice of God’s spirit in the shaking of the earth and the fire - but the still small voice and that became the Visitation ! They were dedicated to trying to understand the vision of God for their lives. Are you about maintenance or mission? Are you interested in the blue print of God - and learning His language? Do you take the time to watch ? To witness ? To study His Blueprint ? It is part of His Vision.

Pentecost is an experience of grace, it is a call to action, it is an invitation to learn the Blueprint of God - His vision for your life. Let us amaze and astonish our friends and neighbours by allowing ourselves to be changed by the Love of Christ; let us be bold in professing our faith - be full time Christians to Watch and Witness because we know, and are watching for, the Language of God in our lives.

Mother's Day

This weekend is Mother’s Day. I look forward to celebrating with all in our parish family:

To those who gave birth this year to their first child – we celebrate with you.

To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you.

To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you.

To those who experience loss this year through miscarriage, failed adoptions – we mourn with you.

To those who walk the hard path of infertility – we walk with you.

To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you.

To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you.

To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you.

To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you.

To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst.

To those who are pregnant with new life – we anticipate with you.

This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you.

May Our Lady of the Visitation continue to be our inspiration, model and guide.

The Path of Real Peace

A couple months back I went to visit a family whose young child I baptized about 4 years ago. He had been ill at the time and for medical reasons the family moved from Hespeler to the Toronto area. I was there for a couple meetings so I dropped in to see them and - Calvin - the young boy came into the room. When I saw him I was amused and amazed at how he was dressed.

Calvin's head was encased in a large space helmet. A cape is draped around his neck, across his shoulders, down his back and was dragging on the floor. One hand was holding a flashlight and the other a baseball bat.

"What's up today?" asks his mom. "Nothing, so far," answers Calvin. "So far?" she questions. "Well, you never know," Calvin says, "Something could happen today." Then Calvin marches off with as an if anything does, I'm going to be ready for it attitude!  I thought to myself  "I need a suit like that!"

That's the way many of us feel as we see the news and deal with life. Sometimes this world is a dangerous place. A suit like that would help, so we can say "Whatever may come my way, I'm going to be ready for it! Bring it on!" Well, I don't have a suit like that to give you, but the Gospel did have a word. Here is what the Gospel  (John 14: 23-29) said - "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. "

There is a defining phrase in that statement. One that tells us what kind of peace it is that Christ gives us. Listen to it again and see if you can pick it out: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." The defining phrase is: "Not as the world gives."

Do you see how that defines God's peace? The world promises peace through the rule of law. Law and order is the only way for a society and a people to experience peace and law and order must be kept by the aggressive use of force. That's the only way that the world can bring about peace.

But here is how Jesus will give you peace. If you obey His word He and the Father will come to you and make a home with you. Right in your heart. Not by force but by choice. They will abide in your heart bringing peace.

The world's peace is peace through strength.

The Lord's peace is peace through surrender...

So often in the dangerous moments of our life:

- the conflict with a co worker

- the crisis with a family member

- the chaos of our own lives

Our desire is to take it over - use force, strength - brut conviction! That will make it better and bring about Peace. But Christ remind us - it will be with His type of peace that the answer is found. For the Disciples of Jesus in the Gospel of today - faced with Christ’s pending Ascension - His departure from their midst

- He was saying - don’t try and kidnap me to keep me

- He was hinting - don’t begin forming your arguments that I should stay

- He was hedging - don’t grab on

Jump into the pool of peace, let yourself fall onto the path of peace, cloth yourself not with a space helmet, a flash light, a cape and a baseball bat - but choose my plan - walk in my peace.

My crystal ball broke yesterday but here is something I know about all of us this week - we are going to face a dangerous moment this week - because we do live in a dangerous world - that does not value the Gospel, does not respect the dignity of life, does not see Catholicism as relevant. It might be "Nothing, so far," but we must be ready

So let’s clothe ourselves in peace - not with a helmot, flash light, cape and baseball bat, but by keeping His word, living with trouble free hearts, being un afraid and by taking the first step and living free in the choice of peace !