Last week while taking a little personal time I was waiting in a line when I decided I would check my emails a bit as I waited and so I pulled out my Blackberry. There were two young adults behind me who instantly began whispering and pointing. I thought it was odd and so I turned and asked if everything was ok?
One said, "Oh yes, we were just noticing your phone." I thought to myself - thats odd - "what about my phone" I asked them. "Well its old school." I thought to myself - old school - I bought it two years ago; so I asked for a little clarification and was told that if its more than a year old - well you are the proud owner of a dinosaur.
I resisted my cave man instincts and left these learned “smart phone “ gurus where they were at with a little chuckle and thought to myself “ the newest thing!” It’s the mantra, and a great temptation of our society today.
We are not satisfied
- our job is not what we thought it should be - so we quiet and look for a new one
- our clothes don’t look like we want them to - so we toss them and buy so more
- our phone is not the newest or our car the shiniest - time to start shopping
I even saw in a store recently the sign “ O you were here last week - well you didn’t buy this - but others have it already!” As if to say - well you are loosing out! You’re a dinosaur!
We live at a pace that wants new, fresh, shiny and relevant - all the time - its hard to keep up - not the neighbors - but with ourselves - because we want so much. In fact recently it was noted that the average duration of a person under 35 holding a job today is less than a year - not because they get fired - but because they get bored!
The Gospel (Luke 14:1,7-14) of today presents something different - an interesting story - a wedding banquet at which a person wanted the best seat - the shiniest seat - and what happens - well they got humbled - move to the back - they were not satisfied, they wanted too much
Often so do we. - so how do we live in what the Prophet Sirach (3.17-20,28-29) of the first reading speaks to us as - the humility of living.
As we get ready for the Fall, I would like to share four very quick things which I think will help us live our lives, serve the Lord and enjoy each step along the way!
1. Know Who You Are
One my favorite passage - St John - “ you are a child of God; live as you are”. (Galatians 3:26)
In the words you use (that means don’t gossip) choices you make possessions you keep
the stories you tell the life you lead the hope you possess - “ you are a child of God; live as you are”. God has imbued in our very soul the desire to know what life is all about and who we are - why because the answers are a key to knowing Him!
The major question of so many - who am I? Why am I here? and What is my purpose in life? - are important because if you can’t get an answer; it minimizes your ability to enjoy the journey
Social Scientists at John Hopkins University in Washington DC did a survey of recent graduates and asked what is the most pressing issue of life for you right now . You would think - career, marriage, health issues - nope- 75%- said we want to know what life is all about!
In our culture today the blank is filled with destructive things, teens and young adults fill it with experimenting, middle agers fill it with impulsive things, older adults fill it at times with gossip and malicious things - but the answer is knowing actually that “ you are a child of God; live as you are”.
2. Know that You are Mold-able - Live as a seeker - have an urgent desire to understand God
Last week I got up early each day and went for a walk before enjoy a coffee. Lots of time to think when you walk. I spend some of that time talking to God, sometimes even out load - people walk by and stare and me and probably think “God bless His little heart he forgot to take his medication today”
But one thing I really want in my life is to be His child - that means not only that I be dutiful but docile - that means mold-able - shaped by Him -so I gotta listen to Him, talk to Him or how will know Him - if you are not talking to God and asking Him the questions and listening for the answers - start - do it !
3. Know that you have a Divine Appointment - You are Where You Are for a Reason
There was a very rich man always had the custom of giving his relatives a very generous financial gift on special occasions. Well his niece was getting married and sent an invite to the wedding to her rich uncle. He was unable to go to the wedding but he sent a gift and inside the box was a bible. It was a very nice one; had their new married name engraved; but this couple who had heard the stories of the thousands of dollars he had spent on others in the family were - well - a bit disappointed.
Six weeks later, the uncle comes by and asks "so how did you like the gift?" "Oh, it was so nice of you." He could see there disappointment and asked them to get the bible which they did, still in the box, put away in a corner. He opened the bible at to 2nd Book of Peter and read the words which were covered “ if you read this word happiness follows rooted in His word” and there was an envelope for $25,000. Disappointed that they did not open the Bible he ripped the cheque disappointed they did not understand a principle of happiness - the gift you have, the place you are in is all for a reason and richest are found if you are faithful.
As we begin the Fall - let’s know who we are, let’s be mold-able to His will, let’s understand we have a divine appointment and are where we are for a reason, because if we do it will help us live our lives, serve the Lord and enjoy each step along the way!
One said, "Oh yes, we were just noticing your phone." I thought to myself - thats odd - "what about my phone" I asked them. "Well its old school." I thought to myself - old school - I bought it two years ago; so I asked for a little clarification and was told that if its more than a year old - well you are the proud owner of a dinosaur.
I resisted my cave man instincts and left these learned “smart phone “ gurus where they were at with a little chuckle and thought to myself “ the newest thing!” It’s the mantra, and a great temptation of our society today.
We are not satisfied
- our job is not what we thought it should be - so we quiet and look for a new one
- our clothes don’t look like we want them to - so we toss them and buy so more
- our phone is not the newest or our car the shiniest - time to start shopping
I even saw in a store recently the sign “ O you were here last week - well you didn’t buy this - but others have it already!” As if to say - well you are loosing out! You’re a dinosaur!
We live at a pace that wants new, fresh, shiny and relevant - all the time - its hard to keep up - not the neighbors - but with ourselves - because we want so much. In fact recently it was noted that the average duration of a person under 35 holding a job today is less than a year - not because they get fired - but because they get bored!
The Gospel (Luke 14:1,7-14) of today presents something different - an interesting story - a wedding banquet at which a person wanted the best seat - the shiniest seat - and what happens - well they got humbled - move to the back - they were not satisfied, they wanted too much
Often so do we. - so how do we live in what the Prophet Sirach (3.17-20,28-29) of the first reading speaks to us as - the humility of living.
As we get ready for the Fall, I would like to share four very quick things which I think will help us live our lives, serve the Lord and enjoy each step along the way!
1. Know Who You Are
One my favorite passage - St John - “ you are a child of God; live as you are”. (Galatians 3:26)
In the words you use (that means don’t gossip) choices you make possessions you keep
the stories you tell the life you lead the hope you possess - “ you are a child of God; live as you are”. God has imbued in our very soul the desire to know what life is all about and who we are - why because the answers are a key to knowing Him!
The major question of so many - who am I? Why am I here? and What is my purpose in life? - are important because if you can’t get an answer; it minimizes your ability to enjoy the journey
Social Scientists at John Hopkins University in Washington DC did a survey of recent graduates and asked what is the most pressing issue of life for you right now . You would think - career, marriage, health issues - nope- 75%- said we want to know what life is all about!
In our culture today the blank is filled with destructive things, teens and young adults fill it with experimenting, middle agers fill it with impulsive things, older adults fill it at times with gossip and malicious things - but the answer is knowing actually that “ you are a child of God; live as you are”.
2. Know that You are Mold-able - Live as a seeker - have an urgent desire to understand God
Last week I got up early each day and went for a walk before enjoy a coffee. Lots of time to think when you walk. I spend some of that time talking to God, sometimes even out load - people walk by and stare and me and probably think “God bless His little heart he forgot to take his medication today”
But one thing I really want in my life is to be His child - that means not only that I be dutiful but docile - that means mold-able - shaped by Him -so I gotta listen to Him, talk to Him or how will know Him - if you are not talking to God and asking Him the questions and listening for the answers - start - do it !
3. Know that you have a Divine Appointment - You are Where You Are for a Reason
There was a very rich man always had the custom of giving his relatives a very generous financial gift on special occasions. Well his niece was getting married and sent an invite to the wedding to her rich uncle. He was unable to go to the wedding but he sent a gift and inside the box was a bible. It was a very nice one; had their new married name engraved; but this couple who had heard the stories of the thousands of dollars he had spent on others in the family were - well - a bit disappointed.
Six weeks later, the uncle comes by and asks "so how did you like the gift?" "Oh, it was so nice of you." He could see there disappointment and asked them to get the bible which they did, still in the box, put away in a corner. He opened the bible at to 2nd Book of Peter and read the words which were covered “ if you read this word happiness follows rooted in His word” and there was an envelope for $25,000. Disappointed that they did not open the Bible he ripped the cheque disappointed they did not understand a principle of happiness - the gift you have, the place you are in is all for a reason and richest are found if you are faithful.
As we begin the Fall - let’s know who we are, let’s be mold-able to His will, let’s understand we have a divine appointment and are where we are for a reason, because if we do it will help us live our lives, serve the Lord and enjoy each step along the way!