I got my hair cut this week - thank you to everyone who noticed - to those of you who said it makes me look younger - God Bless you - but I know your lying :). As I was sitting waiting for the barber - I came across an interesting article in the magazine there. It really clicked with me - it shared three interesting stories about Dogs - which just lead from one thing to the other. Here are some of the facts these articles shared
✓ Don Dolan was from Long Island, NY. In October 2012 he made a routine trip the Hospital. Once he got there, he had to be admitted. He had a dog named Zander (a Husky) who when his owner did not return from what was to be a day appointment, made his way out of the house and traveled some 4 km and arrived at the door step of the hospital and made his way into the Hospital and arrived at the doorway of his owner’s room - to the shock of all.
✓ Maria Lucci was an elderly Italian women who would come to Mass daily in Florence Italy. She had some physical challenges and so the priest allowed her to bring her Dog - Tomaso - into the Church with her. Well she died, and now the dog now arrives every day and sits at the very spot where the casket was placed some 8 months before in the Church.
✓ Miguel from Argentina - he had a dog named Captain - who for the past six years since his owner’s death stands at the grave of his owner - but here is the thing - Captain was never brought to the cemetery. He stands at the grave for hours during the day even though no one understands how he discovered where it was.
These stories connect with us I think because they speak of Loyalty, and Loyalty is a lost art in the world we live in today. People jump around from job to job, team to team, relationship to relationship - go where they want to go and do what you want to do. We have lost a sense of loyalty. Yet, when loyalty is the mantle of our life - everything and everyone takes a back to seat. Loyalty in friendship, in family, in marriages & in relationships - is what we want and desire to see.
When it comes to our relationship with God - we can easily say - well God is first in my life - I am loyal to Him - when: we see God as a ‘Far away God in a far away sky’ we can say He owns everything - we are comfortable with that, but when God moves into the neighborhood in the person of Jesus - and says I want to be in your life and I want to guide, direct, position, determine, and set the goals and values for your life - well that becomes a little uncomfortable for us - yet that is what it means to celebrate Christ as our King. It means that what we do we don’t do for applause, for gratitude, for appreciation, for acclamation - we do it because we are loyal. Jesus doesn’t want to be first, He wants to be all. But He can’t be all until He at least is first - and if Jesus is first and we are really loyal
A couple of the young adult from our parish who came to the Theology on Tap event for young adults our parish participated in were speaking with me about the courses they were taking. The usual business and arts courses that are part of a university program, but then came an interesting one - Eastern Asian Studies. As he was speaking of the assignments came an interesting topic - the role of the Emperor.
As he spoke of it - and as I look into it a bit more this week - came the very clear reality that the Emperor in the historic Eastern Asian culture was not just the King, the ruler, the one who guided the culture and society - well he was - a lot more than a political figure head - he was - well THE ALL IN ALL - and the one everyone was CONNECTED TO - I thought -that‘s it!
✓ If Jesus is our King - it does not mean He is a political force or figure.
✓ If Jesus is our King - it does not mean He is a Sargent barking orders .
✓ If Jesus is our King - it does not mean He is a baton waving runway agent telling us where to land and when we can take off.
It means we are CONNECTED TO HIM AND HE IS OUR ALL AND ALL - and WE ARE LOYAL.
When we are connected to the well of love, we will love well.
When we are connected to the spring of patience, we will spring through life patiently.
When we are connected to the fountain of all answers, we will get replies to questions in a dry life.
When we are connected to the source of all light, we will have a path well lite in the darkest times.
Last weekend I invited you- as we spoke about predictions and the competition for our time - to take a minute and ask yourself - what pulls the most hours out of your day? - is it rooted in God? Now I ask you - are you rooted in God ? Jesus doesn’t want to be first, He wants to be all. But He can’t be all until He at least is first.
- are you connected to Him - are you loyal to Him
- are you making Him the King of your life - not at a distance - but right up close?
Padre Pio once said the most powerful prayer is “Thy will be done” - when you say or sing it - do you mean it ? He is the Lord of Surprises, the God of the Unexpected, He is our King - we simply need to allow Hi, become connected to Him and live Loyally with Him
✓ Don Dolan was from Long Island, NY. In October 2012 he made a routine trip the Hospital. Once he got there, he had to be admitted. He had a dog named Zander (a Husky) who when his owner did not return from what was to be a day appointment, made his way out of the house and traveled some 4 km and arrived at the door step of the hospital and made his way into the Hospital and arrived at the doorway of his owner’s room - to the shock of all.
✓ Maria Lucci was an elderly Italian women who would come to Mass daily in Florence Italy. She had some physical challenges and so the priest allowed her to bring her Dog - Tomaso - into the Church with her. Well she died, and now the dog now arrives every day and sits at the very spot where the casket was placed some 8 months before in the Church.
✓ Miguel from Argentina - he had a dog named Captain - who for the past six years since his owner’s death stands at the grave of his owner - but here is the thing - Captain was never brought to the cemetery. He stands at the grave for hours during the day even though no one understands how he discovered where it was.
These stories connect with us I think because they speak of Loyalty, and Loyalty is a lost art in the world we live in today. People jump around from job to job, team to team, relationship to relationship - go where they want to go and do what you want to do. We have lost a sense of loyalty. Yet, when loyalty is the mantle of our life - everything and everyone takes a back to seat. Loyalty in friendship, in family, in marriages & in relationships - is what we want and desire to see.
When it comes to our relationship with God - we can easily say - well God is first in my life - I am loyal to Him - when: we see God as a ‘Far away God in a far away sky’ we can say He owns everything - we are comfortable with that, but when God moves into the neighborhood in the person of Jesus - and says I want to be in your life and I want to guide, direct, position, determine, and set the goals and values for your life - well that becomes a little uncomfortable for us - yet that is what it means to celebrate Christ as our King. It means that what we do we don’t do for applause, for gratitude, for appreciation, for acclamation - we do it because we are loyal. Jesus doesn’t want to be first, He wants to be all. But He can’t be all until He at least is first - and if Jesus is first and we are really loyal
A couple of the young adult from our parish who came to the Theology on Tap event for young adults our parish participated in were speaking with me about the courses they were taking. The usual business and arts courses that are part of a university program, but then came an interesting one - Eastern Asian Studies. As he was speaking of the assignments came an interesting topic - the role of the Emperor.
As he spoke of it - and as I look into it a bit more this week - came the very clear reality that the Emperor in the historic Eastern Asian culture was not just the King, the ruler, the one who guided the culture and society - well he was - a lot more than a political figure head - he was - well THE ALL IN ALL - and the one everyone was CONNECTED TO - I thought -that‘s it!
✓ If Jesus is our King - it does not mean He is a political force or figure.
✓ If Jesus is our King - it does not mean He is a Sargent barking orders .
✓ If Jesus is our King - it does not mean He is a baton waving runway agent telling us where to land and when we can take off.
It means we are CONNECTED TO HIM AND HE IS OUR ALL AND ALL - and WE ARE LOYAL.
When we are connected to the well of love, we will love well.
When we are connected to the spring of patience, we will spring through life patiently.
When we are connected to the fountain of all answers, we will get replies to questions in a dry life.
When we are connected to the source of all light, we will have a path well lite in the darkest times.
Last weekend I invited you- as we spoke about predictions and the competition for our time - to take a minute and ask yourself - what pulls the most hours out of your day? - is it rooted in God? Now I ask you - are you rooted in God ? Jesus doesn’t want to be first, He wants to be all. But He can’t be all until He at least is first.
- are you connected to Him - are you loyal to Him
- are you making Him the King of your life - not at a distance - but right up close?
Padre Pio once said the most powerful prayer is “Thy will be done” - when you say or sing it - do you mean it ? He is the Lord of Surprises, the God of the Unexpected, He is our King - we simply need to allow Hi, become connected to Him and live Loyally with Him