Corpus Christi Sunday - The Blueprints of God's Vision - Step 3 - Be Molded by Him

Today is Corpus Christi Sunday and we conclude our 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 in beyond what we can imagine, understand, undertake - at least without His guidance.

Two weeks ago 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. Last week we reflected on “The Characteristics of a Godly Vision” that God’s plan requires trust and a Willingness to be Lead and that It Gives Him Glory. Today we look at how to be a people committed to “Overcoming Obstacles”.

I attended Catholic School. I was taught by some wonderful religious Sisters and lay teachers, and had some impactful experiences of being taught about the faith and about Jesus, but as I look back at it now, I was not told how to actually meet Jesus. The excellent teachers taught me the catechism very well, and when Monsignor came into the room to test us, we knew the answers very clearly, but I am not sure, again as I look back, if I understood what I was saying. In my years of high school I struggled at Mass because I wanted to be introduced - evangelized - and told about Jesus, but the celebration of Mass presupposed I knew all about Him already. I wanted to understand how He impacted my life and how His story spoke to what I was going through in life. I wanted His friendship, but I only knew where He was not who He was, and in the impatience of my youth, I’m not sure I was willing to give Him the time to introduce Himself.

The first thing we must do to overcome obstacles, is we must be willing to Meet Jesus and to Stay with Him.

To follow Him, we must be willing to meet Him and to stay a while. This takes the investment of time - in Adoration, in Prayer of Thanksgiving, in a conversation of Petition. It takes courage - a courage to not take a short cut, but walk the whole way. It takes work - St Ignatius calls them the Spiritual Exercises for a reason -but it’s a worthwhile work which introduces someone to us - in a friendship - and pulls back the curtain of doubt to reveal not a series of rules, but the Source of all answers, and even more so, all Hope.

Pope Benedict XVI's 2005 encyclical letter "Deus Caritas Est" (God is Love), and sums up beautifully "Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”  Do you know Him or About Him? Have you met Him or heard of Him? Have you stayed with Him? Have you made an ethical choice as a Christian to follow Him or have you met the Person and decided to love Him ?

• This is where Eucharistic Adoration is such a blessing.

• This is how meeting in a small group of individuals, couples, men, women to discuss the Sunday scriptures and how they apply to your vocation or state of life is so enriching.

We have both of them in the parish - if you are not part of that - come see me for details.

Second, step in Overcoming Obstacles as we seek to Follow God’s Vision - is we must be Molded by Jesus. Nothing can be molded unless it is in the hand of the one doing the molding. Is our life in His hands? Are we willing to let Him take control?  This requires surrender and will demand sacrifice. But its so worth it!

This week I spent a full day at St Benedicts Secondary School doing visits with various classes. Here is the question - aren’t you lonely - don’t you wish you had a wife and kids - I replied - “I have lots of wives and lots of kids” - their eyes popped open wide ! I am a part of every family in this parish - I rejoice when you do, cry when you do, I watch your kids grow up - this year I gave Holy Communion to children that I held as infants, and have watched teens I baptized be confirmed and young adults I welcomed into the faith in the RCIA be married. I love the priesthood, and my choice of this vocational life, and I would not trade it with anyone ever ! I love being your Pastor!

The video of my priestly ordination shows a remarkable thing that I did not realize. In the priestly ordination ceremony the priest lays down before the altar during the litany of saints just before the Bishop imposes his hands on you. During that rite - I am laying in the centre of the Cathedral sanctuary and all of a sudden just as the song is finished, I bounce up. I remember - the litany was done - the prayer had been said - the Bishop was waiting to impose his hands and inside I said “ let’s go!” and I guess it showed. I wanted to be molded - surrender, sacrifice, obstacle aside - I wanted to be molded !

To be molded by Him means that we begin to look like Christ, take on the image of Christ, become recognized as Him by others. If someone tells me I look like Brad Pitt, my ego might be fed for a fleeting few minutes, it would also result in me questioning the person’s vision. But if someone tells me I look like Christ, that means my eternal life is being fed - and that is so much more important!

• Do people ever "mistake you" for Christ ? Do you want to be ?

Are you committed to this wonderful process of being a part of the Blueprints of His Vision for you - molded to look like Him; all the while with abundant joy and great anticipation becoming who He made you to be because you know Him.

• Get started in Prayer by learning His Language.

• Get Going on the Characteristics by Making Sure your Life is dedicated to His Glory.

• Get Molded by Him - and be determined that people will mistake you for Him

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 !

Truth Be Told - Jesus Has the Last Word

Its important for us to be honest ! Straight forward, truthful - especially with the people who are important in our life - even when the truth is difficult - sooner or later the truth is told !

A policeman pulls a driver over for severing in and out of lanes on the highway. He tells the driver to blow into a portable Breathalyzer. The man interrupts the officer,“ I can’t do that officer, I’m asthmatic. I could get an asthma attack if I blow into the tube”

Ok, the officer, trying to accomodate says " we will have you come into the police station and we will give you a cup and..." The driver interrupts the officer, "I can’t do that I am a diabetic and I could get low blood sugar if I go into a cup. "

The officer then says - "alright, we could get a blood sample then." The man interrupts the officer, "I can’t do that either because I am a hemophiliac. If I give you blood, I could die."

Then the officer said - "Sir, just get out of the car and walk this white line of the road way." The man interrupts the officer, "I can’t do that either officer." Totally flustered the officer asked - "Why not?" The man replies - "Because I’m drunk!"

Sooner or later the truth is told !

Truth be told ! The explosions of the past week in Boston raise many questions, especially for parents, people of faith, and generally anyone just looking for answers!

We cannot help but look at an act of violence that was not random but a very calculated and ask, “Why?” Why would someone do such a thing? While we are relieved that the people who executed the bombings were caught, we never will really understand why people choose to do such things.

Truth be told - it is a mystery ! The only explanation for such acts is the reality of evil. Evil is a mystery. We can never completely understand it.

However, here are two truths we do know !!!!

One, that the two brothers who did this horrific act somehow were deceived that this was a good idea or that somehow such an action was justified. Our thoughts drive our emotions and eventually drive our actions. Somehow in their mind they came to think their actions were somehow justified or right or even in some warped way good.

The human mind can go totally and completely wrong if not fixed on what is good and true and beautiful and divine. Thus the reason why in the Gospel (John 10:27-30) of today Jesus says to His followers; “ I am the Good Shepherd; My sheep hear my voice.” We must be attentive to the influences of our lives and our hearts.

What we say; how we say it, who we surround ourselves with, what we watch or even what we surf and check out - does influence us ! It becomes a voice that competes with the Good Shepherd. What we believe can’t just be founded upon our good feelings, a catchy saying, or what we think is right or what feels right at that moment:

- it must be rooted - rooted in Jesus Himself!

- it must be planted - planted in the Scripture and Traditions of the Church

- it must be tended - tended by daily prayer, honouring the Lord’s Day, regular participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation which keeps us accountable not to ourselves - but to our Shepherd and His will and way for our life !

The second truth we know is this - That God can bring good out of evil.

Remember where we have been in our Easter Season so far:

 Easter Sunday: Jesus was anything but Ordinary & Routine! He handles pressure cookers

 Divine Mercy Sunday: Even in our unbelief - Thomas - The King Still Has One More Move

 3rd Sunday of Easter: We are called to Be Bold - live a caffeinated faith that leads us to answer “Yes Lord I love you” - even when the world is mixed up !

When Jesus saw evil, He brought good out of it - The Cross and The Tomb prove that! Evil can inflict  wounds, it did even on the body of the Son of God - His hand, His feet, His side. But it does not have the final word. The Cross and The Tomb prove that!

Evil can believe that it won the day - Apostles stoned by crowds, St Peter crucified on a tree, St Paul beheaded, Martyrs killed, Saints slain - but the Church and the Christian faith prove that Christ would have the last word thru the good it does, the kindness we shows, the faith we are called to be witnesses to!

★ God can always, always, always bring good out of evil.

★ God can bring redemption out of pain and suffering as he did through the cross.

★ Bringing good out of evil is what God does.

Truth be told - there will be evil in our world - there is evil in our world; no excuse will take that way and that is why this is not called Heaven and this is not our final home.

But evil does not have to have the last word; and this is why we are His people, the sheep of His flock - listen to Him in the chaos, look for Him in the confusion, seek Him in the catastrophes. My sheep hear my voice - don’t stop listening - because He is still speaking - He has the last word - and that is the truth !

The King Still Has One More Move: Mercy

John Ortberg wrote in his book, It All Goes Back Into the Box, the story of two men in a museum who saw a painting of a chess game.

One character in the painting looked like a man and the other looked very much like the devil. The man was down to his last piece. The title of the painting was “Checkmate.” One of the two men looking at the painting was an international chess champion. Something about the painting intrigued him. He began to study it. He grew so engrossed that the man with him got a little impatient and asked what he was doing. The chess champion said, “Something about this painting bothers me. I want to study it for a while and you go ahead and wander around.”

When the friend came back, the chess master said, “We must locate the man who painted this picture. We must tell him he must either change the picture or change the title. I have determined there is something wrong with it. His friend asked, “What’s wrong with the painting?” The man replied,“ It is titled Checkmate, but the title is wrong. The game is not over.” Then pointing to one of the pieces on the chessboard he said “The king still has one more move.”

That is the Easter message. The King still has one more move.

 When you think it is over, done, finished, that you can’t go on,

 That the obstacles are too big, the grief is too intense, the failure too final, the disappointment too deep, the hurt too horrible, the debt too large,

 When you are ready to throw in the towel, disappear into despair, wallow in self-pity, or live in sadness,

Easter says, “The King still has one more move.” Remember, the tomb is empty.

In John 20:19-31 (the Gospel of this Sunday), the Disciples were locked in a room and the Gospel writer tells us they were filled with fear. They believed that death had “checkmated” them and that it was over! Jesus came into their midst and offered them “Peace” and showed them His hands and side. Then “sent them” forward!

He told them it was not over - they still could “play on”, they could still move forward, they could still continue.

We are an Easter people - a people of Hope, a people of renewal, a people of baptismal life!

God always has the last word, the final move, and to those who belong to Jesus Christ, it is a good move. O, but we are also a “Thomas people” are we not! “ I will not believe”.....”unless I see, unless I touch, I will not believe”

But our Saviour - our King - is totally amazing, totally loving

That’s the message of His Divine Mercy: Here is what Pope Francis reminds us about Gods Mercy:

God's face is the face of a merciful father who is always patient. Have you thought about God's patience, the patience He has with each one of us? That is His mercy. He always has patience, patience with us, He understands us, He waits for us, He does not tire of forgiving us if we are able to return to Him with a contrite heart.      - Pope Francis, 17 March 2013 -

Remember from Easter Sunday - One thing about Jesus is that He was anything but routine and ordinary, no where in scripture does it say that Jesus did the ordinary routine thing - nor that people were bored around Him.

They might have been puzzled at what He said, confused about what He did, angry at His response - but never did they think He was ordinary or routine.

Jesus taught like no one ever taught, lived like no one ever lived, loved like no one ever loved.

Jesus met Thomas where he was at - even the point of doubt - and said - let me know you the move! “Touch, doubt no longer but believe” (c.f. John 20:19-31)

To believe in Easter is to know that God will not let His purpose for your life wind up in tragedy.

Neither will He allow you to live in despair and hopelessness. The King has one more move.

He has a future for you, and Easter says your future will be more glorious that your past.

Someone once wrote, “The nicest place to be is in someone’s thoughts. The safest place to be is in someone’s prayers, and the best place to be is in God’s hands.”

I think there is a lot of wisdom there!

Let’s place ourselves this Easter Season in God’s hands - wounded by the cross, marked by the nails but belonging to a God who is willing to show them to us and very open to where we are at to give us hope

This Easter, remember, the King has one more move.