How Can I Know If There is a God?

I was baptized when I was two days old. Received First Communion when I was 7 years old and Confirmed when I was 13 years old. Ordained a priest when I was 29 years old. I made a vow to be faithful to Him at that time. I speak and write a great deal about God. I talk to God in the morning, at night, and during the day. And at times life’s events make me question Him. I am sure that if we are honest, there are times and moments when we question the existence of God.

I know there are people who say they never do, yet the depth of our doubt is often in proportion to the depth of our faith. It is ok to question at times so that our relationship with God is not just rooted in tradition and culture but rooted in a desire to walk with the one who Loves Us, Created Us and is With Us right now ! There is no doubt He is !

This series How Can I Know is about resolving our doubts. Sometimes we are embarrassed about our belief and even more so about our questions. Sometimes our embarrassment leads us to live in doubt because we are no more interested in the answer than a thief is interested in finding a policeman. But to ask is to find the answer. To seek is to succeed in a search. To knock is to have a door opened. (c.f. Matthew 7:7).

How do you know if there is a God ? What causes the Doubt? These stumbling blocks in our Gospel last weekend and this weekend (Mark 9:, 30-37, 38-48). Well there are many types of doubts but maybe we could group them a little:

1. Natural Doubts - As children we are told of the tooth fairy - parents help her out - even Santa Claus.  As we mature we grow in our understanding of them, a natural progression takes place when we think of their role. So too in faith, it must grow and progress. If it does not, then our understanding of faith remains the same, and as we grow in the challenges of years, it leads us to doubt, and so we come to a wrong conclusion, because our faith has not developed with our age - we believe like kids and yet live as adults. This is why its important to constantly grow in the faith and if we don't then we doubt.

2. Philosophical Doubts - We see events in life and we begin to wonder - Why would God let people suffer? Questions that are hard to grasp, or that we struggle with, and we don’t have the answer, and some quit believing instead of continue walking.

3. Experiential Doubt - We are prisoners of what we experience. If we are never introduced to God then we might not know Him. If we have lived through a disappointment - we think the reality of an un answered prayer means there is no God.

4. Empirical Doubt - We are looking for proof, we want substance, something like Thomas “unless I touch the mark the nails made, put my hand in His side, I will not believe”(John 20. 19-31). We want faith to fit the scientific method.

So can I prove the existence of God - well there is a difference between proof and evidence. Sometimes people don’t want to accept evidence. Let me illustrate what I mean.

Earlier this week, as I was preparing this message, I sat in my study - working - and I heard someone typing on the keyboard in the office next to me. I concluded that this was my secretary Paula. How could I prove that it was her,  if I did not see her, from where I was? Well the evidence was there. Her office is next to mine, I had just talked to her a moment before, the only time anyone else is there is if she is on vacation and I knew she was not. So the evidence says it was her - could I prove that or see her from my very seat - no - it could have been Prime Minister Harper typing, but the evidence argued strongly against it.

Sometimes people don’t want to accept evidence, and even when they get it they will not change their postion. Like the man who went to see his psychiatrist and said “ Doctor I am afraid I am dead.” The doctor replied “You are not dead”. “Yes I am” said the patient. “You can’t be dead.” the doctor replied. “I am dead and there is nothing you can do about it” the patient said. Well, the doctor said “ Do dead men bleed?” “No” replied the patient” and at this the doctor took a little pocket knife, nicked the patients finger and he began to bleed ,at which the patient replied, “ Wow, look at that, dead men do bleed”.

There is evidence for the existence of God:

1. Cosmological Evidence - Why is there something rather nothing. Changes leaves on a tree, grass, stars, plants. There are something, where did they come from? Those who say there is no God believe in a formula - that No one x nothing = evidence. But there must be a first cause. Everything has a cause - nothing can not become something on its own.

2. Existence Evidence - we want something more than ourselves. We yearn for relationships. We know there is something more than ourselves. We want friends, we want accompaniment and once a challenge comes that is beyond what we can handle it, we want something supernatural - why? Because we know there is. Our desire for God is the most compelling evidence for God! Even those who do not believe in Him work hard to disprove Him because they know He is there!

3. Historical Evidence - Jesus died over 2000 years ago - the event has been historically proven, people have accepted it and even at times people have believed when they did not have to believe - when it was not in their interests to believe - martyrs in our faith. Over time, doubts have been expressed - scientific, historical, mythological - each and every time - the doubt was answered - and people have witnessed for Him - why have so many million of people given their life for God? Its simple, He is !

How can I know if there is a God is not a cause for proof but evidence. Everyday we make decisions to remove stumbling blocks in our lives. The amount of evidence we require depends on the importance of the decision.

Last night I went out with a friend of mine. We stopped in for a drink - let’s call it Ice Tea. We got the same one and the hostess brought over the tray and both looked exactly the same. It got me thinking. Now what if with that ice tea, if one of us had asked for sweetened and the other for unsweetened tea - but she forgot which was which. Given that neither of us is diabetic, probably we would be willing to take a risk and drink either one. But if she says accidentally a poison tablet fell into one and she can’t remember which one - we would want to check the evidence carefully before drinking it - and neither of us would be willing to take a sip of either of them for proof.

More actions in our life - moral especially - flow from the affirmation of God than from denial. Before you say there is no God you’d better have a lot of proof - and there is none - because the evidence says there is. The great things about a life of faith, and our God, is He allows us to ask “How can I know?” And yet still permits us to say “ I Can Believe”.

How Can I Know If I Can Start Over When I Blew it?

We just finished a series of reflections upon the question of “Right Living”. We all want to live according to God’s plan for us - becoming who He is calling us to be. The steps of Watching, Willing & even Whistling, help us to walk with a stride permitting the Spirit of God to Speak to us. But what happens in so many of our lives in the midst of the “speaking” is that doubt and questions come in.

 The neighbour next to us comes over one night and tells us that their marriage is not working, their house is going up for sale - life changed. As they walk away you ask - how can I know that will not happen to me?

 The person we sit with at the lunchroom table at school or even the office, tells us a family member has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer, we see the fear in their eyes. How can I know that will not happen to me?

 Your best friend from high school meets up with you. It has been years since you connected. Wow, they look fit, they seem happy, goals are met, success is in their corner - how come I don’t feel the same way. How can I know the reason why this did not happen to me?

How Can I Know?

If we are honest with ourselves we ask that question a lot. Of ourselves, of our family and friends and even of God. Sometimes, regretfully, the answers do not come to us as quickly, or even in the format, we want. Sometimes, actually a lot of the time, it requires us to have - well - faith! How can I know if I have faith?

This summer, I found myself asking that question in light of experiences friends were having, family was going through, people in our parish were struggling with, and it resulted in a prayer which revolved around 4 basic questions which I think will lead us well into the start of the Year of Faith

How I can I know................... if I can start over when I blew it ?

.....if there is a God?.............. if I am really thankful?.........if I have and am growing in faith?

So let’s allow God’s Word, and His Holy Eucharist, touch that doubt for us, answer those questions for us, and maybe even heal us as we ask these important questions together over the next four weeks.

Have you ever had a moment when you said to yourself - "Wow I blew it !" Maybe it was a conversation, maybe it was a choice, maybe it was a conduct. I think we can all say yes to that. If not - well - there is a small pedestal in the Visitation Gardens that does not yet have a statue I guess yours should be there cause you must be a saint. We all have moments where we blew it ! We miss the mark - the bulls eye. Maybe it was a small thing, or maybe a life altering event - a divorce, an addiction, a termination, and when we realize we blew it we stand, or so we think, in the ash heap of a ruined life and wonder - now what? Well, I got some bad news and some good news to share with you; bad news - can not erase the past - no rewind button. The good news - we are not products of our biography - failure is not the final chapter.

One of the things that happens when we realize that we blew it is that we ask ourselves one of two things : Can I fix this ? Can I hide this ? The one we choose to go with says a lot not only about our character, but also a lot about our image of God and faith.

★ You see if we believe that God can handle it, remedy it and forgive it - then faith is there.

★ If we want to say - hide it - then it is because we are ashamed, but also because we are not assured that God can tackle this one.

We call that the stumbling block that was mentioned in our Gospel (Mark 9:38-48). There are a number of stumbling blocks in our lives of faith:

Pride - that feeling that how others perceive us so much more important that who we really are.

Self Reliance - that choice that says we feel we don’t need anyone else - I got this - I can handle this.

Unresolved Relationships - hurts from our past that we didn’t get over - somebody let us down - ain’t going to happen again we say

A& W (not the burger place) - Anxiety and Worry - that dreaded question we have examined before “What if?” It takes away our peace.

Fear - we are afraid of the consequences and being discovered for our mistakes (reputations)

Bitterness - Something we are holding on to - bottling a poison conversation or conduct from yesterday and drinking it today. Recording a mental image of yesterday on our "I pod" and playing it today (Example - Gossip !)

James in our 2nd Reading (5:1-6) and even Moses in our 1st Reading (Numbers 11:25-29) speak about the way to get past these and to allow the faith we do have to move us forward:

1. Admitting our Mistakes - When we make a mistake we entering into a life altering lament - “its over”..."if only I had". Yet we fail to realize that we all possess a virus - its called Sin - it comes into our life and we need Reconciliation. When we admit that we let God’s Spirit in. “Yes Lord, I totally blew it !” “ I am doorknob, a goof, ....” because if we don’t admit our mistake we are in a prison cell. We carry a guilt, a resentment, an embarrassment that turns our character from:

- spouse to sparing partner

- friend to foe

- sibling to stranger

- loving parent to loathing person

If we let that stumbling block stop us from the Faith God calls us to our spiritual life becomes a target - and more errors come, more envy arrives, more false unreasonable expectations of self and others mountain around us, we end up drinking the "Kool Aid" of becoming a wounded person, a bitter friend, an angry spouse or child. But if we say to God - I blew it - and I want to correct it your way - then Ok - we walk not with a stumbling block of pride, self reliance.....but with a walking stick of faith that will help us climb any mountain. It takes eating crow, it requires humbling ourselves, if might mean some big changes and short term pain - but yes He will get me you thru this, and not alone - but with the support of small groups, people of faith, prayer partners, services like our neighbourhood ministry.

2. Accept an Intermission and Get Ready for Act 2

A period of time between your failure and your future. We don’t like those. We want to jump from one thing into another. Remember the story of Peter denying Jesus. At one moment Peter is in the court yard of the Jewish leaders and he denies Christ three times. Wow - Peter blew it. But he admit what he did, and accepted an intermission, seven weeks later Peter is in the centre of the city - following Pentecost - proclaiming Jesus is Risen and He is Lord. That takes surrender.

This intermission replenishes us emotionally, and physically, and is a time to reflect on our failure - not wallow in them, but to approach reconciliation with God in His Sacrament. One of the troubles is the feeling we have here in Church we feel here and leave it here. But God wants to take us from here and take that feeling to there - the world, live in that emotion, power, thought of His will and way. It must be that thing that drives us every day.

So - how can you know if you have can start over if you blew it. Ask yourself are their stumbling blocks in your way ? What are they ? Pride, self reliance, unresolved relationship, a & w, bitterness?

Are you willing to surrender?

Let me finish with this. I was at Zehrs last week - getting some groceries. I tend to go a bit later in the evening - mostly because that is when I have time - and I can go pretty quick as well. I was staring at the Dorito and Potato Chip shelves - a small glimpse of heaven on earth - when a gentleman came up and asked if I was the priest at St Mary’s. "Yes" I replied. "I have always wanted to ask you something", he said. Here I thought - deep theological question, moment to bring back a lost sheep, occasion to testify to Christ....deep breath...you got this Padre! “I am not a Catholic” he said. “But I have always wanted to know” “Yes, a new member” I thought! Then he goes on, “Why is it that in front of your church you fly a white flag, looks like you guys are surrendering.” I composed myself - didn’t want the disappointment to show. But then replied. "Well, it has our parish logo of Mary and Elizabeth, shows the Visitation, but actually, we have surrendered, to God. His will is our way and its that simple really."

So - how can you know if you have can start over if you blew it. Are you willing to surrender - not give up - but surrender your stumbling block and let God make it a building block - right living - to His truth and permitt Him a period of intermission toward the second act - to becoming who He is calling you to be !

Don't Forget to Whistle

In his wonderful book “Grip of Grace” - Max Lucado tells the story of a man who had been a closet slob. He didnt understand making up a bed that you are going to sleep in again or putting a lid on toothpaste only to remove it that night. He was compulsively messy. He married a patient woman who said she didn’t mind his habits, if he didn’t mind sleeping on the couch. He did mind sleeping on the couch, and he began to change. He entered a 12-step program for slobs. A physical therapist helped him rediscover the muscles used for hanging up shirts and placing toilet paper on the holder. His nose was reintroduced to the smell of Pine Sol. He became a new man. The moment of truth arrived when his wife left town for a week. He tried to revert to his old ways since he thought he could be a slob until the day before her return when he would clean up. However, something remarkable happened. He was not happy with dirty dishes in the sink, towels flung around the bathroom, clothes on the floor, or sheets piled up on the bed. What happened to him is really quite simple. He had been exposed to a better way of life.

For the past two weeks we have been looking at a Vision of Right Living. We want to do God’s will in our lives and we want to be exposed to the best way of life. In our first weekend we focussed on the need to “Watch” - but not just watch anything, anyone, or anywhere - but to watch Where the Lord is, how the Lord speaks, and who the Lord has placed in our lives. Last weekend we took the second step "to will it!" We discerned that the Will is powerful - there is so much we can will - but there is so much that can change it or influence our will. So we must will each day to seek to succeed as saints, live in Peace, speak in Truth, step up in virtue and walk toward our eternal heaven.

Today we discover the final step - which is found within our beautiful Gospel (Mark 8:27-35). Jesus has been in ministry and wonders if everyone is “getting it”. So He asks the Apostles - “who do people say that I am ?” Their response affirms for Jesus the concern that some are missing the bigger picture - so He reminds them that they must take up their cross, loose their life, and then follow Him.

Here is what happens : Life becomes a Whirlwind and we forget to Whistle - its true!

 Tryouts for Travel Hockey & School Soccer Team all in competition for the same time slot

 New project at work, email in box jammed with requests and correspondence, calendar filling, life resembles a treadmill
 New people to work with, disgruntled people around you, in patience people surround you

 Mistake, oversight, quick job just not done the way you want it

 Judgmental correspondence, disinterested people in something you work hard at, unappreciative individuals, people you counted on letting you down

These are the ingredient to a whirlwind - and here is what they do - they cause us to say - who do people say I am - and sometimes even - who is God - where is His love and mercy - and in the end we loose vision. Yet, this is what we know: if we are to have a Vision of Right Living - if we are to watch where God is, not only is it vital to Will what He wants, but - we have to whistle during it!

Here is what I mean - Carl Honoure is an award-winning Canadian journalist and international best-selling author of "In Praise of Slow". He is what he refers to as a recovering “Speedaholic”. He admits that you have to be fast most of the time, it’s the pace of today, but if you are fast all of the time you are heading for a fall. There is truth here - because if we are going at warp speed all the time, then we don’t switch off and we have no time to think deeply about things.

That is why James says (2:14-18) that is not all about the works - its also about the faith - both! Our Biography is not our destiny but, knowing, taking time to learn, appreciate, and be enveloped by the facts of where we have come from, how far we have travelled  is an important part of a Vision of Right Living. Our 21st century calls us to be - up to speed - and on the move - but most of the time we are totally unaware of where we are running from and to.

As a result our relationship suffer - because we are thinking about in box or next task, as a result our work has little meaning - because its just a task to get done,  as a result the things and people we want to embrace are distant - because they don’t know if they have us fully and for how long , as a result our life of faith suffers greatly - hockey is more than holiness, soccer is more than sanctity, work is more than willingness to live morally, balanced, healthy lives. Why? Well because we are running doing the works without the time to reflect in faith.

So lets leap back to the Gospel. (Mark 8:27-35). Jesus sees the Disciples and Apostles amazed at all that is being done. But are they seeing the relationship or are they getting lost in the crowd? Are they running from healing to healing to see what Jesus is doing, but failing to hear and be exposed to the better way of living found in what Jesus is saying ?

The glory of the ministry of the church is that we have a chance to expose people to this better way of living. In a world that often seems to have lost its moral compass, nothing can so help the world regain its direction than the exemplary and right living of Christian people.

So don’t whirlwind - but whistle - slow down a bit - appreciating Him - be exposed to a better way of life.

So here is what I wish us to do - write these down - I want you to MAKE THE TIME to ask and think about these three questions

1. What am I going to Focus on?

If you want right living - and you want to watch Him, you want to Will, you want to find time to not to whirlwind but whistle a bit - what will you focus on - priorities - make sure Sunday Mass is always there.

2. What does it mean?

Priorities without purpose are doomed - what does this focus mean to you - how is it going to make right living possible for you ?

3. What are you going to do?

Make it concrete - actual things - not theory but fact

- Small Groups - they keep us balanced

- Sunday Mass - its keeps us rooted

- Private prayer - it helps bring us back to our core in Christ

- Lectio Divina - which is something we will be doing this Year of Faith - is rooted in taking something invisible and making it visible - God’s Holy Word - it’s not about learning the code but appreciation of the truth found and the pattern of living within His Word.

These are not tasks - they are testimonies to how it should be done. Let me finish with this:

Richard is a great young man I knew in one of my parishes. Bright, energetic, engaging, athletic. In high school a terrible thing happened to him and he surrendered all his talents and barricaded himself in the basement of his parents home - refusing school, refusing work, alternatively eating and sinking deeper and deeper into a depression that was concerning for everyone. His days would pass by the simple task of surfing the web - he checked out websites all day - literally

One day his parents had enough and “accidentally on purpose” terminated all of the electrical contact to any of the wall sockets. Once the battery to his laptop expired, and his tablet, and his cell phone, he lost the world wide net. What would happen they thought...well days went by....and finally Richard emerged from the basement. He was clean shaven, he was well dressed, he was - get this - ready for school. In the five days - we would later learn - from when the power went out to when he came up - he had discovered a new web - his mind, his soul. He has asked himself  - what am I doing, why am I doing it, what is this about? He had taken the time to watch and will, maybe even whistle

He had been exposed to a better way of life. A right way of living.

Right Living - Step 2 - The Will

It’s time! Part of me wants to say, “Start your engines!” Summer is past, and it’s time to welcome the Fall season at St Mary of the Visitation Parish. This week we welcome back so many who have been away during the summer months, we resume many of our Children and Youth Ministries, we begin to once again ensure we are focussed being connected to our past, committed to our future and compassionately focussed on being a family of faith with something for everyone. I have looked at our plan for the Fall and all systems are “go” - but go - go where?

You see last weekend we began looking at a Vision of Right Living. We know that we want to do God's  will in our lives and last weekend we focussed on the need to “Watch” - but not just watch anything, anyone, or anywhere - but to watch Where the Lord is, How the Lord speaks, and Who the Lord has placed in our lives. But that is only the first step in a Vision of Right Living - this Lord’s Day - its Step 2  - To Will!

A beautiful Gospel this Lord’s Day weekend - (Mark 7:31-37). They brought a man to Jesus who was deaf and unable to speak- and Jesus’ will was to open the man's eyes and release the man’s tongue. He was asked to do it, but not forced to - He willed it! The Will is powerful - there is so much we can will:

 As we walk into a classroom for the first time on day one - we can will that it is going to be a great year or will that nothing good will come out of this experience

 As we walk into work, see the co worker or customer, we can will that nobody is going to make me like them, work with them, or we can help them achieve success or meet their needs

 As we come home, conflict with our spouse on the horizon, we can will that past hurts, angry feelings, deep seeded hatred will prevail or will that forgivness and a fresh start will reign.

 As we interact with the bank teller, the grocery clerk, the car mechanic, the receptionist - we can will to be express patience - or not

 As we consider the right choice to make, the selfless thing to do, the kind thought to consider, the correct moral teaching to live by, the Christ centered word to use - we can will those - or not

The Will is powerful - there is so much we can will - but there is so much that can change it or influence it - for the world and the church can be so different in what we will:

★ The world offers celebrities to idolize – the Church offers saints to follow.

★ The world offers noise – the Church offers Peace.

★ The world offers false dreams – the Church offers the Truth.

★ The world celebrates vice – the Church calls us to virtue.

★ The world offers earthly pleasures – the Church offers eternal heaven

But let’s no forget something we learned in Step One last week - we are called to watch - but if we are going to know what to watch - then we have to be where the Lord is. So too - if we are going to will - we have to will - where the Lord is!

This past week children from our parish returned to school - the majority to elementary school - but around 250 from our parish began their first day at St Benedict Secondary. So this week, I thought I would check it out and as I walked the halls in the midst of the teens I came to discover a young lad from our own Hespeler community is disarray. “I am not suppose to be here. This is not where I am suppose to be. I want to be where I am suppose to be” His frustration real and vividly apparent - I asked "where you suppose to be "  His reply " 312 - will you go with me? "

How many times do we get asked that - will you go with me ? Its not just a question or query. Its not just a plea or a platitude, its not requirement or request - it’s a choice !

✓ Jesus did not have to open the eyes and release the tongue of the man.

✓ I did not have to walk that young lad to his classroom

✓ You did not have to be gentle with your child, understanding with your spouse, compassionate to the stranger, accepting to the newcomer, patient with the elder,

You willed it ! But a Vision of Right Living is as James (2:1-5) reminds us is about being - “ heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him”. Part of willing, part of right living, is choosing as God chooses - and part of that is requiring us to not be haute, not be stoic, not be caustic, not be judgmental - but to choose as He choose! Here is the amazing thing - the outstanding thing - the champion act - when we will it - we become like Him, and in becoming like HIm - we become heirs to all He promises - we become rich in the eyes of God. We might be poor to the world - because we are not celebrities, we are surrounded by noise, we are not living false dreams or embraced by vice or earthly pleasures, but we are rich - we have willed it - because we are seeking to succeed as saints, living in Peace, speaking in Truth, stepping up in virtue and walking toward eternal heaven

Let me conclude with this. As you know we are very committed as a parish to Outreach and our Neighbourhood Ministry, St Vincent de Paul Society and our Haiti Project are important elements. Well during the month of July one of our little ones came to me saying that for his 7th birthday he had received $25.00. He wanted to give it to a charity but it had to be the right one. He asked to meet with me to discuss it. So ahead we did and I told him about each of the three and what they were about. Well last weekend we received in an envelope the $25.00 - to Haiti it went - with a simple sheet of paper as a note “This is the Will and Testament of. "Johnny"....” I wish my $25.00 to go to Haiti.”

What’s the will - not an end of life action - but choices in life that are leading to a Vision of Right Living. May we willed it today - to succeed as saints, to live in Peace, speak in Truth, stepping up in virtue and walk toward eternal heaven - for that is right living !

A Vision of Right Living.

Recently I was blessed to have a little time off - to climb to new heights, to see views never scene and probably eat far much than more I should have. During it you were in my thoughts and prayers daily. I also had the chance to do something I like - people watch. Just find a place where a large group is and check out what is going on.

One particular night I sat in a public square where a small concert was going on. I watched people of all ages enjoying the music, singing along, embracing and showing their affection for each other. Families together, people smiling, individuals enjoying and you know I found myself - pleased.

It dawned on me - I think the Lord must feel this way at times. When He sees us doing what He means for us to do. You see in that public square - no conflict was evident. You know in that public square - no tension was surfacing. You know in that public square - no differences - racial, religious or requital were there. No just people doing what they were meant for to live in love, harmony and sharing the gifts of one another. Bascially, what He means for us to do - and God was pleased. - a Vision of Right Living

If we look at God’s word today - its all about that - a vision of right living ! Did you catch was the Letter of James said to us: “Welcome the word.....be doers of the Word, not only hearers....for religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1.17-18,21-22,27).

These challenging words will form the focus of what we will meditate on not only this Lord’s Day weekend but also over the next few as we resume the Fall Season together and look at - a Vision of Right Living.

During this past week I had a chance to go fishing with my nephew - he caught fish - I caught - well- experience! In the serene place we were came all of sudden this chilling scream. It not only scared all the fish away - but it scared my blood pressure, heart rate and ability to breath - away ! As I resumed consciousness - I checked out what was going on - and it was a little girl who was had been told by her dad that the only way to fish was to but a dead worm on a fishing rod. “That’s not right ! - was her chilling scream - That’s sick ! That is digusting !” As My nephew and I chuckled - knowing that was something we do all the time - we walked back to our little spot and just heard her dad say - “ its not that bad - just watch”

That is the first step to a Vision of Right Living - just watch ! But it makes a difference who we watch ! If I had during my holiday gone people watching in a public square in Las Vegas - what I would have seen might have been different than the family centred in the place where I was!

Its not just watching - its about who and where we watch ! So - where are you watching - were are you looking - were do you get your wisdom for right living?

The Prophet Deuteronomy says : “You must observe (the commandments of the Lord), diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the people”(4:1-2,6-8) Our first focus is always to put ourselves where the Lord is. We know those places:

- we know what resort really is a place of champions and which one is not

- we know what website is about learning and growing and which one is not

- we know what television program is about developing Christ followers and which is not

- we know what book, magazine, text message, facebook page, twitter verse, conversation, club, what friendship is really being about right living & which one is not! We know - Its not just watching - its about who and where we watch !

Where we watch determine not only our fun - it actually determines our Vision for Life. If wish to live pure, undefiled before God the Father - it matters where we watch!

★ I know I loved watching this week - all the back packs which were gathered during the last three weeks of August to give to 100 children in our parish schools - so they will be ready day one!

★ I know I loved watching this week - a family - that had been away from faith - gathering with their mom at the emergency room of the Cambridge Hospital - and finding faith in the life witness of their mom

★ I know I loved watching this week - a young adult- witness to his younger teenage brother and a friend of the reality of high school in a fun filled way

★ I know I loved watching this week - a couple speak to me about a faith centered conference they attended and see the vision of the Lord - alive within their eyes and heart

★ I know I loved watching a young teen this week tell me the exciting news of an amazing opportunity he has this year and to hear him say “God did this for me”.

We know - Its not just watching - its about who and where we watch ! As we begin a new school year - new friends, opportunities, classes. As we resume our work schedules - new clients, customers, project & service to people to undertake. As we resume our routines and begin to encounter people at service clubs and shopping malls.

Where are you watching to get that Vision of Right Living? !