Don't Go Squirelly

I feel sorry for squirrels. I know some of you don’t like squirrels because they can be such a nuisance. They eat your bird food, chew through wires, get in your attic. But I feel sorry for them. They are so indecisive and often their indecisiveness leads to tragic results. You know how they are.

As you approach in a car if there is a squirrel on the side of the road, you can bet they are trying to decide whether to go or stay. They dart out, come back, and zig zag. You try to avoid hitting them, but often you don’t know which way to go because the squirrel can’t decide. Because squirrels can’t decide, often it doesn’t work out too well for them

Humans can be indecisive, too. But, life boils down to the decisions made or not made. It is interesting that in making decisions we often go one of two ways.

•    We either decide too quickly without proper consideration of the facts and consequences, or we consider in such detail that we never decide.

•    We either look without leaping or leap without looking.

Some folks are ready, aim-aim-aim-aim and never fire.  Others are ready, fire and never aim. Which one are you?

There is a time to study and think and weigh things out, but when it comes to faith there is a time to step out and trust God and believe.  So much that is so good, so many of God’s blessings are missed because we never step out in faith. If you want to know what God can do, then give Him a chance to do it.  Step out in faith.

In the Gospel ( Luke 18:1-8) we are introduced to the Pharisee - now he was in prayer - but not stepping out in faith  His prayer, if it can be called that, is largely an advertisement for himself. He's selling himself to God. The tax collector, on the other hand, didn't have to tell God who he was.  He knew who he was and he knew that God knew who he was.

His prayer is not an exercise in self-promotion, but a confession and a plea for mercy. He is not selling himself, but opening himself. And Jesus says, "It is this man who went home justified." To be justified means to be declared "not guilty." It means to be declared right.

The famous actor Brad Pitt was once standing in line with a friend, waiting for a table in a crowded Los Angeles restaurant. They had been waiting for some time, the diners seemed to be taking their time eating and new tables weren't opening up very fast. They weren't even that close to the front of the line. Brad Pitt's friend became impatient, and he said to Brad Pitt, "Why don't you tell the maitre d' that you’re a famous actor?" Brad Pitt responded with great wisdom. "No," he said, "if you have to tell them who you are, then your not that famous."

Part of getting over indecisiveness and living confidently and abundantly - is to always remember who we are and whose we are and not get too caught up in ourselves but rather that God is the famous one:
•    God has a plan
•    God can make a provision
•    God gives the growth
•    God has the solution

And if we live our lives not ready, aim-aim-aim-aim and never fire nor ready, fire and never aim - but rather ready, He will Help Me Aim and Show me when to fire - that God is decisive

Not only is indecision taken away, but so too is the pride of thinking we are someone more than we are - but rather we are His and He is with us -we can’t do it all-but He sure can!

As we arrive on this Lord’s Day - how do we pray ?
•    Is our prayer a resume of accomplishment or is a plea for mercy?
•    Is our prayer a list of what is wrong or a litany of thanksgiving?
•    Is our prayer totally focus on us or does it include the needs of others?
•    Is your prayer dependent upon God’s answer or are you giving God the answer - FYI?
•    Is your prayer a leap to call it a prayer - or a leap in prayer & faith- dependent on Him

So don’t so squirrelly in life
•    God has a plan
•    God can make a provision
•    God gives the growth
•    God has the solution

Leave it with Him in prayer. He is never indecisive trying to figure whether to aim or fire - but rather God is always ready.

Let us Pray!

The theme of faith on which our readings have been focused these past two Sundays, takes a different turn in today's Word. The image of Moses in the First Reading of today (Exodus 17:8–13) intently observing (and helping) Joshua's battle with Amalek is both amusing and striking. There he leans, sitting on a massive rock, his arms outstretched, propped up on each side by his two aids, Aaron and Hur. Whenever Moses begins to lower his arms from fatigue, the enemy begins to prevail; so Aaron and Hur stay at his side until sunset and ultimate victory, serving as living crutches for his aching shoulders and arms. The author of this passage clearly wants to impress on the reader the need for persistence in prayer.

Many of us have false notions of prayer. The purpose of prayer is not to make God feel good, nor to win personal merit points, nor to change God’s “mind,” etc., etc. Rather, prayer is an expression of a relationship and the way one prays reveals the nature and intensity of that relationship. If, as disciples of Jesus, we do not cry out day and night (as the widow in today’s Gospel - Luke 18:1–8), if we are not persistent in prayer, and if we do not believe with all our heart that our prayer is being heard, then our prayer simply has no faith foundation. A person of faith, on the other hand, persists in prayer, and is long-suffering – never gives up despite the pain or the suffering or the long periods of darkness and silence. A person of faith fervently believes that his/her prayer is always received, and that God, in receiving our prayer, now has a way to connect with us, to empower us with God’s own presence and Spirit.

It is not always convenient to be a good steward in prayer, especially when all the temptations of our busy and materialistic world get in the way. Yet, we must be persistent even when it is inconvenient. This persistence marks the true follower of Christ. As we live our life, and do our best to live a life of Christ, we often meet obstacles. As we strive to be a disciple of Christ, standing up for our values and the dignity of others, let us remember to always turn to prayer first, and even at the most difficult times, eventually we will find reconciliation, eventually we sense peace.

Prayer, at root, is our relationship with Jesus. And so the nature of our prayer is essentially a reflection on the quality and intensity of that relationship. Blessed Mother Teresa puts its best “Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of Himself." The author of our second reading speaks of it well; (2 Timothy) “I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable…."

1.    What do you think the great challenge is to being a person of prayer today?

2.    Is there a format, a way, a method of prayer which you find helpful?

3.    Can you think of a moment when you persevered in prayer? 

With hands uplifted O God, like Moses at prayer, we long for Your response to our prayer lets conclude with the model of all prayer.  OUR FATHER.

Don't Forget to Say Thanks

My memories of Thanksgiving celebrations when I was growing up were always divided into two parts - before the meal and after the meal. Before the meal - the 3 "F's" : fun, family, food. After the meal - the 3 "S's": solemn, somber, sleepy. There was something about eating that turkey and ham - that made us all want to fall asleep on the sofa after our big feast. And I have to admit - sometimes I did. And it was a deep sleep, a sweet sleep, an angels surrounding, plucking at their heavenly harps type of sleep.

In the Gospel of today (Luke 17.11-19) we are introduced to the story of the ten lepers. This story has always surprised me a little. Here are ten fellows who are pretty much isolated from society, one might even say - on the very edge of even normal human relations. People saw Lepers, in those days, as individuals who were being punished by God - so they put them aside. Now Jesus comes upon them and these lepers were all shouting, "Master, Jesus! Please have mercy and do your best to heal us!" Now Jesus was the sort to be merciful and kind, He heals them and sends them off to the authorities so that they might be declared “welcomed” back into the community. So - here is the part that always gets me:

Jesus has done an amazing thing for them - life transforming thing in fact
•    He not only healed them of a dreaded disease
•    He not only gave them the ability to be come back into human interaction
•    He not only permitted them to once again be accepted by others
•    He gave them dignity - human dignity - once again!

And what do they do - they go off and only one of them - says “thanks”. It is almost like they had there life before the meal....had a great meal...and then well...went and fell asleep on the sofa - without even saying thank you !

Now here is the human thing to the story - it can happen to all of us - but just in case you are not clear on what I am trying to say - because well - we have not met a lot lepers in our life and we can’t even imagine what their realize from this disease would be like -  let's come at it in another way. Let’s reset the story in the modern day.

Let's say that ten kids are playing out in the yard and thinking how nice it'd be to have an ice cream bar. When along comes a mother, and they start to scream and shout for that wonderful ice cream that they've been dreaming about.  The mother loves them so she gives them each a dollar and tells them, "Go to the store and buy that for which you hollar." If those kids did exactly as she said and just went to the store and not one of them thanked her, well, that'd be pretty poor.

The best thanks come naturally, don't you think that's true? I mean, thanks should be an echo when we're given something great  Thanks should be the shadow which from the gift you cannot separate. Yet how many parents remind their child, "What do you say?" and keep on reminding kids a hundred times a day? But I won't pick on you kids, for we grownups forget too, and perhaps in even more important matters fail to say Thank you.

So we observe Thanksgiving - not as a forced moment to give thanks but as a reminder that we should. Luke tells the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers is told for the same reason; to remind us, to recall for us, to invite us to say THANK YOU!  So, here is my question for all of us - when was the last time you said THANK YOU

•    to the person who opens the door for
•    to the individual who prepares a meal for you
•    to the group that prays for you
•    to the family member who sacrifices for you
•    to the sibling that plays with you
•    to the parent who loves you
•    to the constable that protects you
•    to the teacher who instructs you
•    to the driver who gets you there
•    to the God who heals you    
Its not just a Church thing - a what happens in Church; stays in Church thing.

It’s a life thing - because without thanks in our life - well we are lepers - self created - who walk off in the sunset unaware of all the healing that happens in our life. So don’t fall asleep on the sofa - or if you do this Thanksgiving - before you enter the sleep of angels - say thank you.

A Guide to Prayer

The month of October is the month of the Rosary; a great opportunity to reflect on prayer.

A mother once taught her child to
pray using her fingers. The thumb is the nearest to
the heart, so pray for those you love – your family,
your friends and you. The second finger is for
pointing; pray for your pastor and your teachers,
those who show you the way and inspire you. The
third finger is the longest; let it remind you to pray for
your leaders, those in authority in the church and in
the nation. The fourth finger is weak; pray for those
in trouble or in pain; pray for the sick and the
abused. The firth finger is the smallest; pray for
those who suffer loneliness or deprivation.

Is our Life - well - a Reality Show?

The most popular show on television today? "Duck Dynasty." After that there are the programs about "The Kardashians," "Housewives," of various postal and zip codes, and "Hoarders." Reality Television programs have taught us that we like to watch the inner-workings of the lives of others. The interesting - and yet tragic thing - about it is that while we follow and know the happenings in the homes of characters on these shows - well - we don’t know our own neighbor.

The Rich Man and Lazarus in today’s Gospel (Luke 16.19-31)were neighbors, you know. They saw each other every day. Oh, not socially you understand, but there was contact. Every day the Rich Man saw this beggar at his front gate - yet they did not know each other. Who were these men?

To put it into the context of our present time. The Rich Man was a progressive kind of a guy. He was self-indulgent. He was a connoisseur, a lover of the arts, one who knows and appreciates fine living, four star restaurants.

The other man in the story is Lazarus. How can we describe Lazarus? Lazarus is homeless. We are told in vs. 20 that he was a cripple. Lazarus barely made it from day to day, living off the leftovers thrown to him by the Rich Man as he daily passed him. He is just a survivor, that's all you can say of him.

It is easy to read about a rich, self-absorbed, politically important man who is so involved in his own life, so busy orchestrating his own pleasures and perks, that he completely ignores the plight of Lazarus, a man who falls inside his gate, but far outside his pay-grade.

It is easy to turn it into a reality show and speak of it as something that occurs elsewhere. But that is not the shock-treatment that Jesus' parable is administering. Instead - Jesus is asking - do you know your who your neighbour is?

Now an easy way to answer that and then move on is simply to look at it as the physical neighbour who lives in the home or apartment unit next to us. But that approach would not be a Christian one.

•    Are you aware - instead - of the people you interact with each day ?
•    Are you aware of what they endure?
•    Are you sensitive to what they are going thru?
•    Are you seeing them not as someone on the side of the road of your life or someone who sits at the gate of your conversation - but are you seeing them as your neighbor ?

It is very easy to just become so absorbed in our issues and our world - our reality program!

•    the economic news which has put us in a tail spin
•    the medical diagnosis which has made us re evaluate things
•    the family issue which is causing us to loose sleep
•    the school related problem which is making us question life

These our realities - realities which we in faith turn over to the Lord each day - but there is still the danger that they become our show! These concerns, as serious as they are, must not take possession of our life in such a way that they make us less aware of our neighbor

The Rich Man allowed his reality to take possession of his life so much so that it became his show, his focus, his total reality. He lost sight of Lazarus who needed the reality of being recognized, of being shown dignity, of being understood.

There is no doubt that all of us - no matter, race, status, position, occupation, vocation, inheritance or poverty carry realities in our lives - some amazing,  others challenging - but they can’t become our show. We can not loose sight of our neighbour and their reality. For if we do; then they become nothing more to us than beggars that we pass by each day and offer them what falls from our table

What happens in Church - stays in Church ???

A good friend of mine a few months back went on a short vacation to Las Vegas. And he kept repeating the mantra as he prepared to go - and you know how this saying goes - “ What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas”! Now of course for those who stated this it usually means they are planning on doing something in Vegas that they don’t want the rest of the world to know - especially people back home.

Now I’d like to turn that saying on its head and say this - doesn’t it seem at times that when it comes to the Church - we sometimes say “ what happens in Church stays in Church”.

We are a little hesitant - especially as Catholics to share the good news of all that is happening.

We have no problem sharing our complaints at times - but when it comes to sharing the good news - well - “what happens in Church stays in Church”. We do our “church things” and then we go back to our work or our homes and the stuff that awaits us in life and what ever took place in Church stays in Church and has nothing to do with or any application to our week. But we know that is not God’s intention.  - His word, His will, His way for our life is not that at all. Our participation in Church is a not a time card we insert, get checked off, then run along in life.

In the Gospel (Luke 16:1-13) we are introduced to a Manager who was living "the Las Vegas life!" All of a sudden his master wanted an accounting- and what does he do - well he gets his time card in check - he lines up everything so that if he gets caught in the lifestyle that his Master does not wanted of him - well he can at least prove his attendance.

But the Master says - that is not the way  - why is it not the way? - well St Paul - as he writes to his young friend Timothy (2:1-7) tells us why - “because I have appointed you a herald, an apostle, a teacher {model} in faith and in truth.”

You see because of our Baptism, due to our First Communion, as a result of our Confirmation - each of us is a herald, a model in faith and in truth. Its not about the time clock - but the life clock - and ensuring that what happens in Church actually leaves Church and goes into out world!

Pope Francis this week made a number of comments in an interview - and well depending on the media source you listen to you received mixed messages about what he said - but in fact it was nothing new in doctrine  - but he did invite the Church to make sure we are out in the world - sharing the good news and in the darkness of tonight - sharing our light!

This week - as part of our Generations projects - which by the way are coming along very well; I  found myself very excited. We had.....
✣     energizing meeting with our Children’s Ministry Team.
✣     wonderful response to our Kids Klub program - over 50 kids registered and active already!
✣    great progress on our new Children and Youth Wing 
✣    we received word from the City that they will install a “Pedestrian Crossing Sign” on Cooper St to help those who will cross the street from the new parking areas across on to the Church

But what got me so excited was on Thursday evening was the installation of the new “Red Glow” that you can now see from our Bell Tower from different points of Hespeler in the evening. The tower not has inside of it a red light which glows from every corner - this red light of course represents the Tabernacle Light ........that says - Christ is Here!”

But here is what it also says .....The Church is Here...St Mary of the Visitation is Here

So here is what our Catholic tradition tells us
1.    That when we see that red glow - we know Christ is present in the Tabernacle and so we give thanks and we proclaim with our life, we teach by our example, we model by our way of living

2.    That when we drive by that red glow - we know that Christ is present - and so we make the sign of the cross upon ourselves - it is the Lord after all - really and truly present in the tabernacle (its also why we genuflect or bow before we come into and sit in our pew.)

3.    That when we see that red glow - we know Christ is present - and we ask ourselves - how I am telling others about what is happening in Church or am I here for my time card?

Its Why - As a Family of Faith our Core Values are:
✣ Eucharistic Spirituality
✣ Hospitality and Welcome
✣ Evangelization
✣ Faithfulness to Who God Made Us to Be

Its why as a parish our mission statement is that  “We are connected to our past, committed to our future and compassionately focused on being a Family of Faith with something for everyone.”

Because our lives are to show that glow, to share that glow, to shine because of that glow! Since that glow says to the world, it says to our city, it says to all who drive by here in Hespeler - Christ is present and we don’t want what happens in the Church to just stay in the church - we want it to shine from our Church for all Generations!
                   
A few days ago I was getting into line for a movie and I realized I forgot my phone and so I was running back to my car and I turned to my friend and said “save me a spot”. Did you catch that - “save me a spot” with my group of friends I have a spot - well right here in our Family of Faith - that is what we are about “saving for each other a spot” in the plan and the glow of Christ for our world.  Let’s allow Him to glow not only in but from us as a parish that is a herald, a model in faith and in truth!

In the Pit - You Don't Quit!

You know the feeling.     It is between 2 and 3 in the afternoon — the "pit in the pm". Energy ebbs. Eyelids sag. Your attention span becomes goldfish-short (3 seconds). In fact there are workplace statistics that show that if you telephone a work environment to speak with someone the time most likely to get voice mail is between 2 and 3 in the afternoon - people walk away from their desk. You are wiped out, woozy and snoozy. The urge to grab a cat-nap becomes overwhelming. God invented coffee for this time of day. Fighting fatigue we all look for ways to revive, refresh ourselves for the second half of our day.

St. Paul (2nd Reading) wrote to his co worker Philemon (9-10,12-17) in order to refresh him. Philemon was fatigue - he was in the “pit of the pm of his life.” From the initial greeting Paul asserts that Philemon is a "dear friend and co-worker." He gives thanks for him, assures him of faith, invokes the saints toward him and asks that he continue to effective and active.

Now here is something you need to know - Paul has been imprisoned at this point.   
    - he was sent to a solitary island with some of the worst criminals of the Roman Empire.
    - abandoned on that island permitted only occasionally to meet with someone
    - he had to fend off others for food and his very survival each night was not guaranteed
He was not the poster child for the most glorious time of the year!

Yet - Paul encourages another - why? Paul had a deep relationship with Christ that reminded Him in the pit you don’t quit. You see - Faith alive is not static. Faith alive is an active, growing, dynamic thing... Now Paul wasn’t unique in this....let’s look at the life of the early Church - apostles....

Andrew died on a cross, Simon was crucified, Bartholomew was flayed alive, James (son of Zebedee) was beheaded, the other James (son of Alphaeus) was beaten to death, Thomas was run through with a lance,    Matthias was beheaded, Matthew was slain by the sword, Peter was crucified upside down, Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows,Philip was hanged.This record was not great for recruitment. Yet the Church flourished during this time..its grew in leaps & bounds - in the pit you don’t quit

In July when I was leading some talks at a young adults conference in New York state I was enjoying my mid afternoon cup of coffee (probably between 2-3pm) when an older gentleman sat at my table and drank his coffee with  his newspaper in hand. After a few moments he said to me - “well isn’t that interesting ?” I honestly thought he might be speaking on his blue tooth phone or something so I didn’t reply until he said it again and this time looking right at me said - “Have you ever thought how amazing an oyster is?”

Feeling somewhat awkward I just stared for a minute and he kept talking - now I am going to tell what I remember from what he was reading to me but I will admit to you I might have missed a line or two because honestly when he was speaking I was at the same time looking for the emergency exits because I thought he might be a bit wacky!

The oyster one day finds a tiny grain of sand has slipped into its shell. The sharp edges of the sand create a wound in the oyster’s muscle, and it is painful. It hurts. The oyster feels helpless. He has no hands or tweezers to remove the grain of sand. What was the oyster to do? He wants to know how he can stop the pain and heal the wound. He has choices.

He could do what humans do. He could rebel against God. He could get angry with God. He could ask, “Why did this happen to me? I have been a good oyster; I don’t deserve this.” He could choose to be bitter and miserable. He could have a pity party, a bad case of the “woe is me.” But none of that would help his pain. He could be a martyr. He could say that it was his cross to bear, and he could enlist a lot of sympathy by telling everyone his pain and gossiping and telling stories about how it the stand got into this shell. But that still would not help the pain.

What was he to do? He does what God equipped him to do. He begins to secrete a white milky substance that over time builds layers over the grain of sand. Over time the sharp edges dull and the painful point was rounded, and from the pain of that grain of sand, a pearl was made. It is a thing of beauty wrapped around nothing but trouble. Trouble can turn into a pearl.

God is in the pearl making business. He has a yes for us in every mess.

When the pains and sufferings of life come your way, when life breaks your heart, you have a decision to make. In the pit you don’t quit. The choice is yours.

•    You can break down into self-pity;
•    You can break out with resentment and bitterness;
•    You can break up in misery,
•    or You can break through with faith in Jesus, trusting God to bring a pearl from the pain.

Some people call September the “pit of the year” - so much happen/so much has happened. Is it between 2-3pm in the afternoon for you? God is in the pearl making business. He has a yes for us in every mess - so don’t quit