Who Moved?

Back in the day most cars did not have dual seats for drivers and passengers. There was a front seat and a back seat. I recall a joke dating back to that time about a husband driving with his wife. The wife looked at her husband and said, "Remember when we were first married and how much you liked us to be sitting close to one another?" And he said, "Well, dear, I'm not the one who moved."

It's a little like that with ourselves and God our Father. When he feels distant to us, he is not the one who has moved.

I've been reading the book The Father by Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR. I'm reflecting on chapter 2 about how the Father infinitely delights in caring for us his children. I am imagining a group of children happily playing in the yard, and a father watching them having so much fun. When one of the children is hurt, however, the loving father runs to that child, takes the child into his arms, wipes away the tears, and does everything he can to take away the pain. 

The Father is drawn to us in our need, in our wounds, in our weaknesses and sin. He is drawn to us because it is his delight to care for us. It's what a loving Father does, and he is most loving.

Sometimes we may have a tendency to want to avoid God when we think we are not perfect enough or holy enough to be with him. But in a way it is just the opposite. It is our need that draws him to us. We are created to depend on him. Sometimes the only prayer we feel we can pray is "Help!" And that prayer is always answered. It is his delight to help us.

Maybe this is why in the Gospels we read that Jesus was seen to be with prostitutes and other sinners. In a way he was drawn to be with them, as the Father is drawn to be with those who are in need.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

May we take delight in loving and serving others, as our Father takes delight in loving us.

Bye-bye, Tooth!

It was in church on Palm Sunday when I felt something like a little marble in my mouth. It was a crown on a tooth that had come loose.

I made an appointment with my dentist. She tried to save the tooth to replace the crown, but then said there was too much decay. "That tooth needs to be pulled out."

So I went to a dental specialist for the extraction. What an ordeal! I felt distress and pain. There was blood. Thankfully now the tooth is gone and healing is underway.

free unsplash photo by Quang Tri Nguyen

There was a spiritual lesson for me in this experience. I began to think about the little ongoing sins and bad habits that have become part of my life. If I am to become the person God calls me to be, those sins and their decaying effects and those bad habits have got to go. I cannot do it on my own. I need a "Specialist;" I need Jesus.

I admit and face the fact that I do have problems in my life. Problems I cannot fix on my own. I no longer want to try to hide them or deny them, but bring them to Jesus as openly as I am able. There can be distress and pain in doing this. And there is blood, but this time it is His blood that has been shed to take away all my sins.

Only when I do this can inner healing take place. Burdens are lifted. New peace and joy and strength flow into me. "Thank you, Jesus, for taking away our sins. Thank you, Jesus, for the healing."

As for me, I call to God,

    and the Lord saves me.

17 

Evening, morning and noon

    I cry out in distress,

    and he hears my voice...

Cast your cares on the Lord

    and he will sustain you;...

But as for me, I trust in you.

Psalm 55: 16-17; 22-23

It's Going to be All Right

I heard that one can expect to experience trials during Holy Week. This is Holy Week.

I've been feeling overwhelmed with all that I think I need to be doing. I have family medical issues I need to face and deal with. When I turn on the news, what I hear is not good. Yesterday I felt discouraged. And I am tired.

Last night I went to Mass and Adoration. I was grateful to come into the most Holy Presence of Jesus, just to be with Him.

This morning I awoke with more peace, hope and energy. I know that everything is going to be all right. Life is good. God is good always. Praise be to our merciful and most loving God, our Redeemer.

Lenten Transformation

After watching a recent Poco a Poco podcast, I am reflecting on the Good Samaritan parable (Luke 10: 30 - 35), especially with a desire for a personal transformation during this Lenten season.

I am thinking of myself as the one on the wayside, parts of me broken, wounded, in need of healing. When I am aware of hurting, it's an experience of poverty. I cannot heal myself.

Jesus is the Good Samaritan. He will find me in my deepest need. He is seeing me with all my woundedness, weakness, and pain. He is not passing me by. He will find me even in the darkness.

He sees me. He stops to be with me. He anoints my wounds. He bandages me with love. He takes me to "the inn," to our Father's house. He asks me to rest here, to rest in his Father's arms while the healing, while the process of transformation takes place. All he asks that I trust him.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

"My Jesus, I trust in you."

Jesus, Take the Wheel

I'm reading Mary and the Interior Life by Fr. Shryock, CFR. In the first chapter he describes surrender and control with the example of driving in the car with Jesus.

When I have the wheel and Jesus is in the passenger seat, I listen to him give me directions to our destination. If he says, "Turn right," then I turn right. When he says, "Slow down," that's what I do. I am very attentive to him as we drive along.

Then he says, "How about if I take the wheel?" And I give him the keys and I sit in the passenger seat. But I soon learn that Jesus does not drive like I would drive. Sometimes he seems to go too fast for conditions. Or he takes a rough back road full of potholes. And sometimes he even seems to be asleep behind the wheel! I become anxious and maybe not trust the way he is driving, and I want to take back contol.

The author is writing about Mary's total surrender. I can't wait to read more. There are 14 chapters about the 14 Biblical moments in Mary's life.This book is based on a retreat he gave, 14 talks about Mary.

Mary our Mother, Help us say "Yes!" to God when He
invites us to trust him. Jesus is our Way,
our Father's house is our destination. 

Footprints in the Snow

I like to look out the window in the morning, like I did this sunny morning, and see the footprints in the snow, footprints made by animals and birds that have come into our yard. I don't always see the bunnies and the squirrels or other animals (like the deer), but I know they've been here. I see the impressions they have made.

I began to wonder, what are the impressions I leave behind me? Is it disorder or a mess? Any attempts to deceive? The echo of impatient harsh words?... Or do I leave behind me the results of loving service? The healing effect of kind and attentive words? The beauty of having created something new?

We leave impressions wherever we go. Some may be hardly visible and others very deep. People may even bear the scars of our hurtful actions long after we are gone. Or hopefully we leave behind us the impressions of love, beauty, truth, kindness.

Wherever I go, may I follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

Come!

We have a little Beagle named Stella. When I call her, "Come," she takes her sweet time. Whe wanders this way and that way, searching for crumbs she might find on the floor, and being distracted by scents in the air that only she can smell.

When I say, "Treat," or if I rattle her treat jar, she looks up and sometimes runs to me.

Is it something like that when God calls to me? I am so easily distracted by what I see around me, looking for something else that would please me. However, when I am hoping for a special favor (a "treat") from him, or when I am praying for a special intention, I tend to focus more intensely on him.

I think the Lord would have us focus on him for the mighty, glorious, amazing God he is, and not as much on the favors gives. He longs for a personal relationship with each of us. All of our desires truly are completely fulfilled in and with him.

"Come, Stella, let's go for a walk," and Stella comes running to me.

"Come, my beloved. Come to Me and let us walk together
 to places you have never been,"
and may I come running to Him.

A New Year, New Resolutions

It is the beginning of a new year and a time when many of us are making "resolutions" to improve our lives, to become better people...

One of the gifts our daughter gave me for Christmas is a Bible study book. Toward the beginning of the book, one of the questions is about reflecting on the purpose of one's life. What is it that gives my life meaning? What is God's plan for me in my current circumstances? When I know my purpose, I can then make resolutions that will direct me in fulfilling that purpose.

What about the people who are closest to me? My family? My friends? Or even the people I encounter during the activities of my day? They, too, have a divine purpose. How about making resolutions to encourage and support others to accomplish their purpose in life?

How can I support my husband in fulfilling his responsibilities? How can I encourage our daughters to become the women they are called to be? What are simple actions I can take that can make life easier for others?

This year may my resolutions be not so much about improving myself and my own life, but about what I can practically do this year do to be more helpful to others.

                                        Photo by Eric Rothermel on Unsplash

  “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11