He Used To Be the Pope pt. 2

Today's Readings

"I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test the heart, to reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds. - Jeremiah 17:10"

Today's post on the GregBlog is one to simply mark a moment in history, for today is the day that someone on this planet will fall asleep knowing that he used to be Pope.  I'm intrigued by the notion, and moved by the event.  Pope Benedict XVI leaves the Chair of St. Peter with a dedication in his heart to lead in a different way, through the way of prayer!

For the first time in nearly six centuries, and only if he reads a paper or watches a TV, a human being will be able to listen as people argue whether he was a good Pope or not.  He might wonder if the New Roman Missal will make a difference, or his series of books called Jesus of Nazereth will help the world understand the true Christ, or could he have done more to stop the evil of abuse in our Church.  He might wonder if he will be able to face the realities of aging and the continuing daily loss of physical ability.  Dare I say, for the first time in 600 years, a person who used to be Pope will have to grapple with the question, "Was it worth it?"

I have no doubt that the Lord and the Pope know it was!

Pope Benedict XVI will be measured like the rest of us, "according to his ways, [and] the merit of his deeds". (Jer. 17:10)  As we watch him exit the world stage , let us also review our life and purpose to this point.  Have we done enough to make a difference?  Have we helped the world understand the true Christ?  Could we do more to help stop evil?  Are we able to face the challenges of our lives?  Don't be like "the rich man" in Luke's Gospel, who waits until its too late to find out that poor Lazarus chose the better portion.  Do what you can do NOW to make this a better place!

God's speed Pope Benedict XVI... PRAY FOR US!

Thank You Pope Benedict!

He Used to Be the Pope!

Today's Readings

"Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock." 1 Peter 5:3

On Thursday, February 28, 2013, at 8:00pm Vatican time (1:00pm here at my house), Pope Benedict XVI will leave "the Chair of St. Peter", and retire as the Holy Father of the Catholic Church.  That chair will remain vacant until a new Pope is elected, most likely sometime in March.  For the first time in 600 years, there will be a person, living on this planet, who can say, I USED TO BE THE POPE!

Today (2-22-13) is the Feast of That Chair... The Chair of St. Peter.  Its a day where we reflect on the importance of the role of the Pope, not necessarily the person.  Its fair to say that there have been some interesting people to assume the role of Pope over the Millennia.  Some are Saints, and some are forgotten.  Some changed the world for the better, and some did not.  The fact remains, however, that the call of St. Peter, and all who would follow him, was to shepherd the flock, and lead the Church by good example!

Pope Benedict XVI is a good and decent man, and his leadership has brought the Church to where it is today.  Some may like that, some might not, but his example of humility, decency, and commitment to his faith have met the standard that authentic leadership demands.  I am praying for our Holy Father, and soon to be again, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.  May he continue to live for years to come as the man who "used to be the Pope", and as a model of faith, leading us by his example, which in this case will be a life of prayer and contemplation.

And Now for Something Completely Different...

Today's Readings

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.  Genesis 1:1

My routine of going to the Scripture to begin my day was interrupted this morning by a phone call from a concerned friend, telling me that the Pope had resigned!  What?  

In a rare moment these days, I turned on the TV.  I saw Benedict's pictures on virtually every morning show, with experts explaining all of the early details.  I waited for the "bomb shell".  Why else would any leader resign?  Was there some issue, or controversy?  Nope... After an hour or so of hearing facts and the understanding of how things work.  The Holy Father may retire if he chooses.  "If it should happen that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that he makes the resignation freely and that it be duly manifested, but not that it be accepted by anyone" (Canon 332, No. 2). 

Like a great athlete, the Holy Father is retiring at the top of his game.

Here's my first take... From my FB post earlier in the day: Our prayers are with the Holy Father this day, and for many to come.  Take a deep breath my Catholic friends, and all who care... This will pan out to be something monumental in the life of the Church.  Pope Benedict XVI has just given us a valuable lesson: Knowing when to say when, and putting one's total trust in God and the plan that is in store for us is of primary importance.  Sure, there is precedent, and the Code of Canon Law allows for this to happen, but most of all, our Holy Father is calling on our Church to stay in a proactive and ready mode of witnessing the Gospel!  He will continue to witness through a life of prayer, while the next Pope will have to hit the ground running!  There are things to do!

Now that I've looked at today's readings, I am very confident that God has a plan, for today we hear of Creation... Yep, the whole story of just how we began.  No history interpretations or lessons, just the facts.  In the beginning, there was nothing.  Then that "mighty wind" swept over us, and BANG... We're something!  Today, the Holy Spirit is upon all of us, the Church, and Pope Benedict XVI.  Once again, this mighty wind is calling the world to create itself anew!  

The Holy Father is responding ahead of time to a concern that was raised quite often during the last years of Pope John Paul II's Papacy.   Blessed John Paul the Great made a huge impression on the world as he faced illness with humility and courage.  And I know that Pope Benedict is doing the same.  But he is offering us one very important caveat... The work of the Church must be led by examples of prayer and ACTION.  He will continue to pray, but must step aside for someone else who is physically capable to fulfill the role.  This decision to resign is rare and the first such decision in more than 600 years.  I wonder if his final act as Pontiff is designed to teach us something?  

That's a silly question... Of course it is!  Like it or not, it's time for something new, and maybe, as Monty Python put it, "something completely different"!

Hope: The Goal and Desire That Gets Results!

This is gonna sound funny, but I just had a ministry moment at my Parish Finance Council Meeting. When I sit at meetings like this, believe it or not, I have nothing to say. Let's just say that I'm a tad outta my league, and am very happy to let this part of the think tank do all the thinking. Tonight was no different, but in my listening I heard one member offer a statement that brought a concept of our faith into clear view. The word "goal" was used in a statement, as in looking ahead and setting goals for the future. One of the members stated that they preferred the term "desired result" instead of "goals". This prompted another member to add that maybe "hope" was the better term. But the person who likes "desired results" thought that the term "hope" might not have enough "umph" to it, or measurability. This got me thinking about the Gospel, and the whole WWJD thing. What would Jesus prefer? With respect to our faith, should we have goals or desired results? I would argue that both terms would be fine in planning one's journey of faith, but another term might be "more better!" :) The term is HOPE! I would say that a GOAL involves a victory that comes after much effort and hard work! This process seems to involve research and dreaming, but the key word is "victory". I would say that achieving a DESIRED RESULT also comes with much effort and hard work, but the term seems to imply that the outcome was understood from the beginning, and the culmination of the process is simply a measured and understood result. I'm not 100% sure, but I would maintain that nowhere in the Scripture do the terms "goal" or "desired result" appear. The term HOPE, however, appears quite frequently. It's most popular appearance is of course it's listing as one of the big three of FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE in St. Paul's Letter to the Corinthians. HOPE seems to involve the similar elements that "goals" and "desired results" have, but it is unique in that it involves trusting a promise. St. Paul promises that with Christ one can have a new life. Christ promises that in living this new life, one can have life everlasting! With those kind of promises, one can live with HOPE, and it is in that hope that one becomes motivated to work hard and give supreme effort. So let me offer my thanks to tonight's Parish Finance Council Meeting for giving me some great stuff to pray about. I would say that I prefer the term HOPE, for it is HOPE that gives us the purpose to dream dreams, set goals, and work for desired results. It is also HOPE that gives us the courage to keep trying, especially when we falls short of the victory of achieving goals, or being able to relish in results. It is HOPE that breeds goals and desires that will some day get the ultimate result. Because of the promise made by our Father in heaven, HOPE will always keep us alive!

On or Off... Sharing God Right Here, Right Now!

It's been a while... Actually it's been just too long since I've taken a real opportunity to share and reflect on what it means to be "Greg" on this little planet of ours. That's what these Blogs are for, right? Share yourself with a world that pops in to see what's what about the people who offer a piece of themselves and their lives as a witness of what it is that makes them tick... I've been blessed today to participate in the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) as a workshop presenter. I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Anne Marie Cribbin, Parish Youth Minister in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.. She also serves the Church as a motivational speaker and story-teller... It was a joy serving today with her. Back to my opening thought... My purpose and the purpose I'd like to suggest for all those that do this digital stuff, is to use this opportunity to continue sharing all that is you, so as to further the Kingdom of God! We'll talk more later as to what that can mean, especially those "popping in" that aren't interested in God these days. We are called to be prophets of hope, and not doom. We need to be instruments of change, and peace, not evil. This is our challenge and this is our opportunity. This was the subject of our workshops today, and this was our privaledge. We shared the challenge to our young Church that, as disciples of Jesus Christ, every tool, every gadget, and every moment can be one of simply sharing the love of God. It's never been a complex principle to me, just a tough thing to start. Everything we do on blogs, or FB, or over on Twitter can simply be the continuation of the Word of God, and Truth of the Gospel. Anyway, thanks for the rumblings. Peace!

The Shaq Attack was a Blast

Not that he needs my congrats, but way to go Shaq; thanks for a great career and even more thanks for making it fun! LSU or not, I think you and our own Bama guy (on the other side of the plains) Charles Barkley have done more for the game staying a game than almost anyone... We all know it's a huge business, and ultimately we the fans are paying for all your cars, but thanks for making it real... If I had your money, I'd be having fun too! Heck, for that matter, I don't have your money and I'm still having fun, so thanks for being real Shaq!

We're Good 'Til October!

Well, I'm a couple of days late in offering my take on the end of the world, so I'll stick with Scripture as a basis for where I stand on the subject...

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching." (Hebrews 13:8) (This reading inspired the latest GregCast "Zero to 60 Enough Already!")

It's all been said and blogged in the past week, so let's move on to the next item of life. Remember, however, this past week was a spiritual judgement, and the seats are set for the end time on October 21, 2011. FYI: I am very encouraged to know that Jimmy Buffett is scheduled to play Vegas on October 20th, and he has personally invited me to attend his "Party at the End of the World!"

In all seriousness (and it is worth repeating), we are spiritually judged every second of our lives! It's called living up to the expectations of what it means to be a good person! We need good people, "so be good for goodness sake!"

Why I Don't BLOG Enough...

Once upon a time, there was a Catholic Diocesan Youth Ministry Conference Training Team that was extremely excited about their new and fresh conference theme. "Catch the Spirit" was to appear on shirts, cups, and I think these really cool erasures that everyone was gonna get in a welcome bag. When the stuff was delivered, and being prepped for the conference, it quickly became obvious that God was wanting the world to know that they should "Catch the Spirt"! "Whoops", said the printer, and the conference went on to distribute the cheapest and most memorable conference shirts and welcome packets of all time!

I'd like to believe that my life is definitely called by the SPIRIT, and it seems obvious that I like to live this call in small SPIRTS of creative energy, that are usually accompanied by some free time thats not usually there. Therefore, I like to take this rare time and SPIRT to offer some motivation to tell you all something that is supposed to be good for you... So, called by the SPIRIT, this little SPIRT of energy offers this simple truth... We are called to do the good things, so that people may share in the goodness of the SPIRIT that calls us all to do good things for others!

The shirt should have read: Catch the SPIRIT and Use that Spirt!