A GregBolt of Lightning

Today's Readings

"Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it." - Isaiah 55: 10-11

This week, my parish is hosting it's Lenten Mission, with our special guest Fr. Oscar Lukefahr, a Vincentian Priest and director of the Catholic Home Study Service, from Perryville, Missouri.  He has a pretty decent series of books, and this week he is concentrating on prayer, based on his book We Pray. (See books from Fr. Luke)  Like a faithful Missourian, Fr. Luke shared a quote last night from Mark Twain: "It's amazing what God lets man get away with, when lightning is so cheap." Aside from the usual, and very genuine laughter that follows the utterance of any Twain quotation, this one made me say out loud, "That's fantastic!"

In a spirit of understanding the nature of prayer, my God has given us many examples to follow in this life of ours.  Christ himself, offered us his own prayer, calling on "Our Father", praising His name, and thanking him for our "daily bread", asking Him for strength in the face of temptation, and "deliverance from evil", showing us that God desires to be in relationship with His people.  

The Prophet Isaiah, offers the reason why Twain's God has no plan for striking us down with a low cost lightning bolt.  Just as the rain has a purpose for watering the earth, helping things grow, so to does God's Word seek to help us.  It's place and purpose allows us to know of His love, and get good at recognizing the goodness that comes from BEING, and being loved.  It gives us a vehicle for building a meaningful relationship, founded in trust and honesty.  It allows us to celebrate, and even complain without the fear of retribution.  Prayer is a lifelong conversation that seeks to guide us to the God who simply wants us to live, and love, and be loved forever and ever... Amen!

One Post Script on the Subject of Cheap Lightning: I'm sure that this picture taken just hours after Pope Benedict XVI announced his unique retirement from the Papacy was God's way of having a little fun, with Mark Twain at his side... Peace!

"Uh Oh!" :)

Build It Up!

I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. (Matthew 5: 17)

Is it too optimistic of me to ask that we consider following this tiny short “blip” of Jesus’ Gospel? I will freely admit that I have taken this one sentence away from the context of what it refers to in following the Law of God, but look at the phrase on its own, and it calls us to treat one another with potential, and not as a problem!

“I have come NOT to abolish...”

When approaching issues or people, or even future plans in life, let us not seek to tear them apart, or abolish their purpose. The issue of the Gulf Oil Spill will not go away, so ignoring it or saying, “I wish they would stop talking about it on the evening news all of the time” will not remove its vital importance for teaching us a valuable lesson in how to RESPOND to such things.

To turn your back on a person, friend or foe, and refuse to consider their role in a situation, even though its not what you want, eliminates the possibility that they have been sent to change you. You could be turning your back on the change you need to improve your purpose or potential!

To refuse to look ahead in life, and abolish the chance that your hopes and dreams just might come true, deprives you of the limitless promise given to us by God!

“...but to fulfill.”

Issues like the Gulf Oil Spill, or the local election in your hometown, or the controversial decision by a government demands that you pay attention and build it up into something that will truly make a difference for you, your family and this world. Don’t just read about the issue, RESPOND to it! And in the case of issues driven by leadership that ultimately affects you, let them know what’s expected of them in the eyes of the Law, and of the well being of “We the people!”

Doesn’t the old song say, “people who need people, are the luckiest people in the world”? I suppose they would by lucky because you cared enough to care. Help build them up into something amazing! RESPOND to them and their needs with a sense of urgency, and an understanding that without you they are less likely to be what they need to be!

Looking ahead to the future, and embracing its potential establishes a discipline that “fulfillment” really is a way of life. To live with the notion that we will one day fulfill a “prophesy” or a promise from God adds a purpose to our lives that is unmatched to anything we could conjure up on our own! We are God’s children, and we have a purpose to discover and fulfill, and when we RESPOND to life, day after day, with the notion that tomorrow will be better, then we truly become “prophets of a future not our own”! (Bishop Oscar Romero, “Bishop of the Poor”)

50 Ways to Get Through Easter: Spirit & Survival!

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call (Ephesians 1: 17-18)... When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. (Acts 19: 5-6)

Easter Day #43 & #44: Spirit & Survival!

I’m getting weary here in “Blogsville”!

The SPIRIT of God is upon me, for He has anointed me, and like the prayer above I have been given “wisdom and revelation”, although some would definitely argue with that; and I have been Baptized and Confirmed... So why do I tire of all this blogging, and introspection? Can I SURVIVE this bit of a dry spell?

I guess I am guilty at times of sharing this finagled “Word of God” for the benefit of only me. You see, I want you to read it and thank me for creating it, by responding with some interesting “tid bit”, question or controversial disagreement. I invest the worth of this effort on whether or not it gets “hits” here in “Blogsville”. And when there are no “hits” or responses, I plunge into SURVIVAL mode! You know the thought process, “Why do I bother? No one is gonna read this anyway. It’s all the same thing. Its just too ‘churchy’!”

But we are less than a week away from the celebration of Pentecost, and the reminder that SPIRIT has come upon us to do the will of God... Not Greg. All this week, we will be reminded that the Spirit comes with a purpose that calls us to respond, and thus become more like what we were meant to be all along. Look at the second quote above from the Acts of the Apostles. After baptism and the coming of the SPIRIT, “they spoke in tongues and prophesied.” Speaking in tongues, as represented in this part of scripture, means a lot of things to a lot of people, and is the way and reason one expresses their faith. One consistency between them all has to be that words are shared as an almost uncontrolled response to something so great, one can hardly put it into words. Thus, the words have NO PURPOSE except to respond to God and His Holy SPIRIT! With regards to “prophesy”, and the tradition of the prophets who have spoken in the past, there is a sometimes egotistical reassurance that all I have to say, even though it is ignored, will someday come to pass, and long after I’m dead and gone, I can participate in some cosmic “see, I told you so” moment looking down from the stars above.

Now I’m starting to feel better...

So, I will not be deterred, for the SPIRIT has spoken, and now I simply respond with the words that are formed here, typing on my little ol’ Mac. These words, read by you, are not for anything except for responding to the glory of God! When you read this, and respond in whatever manner you choose (or not), it is your way of sharing in the SPIRIT, and hence the glory of God (not Greg)! SURVIVING means that I need to let you do the driving now and then... “As for me and my house, I will serve the Lord,” (Joshua 24: 15) and respond with the words given me by the SPIRIT; and I will continue to do this, in this Blog, because it has a greater purpose than “hits” on a website.

Whew... OK, this Monday too shall pass!

50 ways to Get Through Easter... Energy!

“Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” (John 10: 27-28)

Easter Day 22: Energy!

It is “Good Shepherd Sunday”, and the message is clear. Christ is our Good Shepherd, and we are his flock! We know His voice, and we act upon it. The knowledge that we are a part of this flock gives us ENERGY! The sound of His voice in our hearts gives us ENERGY! The promise that He will lead us to eternal life gives us ENERGY!

So if we are the ENERGY, powered by Jesus the Good Shepherd, then we need to empower a few things of our own! His power working through us, provides the POWER we need to “Light the World”. A lamp is just an object until you plug it in; then it lives out its purpose. People NEED OUR ENERGY to help them live out their purpose! Plug ‘em all in, and let them share in the light!