Faith and mercy

"As Jesus moved on from there, two blind men came after him crying out, 'Son of David, have pity on us!'"

Matthew 9:27
 

I guess I always feel a little uncomfortable with this passage because, in all the years of working with blind and visually impaired people, I know the last thing they want is pity.  I tend to drift toward asking for mercy instead of pity, which the translation used in the UK (thus on Pray-As-You-Go) says, "Have mercy on us." Ultimately, the blind men want Jesus to notice them, have compassion on them and fix them.  Don't we all.  Jesus points it right back at them in the next verse when he asks, "Do you believe that I can do this?" Yes, they tell him, confidently. Then, he tells them, it was their faith that has given them sight.  Where are we on our journey? I feel like I'm asking for mercy, but also asking for the faith that goes with it.  I'm way back there, I'm afraid.  Is my faith big enough to heal at this point?  Dear Jesus, please open my eyes to all I need to see this Friday! I thank you for the blessings of this day, which I know will be the people I meet, the work I hope to do and the end of the week I celebrate. I ask for faith in your mercy, your compassion and your hand over my mouth if I'm about to say something stupid.  Amen! Blessings to all on our Advent weekend! Love, heidi

We are the ones

"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes."

Psalm 118:8-9

 

Yes, the world seems decidedly short of princes these days. One has to really look to find them. Our faith in human beings can easily wane when we look around at who the world admires; athletes, billionaires, Kardashians.  But as we look around for seemingly absent heroes, what if WE are being called to be the heroes? We look around for people to trust but how trustworthy are we? We can complain about the lack of good in the world, but WE are to be the good we seek. We can sit around and watch for good to happen, but, WE are the ones God has put here to bring good into our world.  It is up to us, in our time, to bring the healing and comfort we need to experience in our lives and in our world today.  When we look around for heroes, we should look in the mirror. It's a tall order, I realize, but, thankfully, we are not alone--we can trust in the Lord to help us.  Love, heidi

Accepting Love...

"Accepting Love is not always easy. It means first to recognize that this person in need is Love walking towards me..."

Sr. Gail Fitzpatrick, Give Us This Day

 

God was so wise to come into the world as a helpless, adorable infant.  Who can refuse a beautiful baby?  It's easy to love a baby... But since that time God came into the world as a vulnerable babe, Jesus comes into the world in much more difficult to recognize forms.  Mother Teresa calls it the "distressing disguise of the poor."  Jesus isn't always so cute when we find him in our world today. Jesus may not be so easy to recognize when he comes as a cranky patient, a disgruntled employee, an at-wits-end teacher.  Jesus is much easier to spot as the baby in the manger on the Christmas card. But, if we think about it, it wasn't easy for the people of his time to recognize him either.  Not all who met Jesus saw God in him; it was hard for them, too.  Today, let's keep our eyes open for Love walking towards us as we go about our Advent Wednesday.  I believe Jesus will be the most difficult person we encounter and I shudder to imagine how I will react! Lord, please help me to see you, however you come to me today! Love, heidi

Light and dark

"Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will. Let only your will be done in me and in all your creatures..."

Blessed Charles de Foucauld, "Living With Christ"

 

And, suddenly...it's Advent, December, below zero...

Time seems to be flying by at warp speed these days.  The earth is beckoning us to rest during these long winter nights, but the calendar is luring us to go, go, go.  What are we to do? The answer, which I learned from a wise Spiritual Director, is balance.  Find the delicate balance between action and contemplation during this season; balancing the darkness and light.  If not for the darkness, we wouldn't need or notice the magnificence of the light. We need the darkness to truly appreciate the light.  We need the sin to really appreciate the mercy.  Today, we will have approximately fifteen hours of darkness, between tonight's sunset and tomorrow's sunrise.  Can we spend some of that time quietly, thinking and praying about what action God is asking us to do this season of Advent? Is there a person God is inviting us to call? Is there someone God would like us to welcome? Is there a cause God is urging us to support? It's going to be dark a long time tonight...can we light a candle, sit in the dim light and listen to God? Love, heidi

Who taught you the Good News?

"Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ."

Romans10:17

 

This morning, on Pray-As-You-Go, the question was asked, Who taught you the best news about God? Is there one person you can look back and say, I really learned about God from that person? In thinking about it, I'd say I learned the best news about God from Fr. Charlie Gorman, an Irish priest who served in eastern Montana for many years. He taught me about the love of God and that one can have a loving relationship with God. God is not a big authoritative ledger-keeper in the sky, keeping track of our sins, like some Divine Santa Claus.  God is, first and foremost, Love. And this was fabulous news to me in the 1970's, let me tell ya!  Fr. Gorman taught me that I can have a running prayer conversation with God all the time, not  just at the time I am "saying my prayers." When I was having some difficulty after foolishly seeing the movie, "The Exorcist," Fr. Gorman was the one who famously advised, "Heidi-dear, just tell the devil to go to hell where he belongs!" (Hopefully, you were able to read that with a brogue.) So, this rich reminder will stay with me all day, as I remember the Irishman who taught me the Good News.  Is there someone who taught you the Good News of Jesus? Is there someone you can teach the Good News to?  Love on this first Monday of Advent!  heidi