I am not God!

"However, take care and be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, not let them slip from your memory as long as you live..."

Deuteronomy 4:9

 

I had a work presentation last night and  I prayed Jesus would help me with it.  I wanted it to be very good and a good help to the person who asked me to present to this particular group.  I prayed on the way there and, while I was presenting, I thought things were going well.  The group was very engaged, people were asking fabulous questions, I was rocking it!  In the glow of success, I drove home, thanking God for being there and helping me.  Then I discovered I'd done the whole presentation with the fly of my pants open.  Yep.  Lest I get too caught up in how great I am, my fly was open.  God is great.  I am not.  Thank you, Lord, for that reminder!  So, today, I will take care and be earnestly on my guard to make sure my pants are fully zipped.  And remember that I am only a pencil in the hand of God, not God herself.  Love, heidi

Yes! Here I am!

"Here I am; your commands for me are written in the scroll.

To do your will is my delight; my God, your law is in my heart!"

Psalm 40:8-9

 

I had the craziest dream just before I woke up this morning.  Without going into all the silly details, I dreamed I was at a large "Come and See" gathering for both men and women discerning the religious life.  All the "discerners" were young, and yet, there I was, discerning with them.  "But," I kept telling the leaders, "Aren't I too old?"  Finally, an older priest said to me, "You are never too old to say 'Yes' to God."  I woke up with that fresh in my mind.  Then, I realized today is the feast of the Annunciation and it all fit together.  All of us, every day we're alive, have the choice to say 'Yes' to whatever God asks of us. Saying 'Yes' to God doesn't just mean the answer to a vocational call, but to respond with love to our clients, co-workers, family members, students, strangers.  God calls us each day to show compassion to everyone we meet.  That is when we have the privilege, and the responsibility, to say "Yes! Here I am!"  May we answer God's call today just like that...with multiple exclamation points! Love, heidi

Lesson from the "well woman"

"Sir, I see that you are a prophet..."

John 4:19

 

Yesterday's Gospel was the Woman at the well and I was excited to reread the chapter in Fr. Anthony Gittins' book, "Encountering Jesus" about this fascinating woman.  Jesus tells the woman he knows all about her colorful past, the five husbands, the fact that she is living with a man now who is not her husband.  Gittins says, "But (Jesus') intention is neither to condemn her, nor to dwell on the past. He shows no inclination to condemn, only to enlighten, to encourage, and to commission." Even though the woman was not of Jesus' people.  Even though she had lived a rather torrid life to that point, and even though she was a woman, Jesus saw in her, faith and potential. Jesus saw what she could become and what she turned out to be--one who leads others to him.  This woman, as Gittins points out, was far more on-top-of-things than the disciples who basically missed the whole stunning event! Today, before we judge someone as unsavory or un-teachable or even unlovable, let's remember Jesus and the woman at the well.  Jesus did not condemn her...he enlightened her, encouraged her, and then sent her out to teach others!  Love, heidi

Don't wait!

"We need each other. None of us is truly rich, and sooner or later each of us suffers from ignoring the other. It is our mutual privilege to give to one another."

Sr. Ruth Burrows, "Living Love," as quoted in Give Us This Day

 

Today's Gospel of Lazarus, the poor man (Luke 16:19-31) is always hard to read. I really like Sr. Ruth Burrows' take on it today. Lazarus needed the rich man during their life times; the rich man needed Lazarus after they both died.  The point is, they needed each other.  Our question today is, who is the Lazarus at our door? Who is it we tend to ignore or take for granted? It may not be the guy with the cardboard sign as we leave Walmart.  It may be someone who demands more of our time than we like to give.  It may be someone with whom we struggle because they bug us.  It may be someone we haven't spoken to in years, but they take up space in our heads because we parted on bad terms.  Whoever our Lazarus is, let us pray about what we can do to connect and not ignore this person. Let's not wait until it's too late!  Love, heidi

Live in trust--like Joseph!

"I yearn to leave the land of self-will and embrace the land of surrender.  I would like to leave the land of hoarding and embrace the land of simplicity. Perhaps someday I will leave the land of fear and walk into the land of trust."

Sr. Macrina Weiderkehr, OSB; Living Faith

 

This was a few days ago, but it is also pertinent as we celebrate St. Joseph today.  St. Joseph was a wonderful example of someone who leaves the land of fear and walks into the land of trust.  Even though he received God's messages mysteriously in dreams, he was obedient to God's will and God's plan and he walked forth in trust.  He took Mary into his home, he journeyed to Bethlehem, Egypt, back to Nazareth; all the time following God's lead and trusting in God's plan.  Let us look to St. Joseph today and walk with God, trusting that we are headed the right way!  And also, Lord, help us to be a bit more surrender-ful and simple as well!  Love, heidi

Learn to do good!

"Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds; cease doing evil; learn to do good."

Isaiah 1:16-17
 

Interestingly, as I reading the verses before this particular one today, the Lord was telling Isaiah to tell the people to quit with the sacrifices and "worthless" offerings.  The "washing" referred to here, is the washing the hands of the blood of the sacrifices; the rams, goats, and so forth.  God was saying he is tired of the incense and assemblies.  But wasn't it God, in the first place, to told the Israelites to perform these sacrifices?  Indeed.  But the problem was the people became all about doing the sacrifices and losing the spirit of the sacrifices.  The people were going through the motions and there was no love or praise there anymore.  It was just kill the calf, burn the incense, yada, yada, yada.  Meanwhile, there were orphans starving, widows suffering and the people were too busy "praying" to help them.  Yikes, Friends!  This message is for us, today, here in 2014!  People are suffering.  Let's not be too busy with our Lenten works to help them!  If my Lenten sacrifice doesn't show up in the belly or purse of someone else, what good is it? Our Lenten works must be about helping others or our God will say to us, "When you spread out your hands, I close my eyes to you; Though you pray the more, I will not listen." (v. 15) Don't let this happen to us!  Love, heidi