Yesterday
was another beautiful fall day here in Michigan. As I walked around saying my rosary, there
were many people outside --- playing with kids, walking the dog, or raking
leaves. And whenever I passed by them, I
raised the rosary in my hand to the beautiful sky above and said: “Isn’t it
great how God answers prayers for our country?”
Most agreed in one form or another, some saying: “Yes, keep
praying.” Thinking back on that
wonderful walk, perhaps I should have suggested they pray too! Nah! That’s for the Holy Spirit to suggest.
At this
morning’s early men’s group meeting, we watched a video where the priest speaker
noted that his mother had stage 4 cancer Alzheimer’s disease. She recognized no one, but the family prayed
next to her in her final days. When
suddenly, she sat up, now totally aware of her surroundings. Her doctors were astonished; she was
cured! In the days that followed, she
spoke to them of her many blessings, AND of that person who really messed up
her life. When the topic came up, her
family spoke to her of the Catholic teaching on importance of forgiveness (see
Mt 5:23 and 18:15), The video speaker said that after a while his mother said
she understood, and “yes, I forgive her.”
And almost instantly, her Alzheimer’s returned. Forgiveness is so important, and God had
given her the grace to do so before she died.
Wow!
As the
video progressed, it was explained how important it is that we accept
sufferings in our lives, and offer them as atonement for our sins, and the
souls in Purgatory. Like Peter walking
on the water towards Jesus, when he turned away from Jesus to look at the
troubles around him, he began to sink.
“Offer it up” used to be a common phrase, but the heart of it is still
correct today. We can get to heaven by
staying focused on Jesus, not ourselves.
After this
morning’s men’s meeting, I went to a quiet area of the church where a couple of
us sometimes spoke of God in our lives.
This morning I knew no one would join me there, and I thought to go home
and have a nap before mass, but I sat down alone and closed my eyes in prayer.
When I opened my eyes, I was surprised at the time that had passed, and got up
to go home, but I paused as a friend arrived early for mass. It was then I noticed the beautiful, awesome,
sunrise. Still below the horizon, an huge
array of red clouds reflected the rising sun.
As I stood there facing East and quietly praying and thanking God for
His blessings, I could see the very slow increase in red clouds, the beauty
slowly, quietly moving West. Dark clouds
became shadowy, then a faint pinkish color, becoming more red in the few
minutes I stood there. Like Peter, I
could see God’s work as long as I stayed focused on Him, and not the dark
around.
I guess I
shouldn’t have been surprised, but I laughed out loud as mass began a short
while later, and the choirmaster said to “turn to hymn number 576 in your
hymnal, The Canticle of the Sun.
The Canticle of the Sun
The heavens are telling the glory
of God,
and all creation is shouting for joy,
Come, dance in the forest,
Come, play in the field,
And sing, sing to the glory of the Lord.
Praise for the sun, the bringer of
day
He carries caries the light of the Lord in his rays.
The moon and the stars who light up the way,
Unto Your throne.
And at the
mass end was the recessional hymn, number 591: This Little Light of Mine:
This Little Light of Mine
This little light of mine, I’m
gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine; let it shine; let it shine
Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it
shine.
Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine.
Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine; let it shine; let it shine.
Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let
it shine.
Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine.
Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine; let it shine; let it shine.
- - - - - - - - - -
Sometimes
people in the meetings I attend discuss important matters, like kids, spouse,
work, and their personal problems. As
friends, we have empathy and pray for them.
But in the culture are many who think like Pilate, when he asked Jesus: “What
is truth?” They view all bad things as
being allowed by God, and in that they are correct, but God was there, even in
the darkness; like the red clouds among the darkness. Where is God?
He is always with us. We need to
seek Him, and look at Him and trust, as Peter did when walking on the water. No matter how dark and painful our times may
appear, they are not as bad as those of Jesus, God made man, as He neared His
terrible passion and death. And it seems
as if He would go through that alone. “The
hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you (disciples) will be scattered,
every man to his home, and will leave Me alone; yet I am not alone for
the Father is with me (Jn 16:32).
Where is
God? He is always with us, His children.
- - - - - - - - - -
I set out
delivering groceries to the homebound later that afternoon, and the sky was
clear and warm. When finished, I headed
to the chapel and as I arrived was surprised to see a few tiny drops hit my
windshield. And was equally
surprised/shocked a short while at the loud BOOM that rattled the windows of
the chapel. And as a heavy rain began
pouring down, I thought: “what better place could I be?” The rain continued pouring down, but began to
ease up as I drove home. And as I pulled
into my drive it stopped ---- so I could go out and get the mail. And I wasn’t a bit surprised.
