Responding to God's Will

If you’ve been following here, you know I’ve come to see God’s hand in unexpected changes: the thwarting of my plans, unexpected events, or even in the mundane which I might usually not notice, but which for some reason strikes my heart.

And then I try to hear God’s message for me --- or perhaps what He is telling me to say or do for those who cross my path --- like you.

I had plans for the charity dinner this past Friday night; I wanted a table full of friends to share the event with me --- but most could not make it.  There would only be the four of us, a woman whose path crossed mine doing a project of God’s work, her husband, and a long-time friend.

There was confusion on the time I was to pick up my friend for the dinner – so, I had to wait 10 minutes in the car.  During that time, I listened to a very compelling interview on the radio, and thought I’d like to know more about this interesting man.  And then the interview concluded: “This has been an interview with Albert Haase.  You can read more in his latest book:  Saying Yes, Discovering and Responding to God’s Will in Your Life” --- and then I happened to glance down onto the seat next to me, and saw the book of that title which I had been reading.  And then my friend opened the car door and said: “Good evening.”

The dinner was for Angela Hospice, for the past great, and wonderful new compassionate work they are doing.  The presentation of their ministry efforts and the people they are helping made me cry with joy.  At our dinner table with us were six strangers --- but not really, as I found a connection with most, and especially with the man I had served with on numerous charity boards and events.  We laughed when we first saw each other, and again when we found we were seated together --- unexpected meetings for us almost seem common.  My close friend sat next to him all night, greatly enjoyed his conversation, and was greatly surprised that he had been chairman of the board at the hospital which saved her life.  “I know,” I said.  Meanwhile, I met and sat next to the husband of my other friend, and we found we had numerous things in common, and shared much laughter --- until late in the evening when he received the phone call from his sister that his dad had just died.  Some of his siblings and mom had been at dad’s side.  (I learned his father’s name was Edward, the same as my dad’s and my middle name.  My new friend, the son, is named John, my Confirmation name.)  Before leaving, John and his wife again expressed thanks that I had invited them to this dinner, honoring the work of hospice care which had so helped his family in recent weeks.  They used St. Joseph Hospital Hospice Care --- as I had done with my mom, and the hospital where my friend’s life had been saved.

Tonight, on the way to the adoration chapel, I listened to an interview with Tim Kissell.  He was a man, conceived in rape, who grew up to be a minister, joyfully connected with his birth mom and siblings, and humbly met and forgave his birth father as he lay on his death bed, and then performed his father’s burial service.  Mr. Kissell now leads a ministry counseling people on how to forgive, especially those whose lives were radically changed by the action of others.  He noted that all lives have value, meaning and purpose and, in His plans, are a blessing from God.

God’s plans are not our plans.  His are better, and we can see that, if we let Him open our eyes.

Events of recent days in my life --- were not my plans.  Should I pay more attention to that book I am reading?  Should I re-connect with my old friend, and/or grow closer to the friends I brought to that dinner?  Should I share Mr. Kissell’s interview with other people I know who are facing great changes in their lives, or who have lived through great tragedies?  What is God telling me, with these changes He made to my plans?

Of course, I don’t know, but I will do all of those things which I “could” do.  I’ll try to do those things, those opportunities, which God has put before me.  I feel blessed to have seen them.

There are opportunities in all our lives to do His will, if we’d just be open to seeing them.  What plans of yours were thwarted recently?  Who has hurt you?  All lives are important.  Nothing happens without a reason.  There are no coincidences.

And now I think I am done with this writing, and it is His will that I get back to my Night Prayers.  I must finish and get home and rest, for tomorrow is another day.  Who knows what events are planned for it?

How Can I Evangelize?

“There are two great attractions in a soul which has given itself seriously to God:  the attraction to solitary, silent prayer where, immersed in God, the soul listens to His voice, penetrates His mysteries, and above all unites itself more intimately with Him: and correspondingly, the attraction to … active, generous sacrifice for the salvation of souls.  To recollect itself in God ‘the soul would like to flee from other people, and greatly envies those who live, or have lived, in deserts.  On the other hand, it would like to plunge right into the heart of the world, to see if by doing this it could help one soul to praise God more.’”  (St. Teresa of Jesus)     -- Divine Intimacy, Meditation 342

I read a lot.  I read for entertainment, education, and spiritual growth, and I give away copies of my best reads to people God has put in my life who, I suspect, don’t have the time or desire to read as much as I do.  Perhaps they will find some pleasure or wisdom in these “best reads” I discovered, --- if they read them.  I know some don’t take the time to do so, but I give them the opportunity.  Some have described my giving away of books as my ministry.  I didn’t think much about what they had said, until now.

In the last couple of weeks, I was blessed to see what happened (or might be happening) as a result of “my ministry.”  Twice God showed me events which were obviously the work of His hands, but they noticeably started with two people reading the same book.

The first happened when a woman and I were reading the same book while in line for confession in the park (which a local parish started last year).  Our common reading led to introductions, conversation, and eventually to my discovery of some wonderful changes that happened in and as a result of that woman’s subsequent actions.  A year later I chanced upon her email address and wrote her, where she lives in another state, and learned of her successful evangelization efforts, some of which were facilitated by that meeting.

A second event was a chance reflection to my Bible Study group on a book I had read last year, and then a remarkable encounter in church twelve hours later with someone reading that exact same book.  I don’t believe in coincidences, and later events at mass struck me as important, so I emailed them to my Bible Study friends.  One responded, humbly, that she considered that email as a reminder sent to her from God, one which would lead to changes in her life.  Concluding her response, she noted strongly:  I DON’T BELIEVE IN COINCIDENCES.

So, I give away books.  Books, as I was recently shown, can lead to spiritual changes in lives.  The title of this posting was a question: “How Can I Evangelize?”  For me, God has shown me examples of how He uses my giving away books to evangelize, to offer His Holy Spirit to touch the lives of at least some of those to whom I offer books.  I didn’t know it, but in doing what I believed was a good thing, I was putting in motion an opportunity for God to touch souls.  That’s called evangelizing.  That’s also called trying to do good for the people we meet, and then trusting in God to do the rest.

So, who have you evangelized lately --- and how?

I'm Doing This For Them

I was in the latter years of elementary school when, as the Christmas season approached, many Christmas-themed (black and white) movies hit the television airwaves.  Then, Christmas was a Christian holiday, and part of the celebration of Jesus’ birth included the singing of Christmas Carols.  Many a movie showed carolers joyfully going from one neighbor’s house to another, spreading the Christmas cheer.  It made you feel good.

And it got many young minds (such as mine) to thinking …

Perhaps we should spread cheer like that, too.  We know LOTS of Christmas carols.  We should go singing from door to door for the joy of our neighbors, and --- well, if they wished to thank us with a small donation at the end of our joyous singing, well, we’d cheerfully accept.  Yes, I think we’d like doing this good thing for them.

I don’t recall us ever practicing singing --- we knew the carols, didn’t we? --- but we did prepare some songbooks, so we’d look more like those carolers on television.  And one Saturday night, the four or five of us guys set out to bring Christmas cheer to our neighbors.

And the word of our actions quickly spread …

The next day, at Sunday mass, the priest began his homily by saying that he had received some phone calls, that local children were going door to door singing Christmas carols to extort money.  The people said the kids sang so bad that they gladly paid them to leave.  And I felt he looked right at me as he said: “Please don’t do that anymore.”  And I felt like a plum turning into a prune, as I shrunk in my seat.

I’m sure my friends and I had convinced ourselves that we were doing the caroling (mostly) for our neighbors.  We hid our selfish motives from ourselves, because we knew extorting money was wrong, and a sin, and we were (mostly) good Catholic boys.

As I look around me at the world, I see now many adults today are acting as we did then.  They do so many things which they proudly proclaim are done “for them, for our neighbors,” while they can’t see the selfishness of their actions.  And, sadly, even if they could, they wouldn’t see them as sin.

So many things considered sin when I was young, are no longer considered sins.  There used to be a saying: “Love the sinner; hate the sin,” but now we have negated the second part by fusing it with the first: “That’s who I am (as defined by my actions).”  And we’ve defined who I am and what I want as good thing, because I KNOW that I am a good person.  There is no more sin in doing it, if I want to do it.

And we’ve lied to ourselves by justifying our actions by saying “I’m doing this for them.”  Whether our employer, our family, or our neighbor, our actions are “for them,” and if they choose to show their appreciation with money, with respect, with love, and/or not just tolerating but agreeing with our actions --- well, we’d humbly accept their thanks.  And, of course, there are some of us who even live our entire lives totally focused “on them”, and if they just happen to show their appreciation for our actions with votes, well, we’d gladly accept, but we only doing these things for them.

Yes, we think we are doing it for them, as we sing our own personal off-key notes, celebrating our selfish lives.

I just wish some “adults” in our country could grow up, and stop singing the same tune.  They think they’re singing for me, but I don’t like it.  And to help them stop, well, I’d gladly pay them to leave.