Connections

After a year of helping a woman deal with a difficult divorce, to keep her house, to keep her young kids, to end her enormous debts, suddenly after all this was over she called me: “I’m going to have to sell my house (through a quirk in mortgage law she could not get her ex’s name off the mortgage).  Perhaps this is the will of God,” she said.  And in my anger at hearing her plight, those last words didn’t register in my heart as I thought: “BUT, THIS IS NOT MY WILL!!!  THIS IS NOT RIGHT!!!

The next day I went to 8AM mass, BUT, it turned out there was no 8AM mass, BUT I met someone as I was leaving the church and had a long-needed conversation with her; it was good we met.  I didn’t really think about how things weren’t going my way thus far this day as I angerly drove to another site for a 10AM mass there, BUT as I walked in the door I met someone who I needed to speak with; we too then had a long-needed conversation and good words.  Then I (finally) headed toward the chapel door and again anger filled my heart as I passed the confession line outside, BUT then the last person in line entered the confessional --- and I suddenly realized:  if I stopped, I was the next in line, and I realized I was meant to stop.  And so, I did confess, and with my words to the priest all my anger abated.  I stopped being upset over “my will” not being done this day and in the mortgage disaster, and asked God: “What’s Your will?”  And a couple of days later, through other connections God gave me, I found the woman a new mortgage; she could keep her house.  All my anger was for nothing; and through a series of “coincidences” God gave me the connections I needed to “let go and let God.”

On Friday, I received a text message from Fr. John (that’s strange, I thought).  BUT, he asked me if I could stop what I was doing and help him by buying some gift cards for children he would visit.  Then he texted I should send him the card’s serial numbers (which I immediately recognized as a common scam, and then I DID pray: “Lord, what are you telling me here?”).  I heard no answer, but I was irritated at the scam.

The next day I breezed through the Saturday Wall Street Journal, BUT read that Jean Vanier had died, and I stopped to reflect on his life of love, a saint had left the earth.  Later, after my midnight adoration I was getting tired, BUT I happened to turn to ESPN (which just happened to have become available to me the week before) and I caught a most compelling talk on the value of work and love.  I watched late into the night, and then set my alarm for 9AM Sunday mass, BUT my lawn maintenance guy called at 7AM, sick, begging off his 10:30A appointment with me.  Well I thought, I can sleep in a bit and re-set the alarm for the 10AM mass at OLGC parish, where I heard Fr. John’s final homily.  It seemed he looked right at me as he spoke, and I took his words personally ---- like a text message from him, words about living a life of love (as Vanier did), about doing important work for God (as the late-night talk explained).  It all connected in my mind and I thanked God for interrupting MY plans and dragging me to hear Fr. John’s words at that 10AM mass --- and connecting the dots.  There are no coincidences.

If we are going along with our plans BUT we are forced to change, we need to recognize that “BUT” from God and get our butts in gear, and be looking for His plans.  Events we think of coincidences are often connections God made for us --- events, times, and people brought together for His purposes.  If we can stop complaining long enough --- or getting angry --- when things don’t go as we wish, we can see God making connections in our lives, opportunities for us to do His will, if we can be humble enough to stop demanding ours.  And, as I finally saw the need for confession, and was “dragged” to Fr. John’s final homily --- both great sources of grace I desperately needed --- I gave in to the “coincidences” that happened, the connections God made to give me His love.

It's like we’re walking down the path of life, with Jesus next to us.  He doesn’t hold our hand and pull us along --- we have free will --- but if our free will would take us from the path or if He has something He would have us make note of (perhaps a lesson to help us grow in holiness, or an opportunity to love our neighbor) He will speak to us, or just put a small obstacle in our path.  Sometimes the obstacles He places before us are very painful; I think that is when there are the greatest lessons to be learned.  It’s taken me many years to understand, and even welcome, those important lessons.

When strange things happen; when your plans are thwarted, always be open to ask: “What is Your will in these events, Lord?”  And sometimes He will show you clearly His will, and His love for you.  And you make a connection with Him.  These are important moments in your life.

A Forgotten Hero

To be honest, some of my initial thoughts this Memorial Day morning were to wonder which restaurants might serve free meals to veterans.  I’ve heard there are some, although I’ve never taken advantage of such offers.  Today I might try. 

I heard recently that there is a Veteran’s Cemetery in the state of Michigan, maintained and arrayed much like Arlington’s place of honor.  I resolve to go visit that local cemetery, perhaps soon, and consider whether that should be my final resting place, when my time comes.  My relatives and family, like most nowadays, are buried in various cemetery plots around the country.  In this country, sadly, we no longer have family plots at the cemetery, but thankfully there still exists “family plots” for our soldiers, a unique and once VERY honored family.

Yes, I am a veteran, and on a day like today, I remember.

I arrived for 8AM mass this morning, only to be told the bulletin was wrong (again); there was no 8AM mass, but there was one at 9AM.  And so, I have this hour to ponder, on the veterans I have known.  One such man immediately came to mind, one who most people probably won’t recall this day, yet he saved more soldier’s lives and captured more enemy soldiers than any soldier in the history of this nation, of this I am quite sure.  And I’ve had the great honor of personally meeting this man, and so I will remember him above all this day, and his sacrifices.

Last night perchance, I watched the Memorial Day Concert being performed on the White House lawn.  The music and songs were most beautiful, as were the honors and recognitions of the sacrifices of veterans, current and past.  I shed many tears as I watched and listened; I wonder if anyone else still cries over patriotic songs.  One of the speakers said that over one million soldiers have lost their lives in defense of our country, soldiers dying to preserve this great nation.  And yes, it is GREAT.  There is no need to “make America great again.”  We are, and have been a very blessed country, although our children are now taught otherwise in school.  Just as we have Supreme Court Justices who interpret the Constitution “as it should be interpreted today,” there are historians in our schools teaching our kids history as “it should be remembered today.”  In their opinions.  They ignore the truths, the times, and of course the blessings of the past.  They firmly believe that it is neither in the past, nor certainly in the present, that “In God we trust.”

It’s approaching 9AM, so I will end these musings.  A glance at the hymnal in the pews shows there are few songs there to honor our country, so I’ll go over and ask the priest or choir leader if we might end the mass singing “God Bless America,” while there still exist a few people who might know the words, and cry as they are sung.

And, oh, that veteran who saved so many lives for our country, the one who no one likely remembers this day?  He’s hanging on the cross over the altar.  Real veterans never forget what He did, as they go off to risk their lives for this country, even today, and they know He is with them.

Review: Common Sense Catholicism

Bill Donohue takes on the topics of today:  Liberty (freedom, morality), Equality (sexual, economic), and Fraternity (tradition, religion).  He uses common sense to support the Catholic Church’s teaching   And, he speaks about things material facts and earthly senses cannot prove --- or disprove: “Catholics cannot prove God exists, and the mighty professors cannot prove He doesn’t.” 0n these subjects, but he also employs many factual studies and analyses.

I like many of the insights Mr. Donohue presents, showing the rationality and necessity of many Christian teachings, and the irrationality of many cultural institutions:

“Moral codes are determined by consensus, not by unanimity.  The ACLU’s position is dishonest.  It supports laws on sexual harassment --- how can the ACLU be sure that a sexual joke made in the work place qualifies as sexual harassment and not innocent banter --- (but) it is not okay to make subjective determinations on obscenity?”

Mr. Donohue notes that “Catholic social teachings … advocate equality opportunity, not equal results.  The difference is critical.  Equal opportunity is possible; equal results are impossible.”  And he goes on to explain why.  He cites critical studies that the culture ignores, because the reality of the findings does not fit the reality of the culture’s perception of reality:  “(The Coleman Study) found that the strongest determinant of academic achievement was self-responsibility, (and) schools that nurtured self-responsibility did better than those that did not.”

This is a good book for those weak in knowledge beyond the bias taught in public schools and in the secular press.  Its shortfall is in actions alluded to in its subtitle – “How to resolve our cultural crisis.”  There is no easy solution.

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Last week, Fr. John Riccardo had a farewell mass and meeting with the men of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish.  Oh, how he will be missed, but I am confident that his replacement, Fr. Michael Suhy will lead us even further.  Fr. John said that Sunday, June 30, will be his last day at OLGC.  He will celebrate the 5PM mass, ending with Benediction, followed by Adoration through Sunday night --- which the men were encouraged to attend.  Then, he said, Monday morning Fr. Mike will celebrate the 8AM mass, ending with Benediction.  Fr. John said he will end his shepherding of the parish, and hand it back to Jesus, Who will then hand it to Fr. Mike, the new shepherd of the parish.  The parish and all its works belongs to Jesus, who appoints His shepherds.  What a wonderful, blessed witness to the workings of God.

Fr. John gave his last homily to the OLGC parish the past Sunday, May 19^th.  It was most powerful.  He spoke of his running the race, and then passing the baton on to us.  You can see his homily here:  https://www.olgcparish.net/media/