He Loves Us No Matter What

Early this Sunday morning I received two text messages, within minutes of each other.  In one, a friend said she was terribly ill and had a horrible night, “Please pray for me.”  In the other message a friend said her dear friend had a heart attack last night, “Please pray for him.”  And, of course, I did.  Later, as I was driving to Sunday mass, Divine Mercy Radio, with Dan and Stephanie Burke was on the air.  I like that show, and the day before I had participated I in an on-line class with those two.  But then I remembered my friends’ texted requests, and turned off the radio and said a rosary for their intentions.

It had been a busy week for me.  God answered my morning prayer, “Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace …” with numerous thoughts and urgings.  I met with three separate men’s groups from different parishes and was invited to participate in other meetings.  I wrote pages of thoughts which came while in prayer.  Midweek, I reviewed some of them with a local priest for his opinion, and to my great surprise he implemented a couple of those thoughts at mass the very next day!  Meanwhile, one of the men’s groups took my thoughts to pray over, while another took the thoughts and said they’d implement them --- next year. 

At mass this morning our pastor spoke about the declining numbers of priests.  He noted that when Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941, many fathers sat down for a serious discussion with their sons, asking them to go protect our country.  “Regarding the state of our Church, is it any different today,” the pastor asked?  He challenged the men of the parish to have a serious discussion with their sons, on why they should consider joining the priesthood.  “Fathers need to witness their faith to their sons,” he said.

In summary, that is the topic of the conversations I felt compelled to have with the various men’s groups.  Men today need to stand up as men, and witness their faith to their families, their neighbors, and the world.  In World War II, many who fought suffered and died, and many today who choose to defend our faith and Christian way of life may also expect to suffer.  Many of my friends today see how their kids and grandkids are being poisoned by this culture, and they wring their hands.  The motto of the ACTSXXIX organization says it right: “God Wants His Country Back.”  It’s too late to draw a line in the sand, the waves are quickly washing away any lines.  Now is the time to sink or swim.  Men need to act.

In the past year, I’ve had a number of thoughts on what the Church could do to stop the culture’s flood.  Most were received well, but with a “we’ll try to implement this next year” response.  A man had a heart attack last night, and a friend said “Pray for him” --- NOW was the understood timing.  A response of “I’ll try to find time to do that next month” or “I’ll have a mass said for him in a couple of months” would not have been well received.  When we desperately need something, we expect prompt help from our friends, but when God or His Church needs something, why do His friends seem to respond with a “I’ll get to that next year, or I’ll think about it?”

If we treat Him that way, how much of a friend are we really?

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Later this afternoon, I went to take Communion to one of my homebound friends.  When I entered her trailer, I saw, to my dismay, that her pyx for holding communion which sits on a little altar near the door, still held a host from yesterday.  He daughter had been visiting and she got distracted, and didn’t realize she failed to receive Jesus the day before.  I put the pyx with the host still in it next to her in her wheelchair, where she was watching Sunday mass on EWTN as I arrived.  “Just in time for Communion,” she said, pointing to the television.  I agreed, and I wondered what to do with the extra host I now had.  But then I recalled my sick friend.  I called her and asked about her health, and “did you go to mass today?”  She hadn’t, and most gratefully accepted my offer to bring her Communion.  “God is good,” she said.  Yes, indeed.  He loves us no matter what.

 

It's All My Fault

 

As I opened the chapel door tonight, a cold gust of wind blew in and sent papers flying across the room.  Everyone looked up at me.  I apologized and went around picking up all the papers.  As I was going to sit down, I paused by my friend Catherine and said: “This weather is all my fault.  It was warm all last week and I just sweated, so last night I set out a short sleeve shirt for today.  And then as I left the house for church this morning, it started snowing!  I’m so sorry I caused this cold weather.” 

“So, this afternoon, I am back to this,” I told her, noting the old sweatshirt I wore.  Catherine just smiled.  Later, as she was leaving the chapel, she stopped by me and softly pinched my sweatshirt as she said: “Now I want you to leave this sweatshirt on.  Promise me you won’t take it off again until it hits at least 87 degrees.” 

I promised.

Why Pray for Divine Mercy?

Although I pray the Divine Mercy prayer each day, I never really dwelt much on why; it seemed obvious.  I know that at Fatima Our Lady predicted a great chastisement, and other warnings also occurred, including the one to Sr Faustina, who was instructed to tell the world to pray for Divine Mercy.  Today I was given more insight as to why this prayer is needed --- so very much needed.

As I pulled out of the garage this morning, the car radio played an old radio program.  It had Bob Hope playing the part of a self-centered star football player, who always belittled another star player on his team.  Then, Bob was seriously injured and his recovery seemed unlikely.  He grew depressed.  But one day a little girl visited him in the hospital, and she told him she had also been paralyzed, but she prayed and trusted God, and together they worked on her gradual healing.  “Like teamwork,” said Bob Hope.  “Yes, I can do that too.”  And with his confidence restored he too was gradually healed.  But it wasn’t until he reported back to his team that he again saw that little girl --- and found out she was the daughter of his teammate, the one he had so often belittled.  The man had sent his daughter to see Bob.  In the end of the story, Bob helped his teammate in his time of need.  And the moral, well, it’s obvious.  Love your neighbor, and accept his love, and trust in God.

As I drove and continued listening to the story, I suddenly saw the most beautiful sunrise in the Eastern sky.  Overwhelmed, I said “Dad, You are so good to us.”  Dad!!??  Where did that come from?  I had never addressed to God in such intimate terms before.  I surprised myself, but it felt good.  And as the touching Bob Hope story concluded, I felt love all around me.  (You can hear that story and others at: www.familytheater.org.)

Arriving at church, I was the first to sit in the area of confession seating when a woman came over to me and asked if I were there for confession.  I said yes, as she pointed to a nearby sign which said “No Confessions Today”.  I confidently said that must be wrong, and so she said she’d check.  A short while later she came back and changed the sign.  On impulse, I then offered her Roma Downey’s book titled Unexpected Blessings.  I had brought a copy to church to give to the priest, but just like yesterday, I now ended up giving that book to a stranger.  She was grateful, and then a few minutes later came back to show me a book which she was reading; “I really like this one.”  I now think I misunderstood her as offering me the book, and I couldn’t stop myself from quickly responding: “Oh yes.  I agree; it is a great book.  I already read it.”  Which was a lie.

She left, and then I again turned to considerations of what sins I should be confessing after mass.  Then all of the morning events came into my thoughts:  pride, unexpected blessings --- happening in the movie and then the title of my book, “Dad”, and finally my rejection of a stranger’s offer of return kindness.  And then I knew what would be my confession.

In rejecting the loving action of a stranger, I rejected Your love, Lord.  You often work through the people You put into my life.  Love is the greatest gift you could offer me.  And so, I now realize that I am no different than the people of this culture that I so often look down upon.  We are all rejecting Your love.  Years ago, I had once experienced what I perceived as Your sadness over the sins of this world; I remembered how hard I had cried then.  Now I see Your sadness in a new light:  our sins are a very sad thing, yes, but ignoring Your never-ending Love, oh, how sad that must make You. 

Lord, Dad, I am so sorry for making You sad, and I sincerely pray for Your Divine Mercy on me, and on the whole world.  You died for us; You love us --- and we act as if that’s not enough.

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This morning, as I was just writing the last lines above, my phone rang.  The caller was from an organization called America Needs Fatima.  He told me of Fatima’s warnings of chastisement, and of all the great work his organization does, educating students and organizing hundreds of rosary rallies “to pray for our country”.  He asked if I would consider a small monthly gift so they could focus more on their work.  But, of course.  What a nice “coincidence” that he called today.

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And now it is evening, as I review and complete these words in the adoration chapel.  The lone man with me in the chapel sobbed as he prayed.  I again had picked up a copy of Roma Downey’s book and brought it to the church, again intending to give it to the priest.  But I found myself picking up the book and giving it to the man, suggesting he just read a chapter, and that it might lift his spirits.  He read a chapter and came over to me.  “This is a wonderful story,” he said of the short chapter he had read.  “I was praying for my wife, who was diagnosed with cancer, and has been very down.  These are just the words she needs to hear.  Thank you for answering my prayer.”  And I gave him the book.

Few people read this blog, so I don’t expect to hear anyone telling me what “a coincidence” today’s events have been.  Oh, one more thing to note:  the man, Don, said he and his wife just finished two wonderful books, and he’d like to bring them to me.

And I said “Yes, thank you.” ----- this time. 😊

Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you.
 1Pt 5:7