Stress and Unproductivity

Tonight will regrettably be another short post.  I've had an exceedingly stressful last half of the day and I've noticed a trend in my life that any time something good, fruitful, or productive starts to happen, an immediate wave of unrepentant and unnecessary stress swoops in.  It feels almost supernatural how circumstances chance on a whim and can knock you down on your butt even on your best day.

I think this daily challenge is what really separates us from the saints.  We sometimes say that people have to have the patience of a saint and tonight I definitely failed in that. But what makes a saint more patient? Because they know that in the end, Jesus has won.  Whatever little stress or temptation, it's already been defeated. Our Easter hymn of Alleluia is a victory song over all of those forces.  And devil knows that.  He wants to prevent us from accomplishing what God has planned for us and the world sometimes seems as though it purposefully conspires against us to keep us down, make us depressed, turn us to sin.

But, even on the worst of nights, we need to turn and praise God, and ask Him to make us saints because only through His grace can we become who we're meant to be.

None of the other stuff really matters.  Thank God for your life, for all the good things in it.  Thank God that you suck at whatever it is you suck at, and ask for His help to be better.  He will give you tomorrow that little extra grace to make the small change you need to for His sake.  Try a little harder tomorrow and He will give You everything you need, always and unconditionally.

God love you!

~onecatholicguy

Bible Roulette! -- Caleb's Smart Gamble

Time for a new exciting game here at One Catholic Guy called:

bible roulette!  

The game is simple: after failing to write a blog post all day, I will flip randomly through the bible and try and find a quote having to do with this Easter theme of joy!  

First up from the USCCB online bible: Song of Songs 8:8 (who do we appreciate? Go team!)

“We have a little sister;^*

she has no breasts as yet.

What shall we do for our sister

on the day she is spoken for?

Okay, maybe not the best one to start with.  Let's try one with less breasts involved...or would it be more since the sister has none?

awkward. 

So let's give this another spin in the New American Bible I get around from confirmation class: Joshua 14. 

This one is actually kind of fitting for me personally but we'll get to that in a minute.  

Essentially it's a passage about how Joshua and the elders divided up the inheritance of the Israelites once they're in Caanan.  After 40 years wandering, they've finally made it to the promised land, but who is promised what?

We hear about Caleb, who along with Joshua, spied on Caanan and reported to Moses that they could take back the land when 10 other spies called it impossible (Check it out on New Advent).  Caleb is a man of great faith and trust in the Lord and Moses promised him the land he spied on, called Hebron,  "because you have been completely loyal to the Lord, my God" Joshua 14:9.  

The really cool part for me is this quote from everyone's favorite Kenizzite (whatever that means) Caleb,

 "although I am now eighty-five years old, I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me forth, with no less vigor whether for war or for ordinary tasks" Jos 14:10-11

I had little time to write today because I was actually celebrating my grandfather's 91st birthday!  So this is fortunate spin on the ol' roulette wheel.  Caleb says he's as strong today as he was over 40 years ago. Given the crazy ages we see people live to in the bible, that could be physically true but I think 40 years will slow anyone down who lives less than 500 years total.  So how is Caleb strong still?

His strength is not physical but in his passion for the Lord.  The reference point he uses for his pinnacle of strength was Moses sending him forth.  It is Caleb's mission that solidifies his resolve in the Lord and he fights against popular opinion to tell Moses what the other spies would not, that they can complete the mission; that they can return home.  And he's rewarded by God for this loyalty not only with the land of Hebron but with this strength and firmness of will. To extend the roulette analogy, Caleb put all his chips on one number, God, and was paid more profit than the world could ever give: the favor and love of God,

I think it's common for an older man to look back on his life and think of his work and livelihood.  My grandpa just today said he had gone back to work last month because he loved working.  He has fond memories of his 40 plus years of work but surely it was not fantastic on a daily basis.  Grandpa worked in a sweater factory as a presser, basically operating a gigantic steamer that made sweaters creaseless and ironically men wrinkled from the heat in their face for hours a day.  The day to day of that business was arduous and the fact that it was a seasonal job surely meant large periods of time doubting whether the factory may reopen the next year.

I feel this myself as I've been unemployed for several months.  Will I ever complete my mission and will I ever receive any sort of commission for working again?   Am I able to do what God calls me towards and how do I know what that is? Am I on the right path?

Caleb, now who we see as an old man, knows the answer.  He has done right by the Lord and remained loyal and he is still strong. He says he has vigor for both war and ordinary tasks.  Part of this is from experience I think, he's lived many more days than I have and knows how things work.  Same with my grandfather, he can say he loved working because the ordinary tasks of that work are long gone and he now sees the grander overall benefit of his career. But, more importantly both these men had an innate trust in God.  My grandfather hoped and probably prayed that the factory stayed open until next season and Caleb knew when others doubted that the Israelites could get back what God promised them because God is a reliable promise-maker.

God is good to us and the source of great strength.  In Jesus Christ's coming, we are given even greater trust that God will keep His Word since He gave us His Word who is Jesus.  And, in the fullness of the Trinity, Jesus ascends to heaven and sends down the Holy Spirit to fill us with the vigor we need to do our mission in both extraordinary and ordinary ways as Caleb is set to still do at 85 and my grandfather, in a limited way, can at 91.

And I, on the brink of 25, will hold on hope* and trust in God that He will provide and I will receive my inheritance. I have strength still in me as I am in the Body of Christ, which too shows that I am useful to God despite my flaws, imperfections, unemployment.  All of us are called into Christ's Body and in the Catholic Church we are privileged to receive our daily bread, the Eucharist to give us the strength to hold on for the 45 years until Joshua can give what Moses promised.  At the end of the day I got a call for a new interview, a job much closer to my goal than the others I've applied for. God maybe placed that for a little encouragement.  And I'm very grateful.

*(For those who can't resist completing the Mumford lyric)


So as we conclude this first bible roulette I pray for all of us who need some more trust in God today and who feel weak.  Oh God, our life, strengthen us for the journey to You in heaven.  Keep us on the path of faith and be our light as You always are.  We love You and Praise You, now and forever!

Alleluia!

~onecatholicguy

700 Sundays on a Monday night

Tonight I was supposed to head into NYC to see a storytelling event.  I had to do an errand for my grandparents and wound up missing my train.  Instead I was surprised to see on TV a one man Broadway show of Billy Crystal's life call 700 Sundays. It is a deeply moving tale of Crystal's life played out in front of a facade of his chidlhood home.  He especially focuses on his relationship with his father who died very suddenly when Billy was 15.  He approximates in the play that he had about 700 Sundays with his father.

And the most touching part of the play for me were two scenes that mirror each other in the show, both taking place in heaven with Billy talking to God.  The first conversation is right after Crystal's father died when he's angry and feels selfish and that God made his life unfair.  God tells him that those are the cards he was dealt which makes Crystal quip, "Are you God or a blackjack dealer?"

At the last moments of the play, after the death of his mother, Billy speaks with God again and mimes a handful of cards that he's looking at. He starts by talking about the bad cards, the death of his father, his short height, but then quickly moves on to say all the great cards he was dealt: being close with his mother, having a beautiful wife and two daughters, getting to have the career he's always wanted.

It was a beautiful reflection on how we all are presented with certain circumstances of life, the "cards we're dealt" but we are given so many more good cards than bad.  God gives us gifts in everything, even the worst of situations, the heaviest of loses, or the deepest of depressions can yield fruit that following our own will never could.

We are privledged to say that God is our Father and He gives us not just 700 Sundays but every day.  Our life is an opportunity to love more truthfully each day and God gives us the necessary grace to grow in love.  Each struggle we have, each failure and loss and heartache all lead us down a path we would never have without it.

When I compare my life to others I feel very blessed and that God has truly guided me safely so far.  I have had some troubling experiences but not the devestating ones I have heard wiser people speak of and the pain that accompanies age.  I know that I too will have these seemingly detrimental agonies but God is leading me tonight to the conclusion that they are important and for a purpose.

I wish I had something funny to say, I actually have been wishing I had something funny to say all day!  But tonight I am just utterly grateful for God's gifts to me and I hope that He guides each of us to use our talents as well as our pains and wounds to bring us more fully into His life.

God love you!

~onecatholicguy

Canonized!

I'm pretty exhausted today because I got up at 4 am to watch the historic canonization of Pope Saints John XXIII and John Paul II! So sadly, I haven't the energy to truly reflect on the beauty of the canonization, Divine Mercy Sunday, or St. Thomas' finger sticking good gospel.

 Needless to say this was a day full of Easter joy and I am extremely grateful for today and I pray in a special way tonight for the intercession of John XXIII and John Paul II for the church and in a special way I pray for the homeless, poor, hungry, depressed, suicidal, and all those who may not be seeing the joy of Christ today. 

I promise more in depth reflections later this week! And now some sleep, good night and God bless you all!

~onecatholicguy 

Divine Mercy

Today I have only one quick message:

The Lord is good and merciful, His mercy endures forever! 

That is our joy and the gift Christ gives us in His sacrifice, reconciling us the the Father. 

Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory! Thanks be to God for His divine mercy on us!  

Peter's Swimming lesson

Today, St Peter gives us a lesson in discipleship that's very fitting as we prepare for the canonization of two of his successors this weekend. 

What joy would we have if we saw the resurrected Lord for the first time? How greater still the joy for the second reappearance ensuring our minds without a doubt this is true?  

Perhaps Peter was doubting the true resurrection when he told the other apostles he was going fishing? Or maybe he simply didn't know what to do yet. He hadn't yet received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and so maybe, without Christ physically present to follow he had no idea what to do except go back to fish old livelihood, fishing.

And as the leader of the apostles the others follow him. Several other apostles are in the boat with him when they hear a cry from the shore, "Children have you caught anything?" 

That should've been there first clue this dude about the sand isn't your average beach bum. Usually one doesn't call a group of 30-40 year olds children unless the person is really old. And even then, they'd be more likely to say "youngin" or "whippersnapper" than Children. This is a father calling and, like a good father, he gives them advice and takes them fishing. 

They cast te net off to the side as He says and soon the net is so full they cannot even reel it in.  John is the first to say that it is The Lord, just as he testified to Jesus' resurrection by arriving at the tomb. But in an effort not to lose another race, Peter jumps into the water and speeds off. 

Peter may look pretty silly doing this since they're only a hundred feet from shore, but his love for Jesus is so fierce  that he cannot contain his joy. He gladly will look the fool to get closer to Christ!  And him diving in the water is almost a sacramental reminder of baptism, he dives in the water with his eyes on Jesus, full of faith and vigor. 

When the other apostles arrive on shore Jesus asks them to bring their catch to Him and Peter alone drags the net of 153 fish to The Lord. He really must have been working out since John beat him in the foot race because 153 edible fish has got to be heavy! (I'm not ichtiologist but I have read One fish two fish red fish blue fish a few times). 

But it is at Christ's command he leaps into action! Peter's joy is to do the Lord's will and his enthusiasm and strength is an inspiring show of love. 

As we prep to canonize John XXIII and JPII this weekend, let us look back even further to Peter, asking in the glow of the miracle and mystery of Easter, and pray for all three of these great pope's intercession 

What is man? What's in a name?

PThis reflection on Easter joy is based on the daily mass readings  for today.

What particularly struck me about today's readings was one line in the Psalm:

What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him? Ps8:4

What is man that God should care for him?  Who are we to the Father?

From the very first mention in the Bible, we know we are made in the image of God, both man and woman showing that God contains the fullness of humanity in Himself.  And this Psalm continues that same message of Genesis that man was given a privileged position above the creatures of the earth.  But man had barely existed yet, how could he earn that right above the creatures?

The answer is that we were chosen because we are made in God's image.  Not, as the serpent tried to convince Adam and Eve, or our ego tries to convince us daily, that we are like gods.  None of this isn't by our merits but is a gift from God!  Even if man were to hold dominion over all creation, he is still a creature.  So, like the Psalm said, "What is man?"

Going back to the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we see Peter addressing a large crowd that has formed around him and John amazed at their power after they have healed a disabled man.  The healed man himself clings to them, looking up in adoration and gratitude.  On some level this must make them happy, after all Peter is the rock of the church, the chosen one by Christ Himself!  And John, he had argued with his brother over who was to sit at the Lord's side.  It's only human to feel some pride at their accomplishment, having helped that man and most of us might bask in the glow of that crowd's admiration.  I venture I would.
But that is not what Peter and John did.  Their pride was not the victor that day for, at this point, they had already received the Holy Spirit, and filled with the Spirit Peter asked,

When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, “You Israelites, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?^e  Acts3:12

He then points to the true reason the man was healed, a truth echoed in the psalms refrain,

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

It is because of the disabled man's faith in the name of Jesus he is healed!  Peter testifies to the name and life of Christ, the author of humanity who Himself became human.  What is man that God should become incarnate in our weak flesh?   That is the mystery and joy of Christmas, the Incarnation, but we see it here in the Easter season as well.  Jesus is human and Divine, man and God, Incarnate and Ressurected.

The Gospel for today shows that He is a true man in His resurrection.  He sees the apostles are frightened of Him and his supernatural power, just like they were when they saw Him walking on the water years earlier.  But He shows them his side and his hands and feet, the wounds of the crucified man they buried in the stone tomb.  He asks them for food and they give fish which He eats.

Once they see He is a man and not a ghost, once they accept the truth of Christ's dual nature, only when they see Christ as He is can He reveal to them the truth of that Jesus fulfills the prophesies and Psalms.  And he tells the apostles,

“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.    Luke 24:46-47

Which is exactly what the Psalmist says, "how wonderful your name" and what Peter preaches to the crowds in Jerusalem.  Jesus answers the question of the Psalm when he tells the apostles,

"You are witnesses of these things" Luke 24:48

That is what man is: a witness.  Our abilities and faculties as a witness to the Father who's image we are made in and our vocation as Christians is to witness to Jesus Christ and proclaim the wonder of His name to all.  We are witnesses of God's love and believe in Him.  

Our highest calling is not to become like gods but to worship and testify to the one true God in the Blessed Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! In Him is our glory, and may all our work be done in love for God and offered to Him!  The beauty of this revelation tonight surprises me and leaves me with few words except those of today's Psalm: 

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth! 

Alleulia, Christ is Risen!  Glory, honor, power to You forever and ever!  Amen

God Bless, 

~onecatholicguy