God's Plan?

This came up during a conversation with a friend tonight.  We were debating the value of petition prayers in light of God having a plan for us all.  I mentioned that even Jesus petitioned his Father in the Garden of Gethsemane.  "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will but as you will." Mt 26, 39.   To my friend's point, where is the value of Jesus' prayer here?  Wasn't God's plan already set in motion?

If God has good things planned for us, do we need to request them in prayer?  Can we sway God's mind with our petitions?  If so, does that mean God's original plan was flawed, or can God simply change his mind?  Toss a little "free will" into the mix and it really starts you thinking (though I'm certain all of this has been debated, dissected, and documented over the centuries and it is just a matter of me finally covering it in a future class - but in the meantime it sure is intriguing to think about on your own).  

Maybe God has a decision tree, or a risk mitigation plan, or a contingency plan, you know, for those times when I throw him a curve ball and exercise my free will in a way not consistent with his teachings.  Maybe it is a contingency plan that gets executed when we don't petition our Father as he wants us to do so.

My friend and I ended our call somewhat where we started, him still wondering the value, and me not having an answer - yet.

Peace,

God Bless You Father Norbert

Three weeks ago our pastor finally went to the hospital after feeling poorly for weeks (actually months, but we didn't know it).  All during Holy Week he looked and sounded awful, laboring to breath while reciting prayers.  He told us it was bronchitis.  During his two weeks in the hospital we were told he had pneumonia.  A week ago Friday we learned he had cancer.  This morning the parishioners of St. Colman of Cloyne in Farmington Hills, Michigan lost their shepherd when Fr. Norbert V. Kendzierski passed away in the arms of a close friend.

We celebrate the Ascension of the Lord this Sunday.  It is the second time we hear of Jesus physically leaving his disciples, the first being with his death and burial.  In a certain way, with the passing of Fr. Norbert, I think I have a better sense of what the apostles were feeling when Jesus left them. I was hit with a deep sense of loss, loss of a spiritual leader, loss of a friend, with the news this morning.

In 2001 when Fr. Norbert came to bless our house after we moved to the neighborhood from Atlanta, my wife wasn't Catholic and I was just another parishioner, attending Mass a little more frequently than just Christmas and Easter. Not long afterwards I started attending Mass regularly.  Over the years I began to humbly serve the parish through a variety of roles.  I got to know Fr. Norbert better as a result of this service.  Fr. Norbert also became my wife's first pastor when she joined the Church a few years ago.  In 2010 Fr. Norbert presented me with a prayer book with daily prayers similar to, but not as daunting as the Breviary.   The inscription reads, "Michael, Perhaps this will guide your way. With affection, Fr. Norb"

I open the church tomorrow.  Although it will be dark and empty when I first walk in, like all the other times over the years, tomorrow will be different.  In a way it will be like the apostles seeing the empty tomb of Jesus.  Our spiritual leader and a friend will be gone from our midst.

God bless you Fr. Norbert.  You will be missed.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Work Reflection

I'm not sure where I came across this, but I've since printed it out and have it posted at work.  From time to time during the day I'll read this to myself as a reminder.

When your ordinary work or business is not specially engrossing, let your heart be fixed more on God than on it: and if the work be such as to require your undivided attention, then pause from time to time and look to God... So doing, God will work with you, in you, and for you, and your work will be blessed.  S Francis de Sales

Each and everyone of us has a job to do, with the talents given to us by God, as part of God's plan. No matter how grand our work may be, or how menial it may seem, it is all part of God's plan.  We honor God by using his gifts wisely and to the best of our ability.

Peace,

All Work, No Play

What can I say; it has been far too long since I last posted to this blog.  The work, life, school balancing act went wildly out of kilter, with work consuming much of my time.  The project I have been managing for a client required weekly travel out of state since last November.  It had a huge impact on the last three weeks of the fall classes at Sacred Heart.  I had a feeling it might, and seriously considered not registering, but did so anyway.  It wasn't easy, but I did pass both classes, Introduction to Sacred Scripture and The Theology of Ministry, with considerable contribution from the Holy Spirit.

I did take the winter semester off.  The last thing I wanted to do was start a new semester the way I finished the previous one – sending in assignments via email from a hotel room in Virginia.  Based on when classes are offered in the upcoming spring semester, it looks like I won’t be hitting the books again until next fall.  Classes starting at 4:00 PM twice a week tends to create a little scheduling conflict with work.

I did find time to read two books about the diaconate – 101 Questions & Answers on Deacons and The Deacon at Mass: A Theological and Pastoral Guide, both by William T. Ditewig.  They are fairly easy reads, both about right around 100 pages.  I highly recommend them for anyone just beginning to discern the diaconate.


Peace,

Get Ready for Sunday

“Get ready for Sunday.”  The readings for the First Sunday of Advent are Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2b-7, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, and the Gospel from Mark 13:33-37.

The first reading this coming Sunday is from the Prophet Isaiah.  With the Israelites in exile because of their infidelity, Isaiah writes about reconciling with God the Father.  Although Isaiah writes about God hiding his face from them, we know that it really is a matter of us turning our face from God.  In the second reading, St. Paul reminds the Corinthians about the grace and blessings given to them by God through Jesus. 

In the Gospel, Jesus is telling his disciples to be watchful for the second coming of the Lord.  By virtue of the parable of the traveling man who instructs “the gatekeeper to be on watch” Jesus is planting the seed for diligence within his followers.  

As I prepare for Sunday, the three readings convey a theme to me that is important as we start the Advent season.  Our loving God is always there when we return to him, and seek him out for forgiveness.  Through his gift of grace we know of this love for us.  Finally, because we do not know when Jesus will return, we should be watchful and prepared.  In essence, we should use the grace God has given us to be in communion with the Lord, and not in a spiritual exile.

Peace.

Harsh Words

The other morning while reciting the Morning Prayer from the Breviary, the reading struck me as very timely.  There have been some issues at work lately and I’ve probably vented to colleagues more than I should have about the sources of my consternation.  So when I started reading Ephesians 4:29-32 it was if the Holy Spirit was giving me a “Gibbs Head Slap” (yes, an NCIS reference) with regard to my complaining.  To save you the time of reaching for your Bible, I’ve included the verse below.

“Never let evil talk pass your lips; say only the good things men need to hear, things that will really help them.  Do nothing that will sadden the Holy Spirit with whom you are sealed against the day of redemption.  Get rid of all bitterness, all passion and anger, harsh words, slander, and malice of every kind.  In place of these, be kind to one another, compassionate, and mutually forgiving, just as God has forgiven you in Christ” (The Liturgy of the Hours IV, p 758)

St. Paul’s advice is as sound today as it was for the Ephesians.

Get Ready for Sunday

“Get ready for Sunday.”  The readings for the 33^th Sunday in Ordinary Time are Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, and the Gospel from Matthew 25:14-30.

The first reading this coming Sunday is a beautiful passage about the ideal wife.  The tasks performed by the wife have changed, at least for most parts of our country, but the expression of love it timeless.  In the second reading, St. Paul tells the Thessalonians a similar message to what we heard in the Gospel last week, about being ready for the coming of Jesus.  In his own way, Paul reminds the Thessalonians to live their lives such that they are always prepared for the Lord’s return.

 

The Gospel is the parable of the man who leaves his servants with various amounts of currency while he is away.  Upon his return he assesses what each of the three servants have done with the money, rewarding them or punishing them based what they did with the money that was entrusted to them.  It goes to a point I was trying to share in my “Teach a Man to Fish” post.  Like the man in the parable, God has given us, his servants, various talents.  We can put those talents to good use, generating a “return” that is seen favorably by God, or we can waste them and face the consequences later.

Peace.