My dear friends, our Lord Christ is the source of everything good. Every grace and blessing comes from him alone. Though perhaps interrupted by a miracle or two, most human lives nevertheless are ordinary and unremarkable. What then makes an ordinary human life special? Saint Therese of Lisieux offers an answer. Rely on God for the very first grace. Make a great effort.
Using the first grace God gives you, go to work as if everything depends on you. The loveliness of human life, far from buying expensive things or traveling to exotic places, can be expressed by a simple aphorism. In all things, strive for the elegant recovery. By elegant, I mean land on your feet with humor and humility, making peace with God and one another. Kneel before the Lord Jesus each day in humble thanksgiving. Treat every neighbor with unfailing courtesy and respect.
Many people act as though blessings and graces received in life result from anything but God. So they credit cleverness, glibness, charm, daring or even blind fortune. But no one in his right mind would thank these things. Why? Because “thanks” are not given to things and places but to persons. For the small things of life, people usually thank each other. As regards the big things of life, what does aperson do? Give thanks to himself? Hardly. To thank yourself for yourself would evidence a lunatic and meaningless self-love.
There can only be one master of the universe. Yet, so many persons think they’re it. If you’re a “legend in your own mind”, and everybody else should bow down to you or get out of the way, why don’t you put your ideas to the test? Find yourself a chair, your favorite recliner. Get four or six members of your fan club to carry you out to the water’s edge in Galveston Bay at low tide. There, in the presence of your retinue, command the wind and waves not to come in and soak you.
If you come away dry, you are master of the universe. Let the world applaud in amazement. But if you come away drenched, then get out of your chair. Kneel down in the saltwater before God Almighty who created you, asking for mercy and forgiveness. Say to God, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful (person), O Lord." [Lk 5:8] In truth, there’s a fine line between wrong ideas and lies. The notion that a person can control everything if he’s clever and works hard enough . . . isn’t this a wrong idea? When does a wrong idea become a lie? Only when a person is caught and admits it? Or soaked?
Why can’t we summon the will to act for the sake of God and praise him? Do we have to be perfect before we think about God through the day and in the little (Continued from page 1) things of life? If we love our children, why don’t we love God more? If we love human life and liberty, why don’t we love God more? If we value mercy and a chance for a new life, why don’t we love God more? Why aren’t we consumed with love for him?
The test of faith is not in the play-house of childish imagination but found instead at the crossroads of human faith and reason — precisely where “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church” may be found. (Nicene Creed) The apostle Peter understood that genuineness of faith is more precious than gold, for it awakens the human heart to love our Lord Jesus Christ. “Though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy”. [1Pet 1:7-8]
Peter, who failed to ask God for the very first grace and got soaked, learned that God’s kingdom is itself a miracle, a stream of miracles, a river of miracles, an ocean of miracles, a never-ending procession of miracles. How he wanted a share in this kingdom more than life itself! The Christian religion is infinitely more than the intuitive genius of motivated persons. To the contrary, Christianity is a religion of ordinary people called to extraordinary faith. You want your faith to increase? Thank God always. Pray for the first grace. Sincerely in the hearts of Jesus and Mary. Your pastor, Reverend Richard Barker. +++
My dear friends, our Lord Christ is the source of everything good. Every grace and blessing comes from him alone. Though perhaps interrupted by a miracle or two, most human lives nevertheless are ordinary and unremarkable. What then makes an ordinary human life special? Saint Therese of Lisieux offers an answer. Rely on God for the very first grace. Make a great effort.