Carry on Wayward Son..

No one knows the day or the hour

A few months ago a lady had a Mass offered for her sick brother-in-law who was a cancer patient, she was looking after him, a full time job at that stage.

After the Mass a few of the parishioners were invited back to the house for tea & biscuits. They talked for a while and she shared her concerns for her brother-in-law.

Whilst she was a devout Catholic, he had no time for God at all. A very intelligent man, the living room was filled with plaques and certificates that hailed his achievements in his academic and professional undertakings and as a civic leader and local hero, but faith was absent and she feared for him as he had already exceeded the life expectancy predicted by the doctors, another credit to his will of iron.

That evening he was not at home, but at the hospital scheduled to receive a blood transfusion. The nature of his illness meant that he had a low “blood count” and so needed regular transfusions.

After tea, the group decided to pray together for a while, first for the lady who was so exhausted in every way and also for her patient. They prayed for the current problem with his blood, also that he would be relieved of his pains and be able to sleep again (it had been almost a year since he had a nights sleep, every few minutes he woke up because of the pain), and also for him to open his heart to God and receive the faith.

Meanwhile in the hospital, at the same time, 9pm, the patient was hooked up to a machine which measured his blood count, while the doctors were preparing for the transfusion. The blood count was measuring a low level, then suddenly it went up and was reading what would be considered Normal. The doctors were a bit baffled by this, but continued with the transfusion. (The patient told his sister-in-law about this strange event, on his return, before she told him that he was being prayed for). That same night he slept like a baby too, and was able to do so in the next few months with little or no pain killers.

The same group of parishioners visited him again after his release from the hospital and whilst he became more open and requested prayers, as he always felt better afterwards, he was still unwilling to believe what God had done for him. (perhaps the blood count machine was malfunctioning, perhaps the pain killers were working better all of a sudden, maybe its psychological , if you know you’re being prayed for maybe it makes you feel better !etc etc) The more people that witnessed to him the wonders of God, the more hard headed he seemed to become !

Some months passed and on January the 3rd 2006, he passed away.

On January the 2nd he was rushed to hospital with a chest problem, which turned out to be Pneumonia.
But on January 1st, at his own request, he was Baptised and became a Catholic the peace and joy that filled him at that moment visible to all present. The Lord knew the day and the hour and He answers prayers !

Israel set free from Egypt

This is the favourable time: now is the day of salvation. When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob's people from a land of strangers, Judah became his sanctuary and Israel his domain. The sea saw it, and fled;the Jordan flowed backwards at the sight;
the mountains leapt like rams;the hills, like yearling sheep.Sea, what was it, what made you flee? And you, Jordan, why did you flow uphill? Mountains, why did you leap like rams? Hills, like yearling sheep? Tremble, Earth, at the presence of the Lord,
the presence of the Lord of Jacob, who has turned the rock into a pool of water
and made a fountain out of the flint. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. This is the favourable time: now is the day of salvation.

Push !

Once there was a guy who was told by God to push a large boulder for him. So after some years, the man became frustrated and God asked the
man why he was so sad. So the man explained, "I've been pushing this rock for so long and I've failed you because I failed to move it.
It's not going anywhere"

And so God looked at the servant and said,
"I never told you to move the rock, I only told you to push it. It's my job to move the rock, not yours." And so God moved the rock and
then told the man that he had not wasted his time at all.
"Look at how strong you've gotten all this time pushing and your body is in great shape and has a great tan."

Coffee, milk and one sugar to go..

It was a freezing afternoon in November, an artic wind howling outside. I went outside for a smoke and I noticed across the square there was a taxi, with the bonnet open, broken down. The driver was sat inside most probably waiting for a breakdown truck to arrive.

I paid little attention to it, until the Lord suggested (that voice of conscience) that I go and ask him if he would like a hot drink; you would think he had asked me to sacrifice my first born son, such was my resistance. I was busy and could think of a litany of reasons not to bother. But after a brief wrestle, 3 falls and 1 submission I went inside and put the kettle on.

Crossing the square I wondered at the reaction I might receive from the cab driver. I tapped on the window. He was on the phone and kept me waiting, giving me the opportunity to appreciate just how cold it was becoming out there.

He opened the window and I explained that I noticed he had broken down and would he like a hot drink. He leapt from the cab rejoicing at my offer and thanked me so enthusiastically you’d think he won the lottery.

Somewhat relieved and having established his preference, I dashed back to make it and returned with mugs of coffee (in the best mugs) and we had a chat about diesel engines, getting air in the fuel line and quite a lot of his life story.

As we parted I was amazed to think at how Our Father in heaven, the creator of the universe, was still busy, in this instance giving his undivided attention to a stranded cab driver, seeing his needs but not merely as an observer; getting one of his children to go and attend to that need. Truly He is present in even the smallest details of life.

It puts me in mind of a story I heard from the end of the second world war when allied soldiers stationed in a bombed out village were asked to help out. The villagers asked them to re-build a statue that had taken pride of place in the main square but had been blown-up.

They set about collecting the pieces of broken statue and painstakingly putting it back together again. They found most of it, just a couple of pieces that could not be found, and they placed the completed work back in the main square, and covered it up so there could be a grand unveiling for the townsfolk.

When it was unveiled people were a bit shocked as their statue of Jesus had the hands missing. Underneath, the soldiers who had worked on it, placed a sign which reads “I have no hands. Won't you please lend me yours? "

We are His partners in reaching out to our brothers  and sisters.

Love Your Enemies

Some years ago, a tiny Korean orphan arrived in the United States to join her adoptive family. She was nine months old and weighed only 9 ½ pounds. She grew and blossomed in her new home, but remained a diminutive size.

Her new name was Edie.

One day when Edie was in second grade, she ran home from school, crying. She was frightened. That day, three new girls had been enrolled in her class.

During the first recess, they picked the smallest girl in the class as the object of their anger and frustration. They pinched, poked, and pushed tiny Edie and threatened to beat her up.

Edie had spent an hour in the principal's office with the three girls and was assured the teachers would be watching. The girls were given a warning.

Edie's mother held her little one and comforted her. She learned later, after speaking with the principal, that the girls had been troublemakers at several other schools. They were being given one more chance at a new beginning.

"These girls must have been very hurt in their young lives to be so angry. Her mother said. "The Bible tells us, "Be kind to your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. Edie, let's pray."

Then they prayed for the girls and asked the Lord for a plan of action.

A plan began to take shape. "I can't go to school with you everyday, so you will need to stay close to a teacher when you are at recess or in line to go into school." said Edie's mom.

"If the girls start to pick on you, tell them, "I'd really like to be your friend Are you brave enough to do that?" Edie's mother asked. "The Lord asks us to be kind to our enemies, let's see what happens, okay?

The tiny girl perked up, and with a smile, looked at her mother and said, "Yes, Mom, I'll try."

The next morning, and everyday before Edie left for school, she and her mom prayed for her to be safe and brave, and for the girls to be open to God's love. Everyday, the girls shoved into line behind Edie and called her names and tried to get in a poke or two.

Each time, Edie looked up at them and said, "I'd really like to be your friend." She did have to look up at them since they were so much taller than she was.

The teachers kept an eye on the proceedings, but did not need to interfere as the girls were not hurting her.

After about two weeks, Edie came home looking so discouraged. She told her mother that she didn't think it was working. After they talked about it some more and prayed, she decided to keep trying and continued to faithfully tell them, "I'd really like to be your friend."

One day the following week, Edie ran home as fast as she could and ran into the house shouting, "Mom, Mom, guess what happened today? Just like I always did, I said I'd really like to be your friend, and one of the girls said, "Okay, Edie, we give up, we'll be your friend."

Edie and her mom thanked the Lord for His faithfulness.

A short time later, as the girls were trying to become friends, Edie asked the teacher if she could sit at a table with these girls in the classroom. She had noticed that they were disruptive because they didn't understand the lessons. Edie became their tutor.

Toward the end of the school year, when Edie's parents went to school for a parent teacher conference, the teacher told them, "Because of Edie's kindness, those girls have completely turned around and are productive members of the class." She felt she had witnessed a miracle. And so did Edie's mom and dad.

How many people go through life never experiencing kindness? They don't see it in strangers, and some don't even find it in their own families.

Without experiencing kindness, it becomes impossible to express kindness toward others. The result of this tragic lack is seen everywhere.

What a different society this would be if everyone who has received kindness would be kind to others, especially the unlovely.

Nobody's Friend

My name is Gossip.

I have no respect for justice.
I maim without killing.
I break hearts and ruin lives.

I am cunning and malicious
and gather strength with age.

The more I am quoted
the more I am believed.

My victims are helpless.
They cannot protect themselves against me
because I have no name or face.

To track me down is impossible.
The harder you try,
the more elusive I become.
I am nobody's friend.

Once I tarnish a reputation,
it is never the same.
I topple governments
and wreck marriages.

I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights,
heartaches and indigestion.
I make innocent people cry in their pillows.

Even my name hisses.
I am called Gossip.
I make headlines and headaches.

Readers,
before you repeat a story,
ask yourself:
Is it true?
Is it harmless?
Is it necessary?
If it isn't, don't repeat it.