Holding on and letting go

"I love you Jesus, not for what you give but what you take" St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta.

This was the thought behind today's homily. A beautiful thought. It was a great mass today. I normally prefer a more contemporary mass but today we went to 11am which is a more orthodox, high mass. 

As I sat there looking around, it always gives me such peace of mind. All these people, various shapes, sizes, ages, nationalities and races, all there taking a moment out of the busyness of life to worship God. We all stand together, pray together and worship together. 

Fr. Todd lights the incense and the smoke rises, the smell wafts throughout the church. It rises like our prayers to God. All of our prayers lifting each other. Adoring God, asking for mercy with a contrite heart, thanking him for what he has done in our lives, asking for supplications.

"not for what you give but what you take" Fr Todd references. In his homily, he talks about what we offer to God. We offer our lives but then when tries to take over, we don't let go. It is a work in progress. Something we all need to work on. 

We like to offer. We like to say we are giving. But are we really. Do we allow others to take?

CS Lewis says our giving should be felt. It should not be just the extra we have. It should be harder and more real. If someone needs a coat, we should give him the one on our back. Not just the extra one in the closet. That is the challenge. To trust in God's providence and allow him to take over our lives. To trust in God's providence to care for us if we give till we feel it. 

We are called to give our love. This is tricky. Loving someone doesn't mean we have to agree on everything. We disagree because we love the other and want the best for them. Most times for me, my pride gets in the way, I just want to be right. It is no longer based on truth and love. That is not what Christ called us to. He sat down with those on the fringes, he loved those who disagreed with him, he loves those who put him to death. As he was dying he said "Father forgive them for they know not what they do".  That is what we are called to do. To love and forgive, even the worst and most atrocious offenses. This comes from Grace, this comes from giving ourselves over completely to God. 

I heard a story once of a woman who was in the concentration camps in Germany. Her mother, father and sister were all killed. She was giving talks on forgiveness around the world. At one such talk a man come up to her and asked for forgiveness. He didn't recognize her. She recognized him. He was the man who killed her sister. She was shaken to her core. She was staring at him with his hand outstretched. She couldn't reach for it. She couldn't forget what happened to her sister. At that moment she began to pray. She asked for God's grace. She said "Lord, this is on you. I can't reach out. You have to do it" Slowly she reached her hand out and he took it. They shook hands. She says a great weight was lifted in that moment. She felt it, she knew it. God had saved her and this man, and it was good. She truly gave over her life to God, she allowed him to take it. 

St. Mother Theresa allowed God to completely take over her life. She thanked him for taking it. Something we can all do. We are not all called to serve the poor in India.  We are all called for different purposes. Can we allow God to take over our lives and thank him for it? To live out our purpose. If we do...

it will be better and more glorious than we could ever imagine. 

Much love and blessings to all!

This is me

This is me. Pure and simple. Some say naive and uneducated. The optimist, who, to a fault, try to see the good in people. I assume all people are good and some just make bad choices. I know naive right?

I also know that when I begin this next part of the blog many of you will not continue reading. I know you will say there she goes again on her God train. UGH!! But I would politely ask that you do me the favor of reading on. If you disagree or don't get it that's fine. I just ask that you listen to what I am saying. That's all

I know God is not dead, neither is the concept of God. For me, He is as real as you. For me to deny him, would be like someone once said, to deny the Sun exists. I see it in the sky, it brings me warmth and light and makes me feel better, but I have never touched it or held it. It is real though and so is God. 

God has been such a part of my life, always, that I have never doubted. Not once, ever. 

When I say this to people, they look at me like I am crazy. Like I am from another planet and am speaking a foreign language. First of all, they don't believe me. "Yeah right, everyone doubts and debates the existence of God". But I am telling you the truth. I have never doubted the existence of God and that He came incarnate in the form of Jesus Christ. I have known these to be true my whole life. 

God has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. He has done some amazing things. I have seen His work, I have felt His hands. I have had a few mystical experiences that I rarely share with people. Because their doubt, the look on their faces, cause me to wonder if I am crazy. 

I have wondered about what the other side will be. That is the unknown that causes the pit in my stomach. Nothing in our minds can fathom that or put words to it. People with near death experiences have tried. Dante tried. But I know that it will be nothing like that. We all have a fear of the unknown and that is my unknown.

I also know that God gives us free will. True free will. Absolute free will. We can choose to have Him in our lives or not. He will not force himself on us. We can choose to deny His existence all the way to hell. I am not trying to be fire and brimstone here. I am just saying if you choose to deny God and you die, you will be eternally separated from Him. That is hell, simply put I guess. 

I also that God wants us to be with Him. He wants to be a part of your life, my life, all lives. He loves us unconditionally. Truly, completely unconditionally. Katy Perry sings about unconditional love, we all talk about it. But we don't really accomplish it. We all have our deal breakers on that. If someone does the most awful thing imaginable. For each of us that may be different, what is it for you? That one thing that is unforgivable. There isn't anything in God's eyes that is unforgivable. That is not to say there are no consequences. There are, we all have to sow what we reap. Jesus forgave the thief on the cross. The thief still had to bear his cross till his death. But God's love was there with the thief through it all.  

God is alive and well. He is real and present.

Thanks for reading. Much love and respect to all.